80-20 soil mix ? Calling on the experts again :)

[lackhand]

As explained above, It just tells you how much of those essential ingredients are in the fertilizer. 10-10-10 is a relatively weak fertilizer, which is a big part of why I feel comfortable using it weekly in my well draining bonsai soil. You can get much stronger, but that would probably require a different feeding regime. I use a concentrated liquid, so it could be mixed with stronger or weaker but I've just been going with the recommended concentration. Each of the components are supposed to help with a different area of plant growth as well, but I'm not a fertilizer expert so I can't really explain that to you off the top of my head. One area (there are many) where I definitely have a lot to learn. If anybody else has more to add, please feel free!

[stocaz]

Thanks for that for some reason I thought you might have been talking percentages...
I using powerfeed/seasol, what liquid fert do you mix to get a npk of 10-10-10 ?
Cheers Ross

[lackhand]

Thanks for that for some reason I thought you might have been talking percentages...
I using powerfeed/seasol, what liquid fert do you mix to get a npk of 10-10-10 ?
Cheers Ross

I use Vigoro liquid All Purpose Plant Food. http://www.homedepot.com/p/Vigoro-32-Oz ... VprjKt36zA

I have no idea if this is available in Australia, but I'm sure there would be something similar. I haven't found anything like Seasol here either, so have no experience with it.

[shibui]

Thanks for that for some reason I thought you might have been talking percentages...
I using powerfeed/seasol, what liquid fert do you mix to get a npk of 10-10-10 ?

Stokaz, those numbers on the fertiliser packets are indeed %. 10:10:10 means 10% N, 10% P and 10% K ie equal amounts of each of the major nutrients (which still leaves 70% filler/water/etc) but that is the concentrated mixture - then you dilute it or spread it thinly (if solid) so it also depends on the application rate how much your plants actually get.
What ratio fert you use depends on what you want to achieve - Higher N gives increased growth, P10 would probably kill most proteacea species (banksias are one) and higher K helps plants flower and fruit better and is good for crabapple, wisteria, etc that are fully developed and you want to promote flowering.

Any fertiliser the plants can't take up that is washed into the ground is a pollutant. Excessive fertilising adds to nutrient problems in our water - algal blooms in rivers, fish kills, toxic groundwater, etc and to soil acidification so it is best to use fertiliser according to the directions until you really know what your plants can take up. Only increase concentrations and frequency to the point where no addition growth is achieved. Any extra is a waste and contributes to pollution of our soil and water.