Which fertiliser is best?

  • 10 Replies
  • 4192 Views
*

stompy

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Location: Kingston upon Hull, City of culture 2017
  • 2177
Which fertiliser is best?
« on: July 08, 2011, 08:51 »
Just reading another thread and a comment was made about Fertilisers.

I agree with the comment, but which is best Growmore (artificial fertilisers) or BFB (organic fertiliser).

Neither add to the structure of the soil they only feed the plant.
If this is the case what is the problem with Growmore? (not that im saying there is one)
Has it been proven safe for use? (or is it one of those things that will be removed from use in years to come?)

I personally use BFB as well as manure and compost but only because it's Organic.
Im wondering if i would be better using growmore instead as it's cheaper and more balanced?

Any thoughts guys?



(Title altered for search purposes)
« Last Edit: July 08, 2011, 09:12 by mumofstig »

*

mumofstig

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Location: Kent
  • 57877
Re: Which is best?
« Reply #1 on: July 08, 2011, 09:06 »
John explains it all on these pages  ;)
http://www.allotment-garden.org/fertilizer/index.php link to natural ferlisers at the bottom of the page :)

Balance wise they are very similar:
Quote
Fish, blood & bone runs at 6-6-6 whereas Growmore is 7-7-7. Cost is around 15% more than Growmore.
Growmore has been in use since the war, so has stood the test of time............but it is not organic. Simple as that  :D

*

JayG

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Location: South West Sheffield
  • 16722
Re: Which is best?
« Reply #2 on: July 08, 2011, 09:08 »
It's that ill-defined and often misused word organic again!!!  :ohmy:

BFB is organic in that it contains carbon from the animal products used to make it, but it is also very likely to contain commercially-fished sand eels, which is quite apart from any views you may have (positive or negative) about using the by-products of the meat industry.

Growmore is a balanced fertiliser but is not chemically organic (no carbon) and is manufactured from mineral and other resources which are mainly (but not entirely) non-renewable.

Dried chicken manure is chemically "organic" and probably the most renewable of the general purpose fertilisers, but of course the vast majority of it comes from commercial poultry farms!

You choose! (I don't use BFB simply because the local foxes dig holes in my garden looking for the "prize" which of course isn't there, but I do use the other two in conjunction with as much home-made compost as I can produce.)
Sow your seeds, plant your plants. What's the difference? A couple of weeks or more when answering possible queries!

One of the best things about being an orang-utan is the fact that you don't lose your good looks as you get older

*

shokkyy

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Location: Swindon
  • 2299
  • Mishka
Re: Which fertiliser is best?
« Reply #3 on: July 08, 2011, 09:17 »
Over the last year or two I've learned to be much more careful with all these fertilisers. I know the packet always says avoid direct contact with the plant, but it's not always easy to do that when plants are bigger and planted close together. But last year I splashed tomato fertiliser on some dwarf French beans, which killed two plants and several leaves on other nearby plants. This year I managed to get some BFB on the leaves of my squash and courgette plants, and again had several leaves on both wither and die because of it.

*

stompy

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Location: Kingston upon Hull, City of culture 2017
  • 2177
Re: Which fertiliser is best?
« Reply #4 on: July 08, 2011, 09:22 »
So BFB and Growmore are as good/bad as each other in terms of feeding the plants.

BFB is used at the detriment of nature (sand eels, chicken/egg production (etc)) and Growmore is used at the detriment of? (nature) none renuable sources))  :wacko:

But as BFB it from natural sources it's classified ok for Organic use.

Well like i said i use BFB and will keep using it now i know it's as good as Growmore, as it's a natural product.

But it is a dilema.  ::)


*

Pompey Spud

  • Senior Member
  • ****
  • Location: Gosport. Alverstoke.
  • 677
Re: Which fertiliser is best?
« Reply #5 on: July 08, 2011, 09:24 »
Imo there isn't a best one. Oh, and I'm not organic.

I use a range of balanced methods.

Growmore & pellets to give plants a slow release feed over time.

Green manures to cover the beds in winter.

Homemade compost and manure (thats bean checked) to cover beds.

Potassium sulphate and sulphate ammonia to the plants that require it at the start or, to help them out.



Top tip for camping....don't go.

*

Paul Plots

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Location: The Sunny Sussex Coastal Strip
  • 9348
Re: Which is best?
« Reply #6 on: July 08, 2011, 09:47 »
It's that ill-defined and often misused word organic again!!!  :ohmy:

BFB is organic in that it contains carbon from the animal products used to make it, but it is also very likely to contain commercially-fished sand eels, which is quite apart from any views you may have (positive or negative) about using the by-products of the meat industry.

Growmore is a balanced fertiliser but is not chemically organic (no carbon) and is manufactured from mineral and other resources which are mainly (but not entirely) non-renewable.

Dried chicken manure is chemically "organic" and probably the most renewable of the general purpose fertilisers, but of course the vast majority of it comes from commercial poultry farms!

You choose! (I don't use BFB simply because the local foxes dig holes in my garden looking for the "prize" which of course isn't there, but I do use the other two in conjunction with as much home-made compost as I can produce.)

Flipping foxes again!
I find they are partial to "hunt the chickens" even when I use just pelleted chicken manure.

In fact our local pack (collective noun for a very large number of foxes? den? horde? plague?) enjoy digging through the compost too no matter whether its on the ground in the open or still in the compost heap.

I'd vote for "dried fur and fox-tail" as the best! It might stop my crops from being jumped on, dug up or snapped.
Never keep your wish-bone where your back-bone ought to be.

*

sunshineband

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Location: Reading, Berkshire
  • 32056
  • Tallest Sunflower prizewinner 2014
    • A Little Bit of Sunshine
Re: Which fertiliser is best?
« Reply #7 on: July 08, 2011, 10:08 »
That would be a renewable resource too, especially round here right now  :lol: :lol:
Wisdom is knowing what to ignore - be comfortable in your own skin.
My Blog
My Diary
My Diary Comments

*

Paul Plots

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Location: The Sunny Sussex Coastal Strip
  • 9348
Re: Which fertiliser is best?
« Reply #8 on: July 09, 2011, 16:44 »
That would be a renewable resource too, especially round here right now  :lol: :lol:

I can see it now on the side of the packet: Mr Foxy Flowers Faster!

*

sunshineband

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Location: Reading, Berkshire
  • 32056
  • Tallest Sunflower prizewinner 2014
    • A Little Bit of Sunshine
Re: Which fertiliser is best?
« Reply #9 on: July 09, 2011, 18:10 »
Perhaps you are about to make your fortune, Learner  :D :D :D

*

Paul Plots

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Location: The Sunny Sussex Coastal Strip
  • 9348
Re: Which fertiliser is best?
« Reply #10 on: July 11, 2011, 05:30 »
Perhaps you are about to make your fortune, Learner  :D :D :D

Not round here that's for sure. Local allotment moves to reduce the fox population met with objection = "poor foxes" so we will have to live with them rather than plant with them.  ::)  :tongue2:



xx
My choice of Fertiliser is 6X Natural Fertiliser . Would like Opinions please

Started by tmm on Grow Your Own

10 Replies
7256 Views
Last post March 13, 2014, 18:57
by Totty
xx
which fertiliser?

Started by dmg on Grow Your Own

1 Replies
1292 Views
Last post April 28, 2012, 14:07
by upert
xx
Fertiliser

Started by Stevens706 on Grow Your Own

6 Replies
2596 Views
Last post August 12, 2006, 18:58
by philsmith1967
xx
Which fertiliser ?

Started by superplanty on Grow Your Own

7 Replies
2799 Views
Last post October 05, 2010, 16:08
by nipper31
 

Page created in 0.303 seconds with 41 queries.

Powered by SMFPacks Social Login Mod
Powered by SMFPacks SEO Pro Mod |