Welcome to the Melbourne Community Daily Discussion Thread.

  • Thornburywitch
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    1 year ago

    Most plant food is based on NPK, that is, nitrogen, potassium and whatever K stands for (calcium I think but can’t remember off the top of my head). The extra iron, copper & zinc is an improvement in my view as Australian soil is mostly fairly poor in trace elements. This is why I like Seasol. Copper in particular is lacking in a lot of Aus soils and having enough makes a huge difference to plant health. I wouldn’t worry about the chelation ingredients, the soil will also benefit from that. If you want a cheap soil-friendly plant food to put on or mix in with the soil, the good ol’ blood & bone from the supermarket is very good. So is dolomite dust, but this costs more and is harder to find but lasts a whole lot longer.

    • melbaboutown
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      1 year ago

      Thanks, I was considering just grabbing the normal Seasol in my next Woolies order… but if it really won’t harm it.

      Is the dilution ratio the same?

      • Thornburywitch
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        1 year ago

        Pretty much. I would mix as advised on the bottle, then add maybe about half as much again water. It lasts pretty well in a watering can for several days. After a week, I don’t put it on pot plants, but donate it to the lawn or the nature strip trees. I tend to eyeball measurements, but as most of my plants are outside and get extra dilution from rain it’s not a huge issue for me. For inside plants, maybe use it at ‘cordial’ concentrations - that is, for each half cup of pure seasol, add 1 litre of water or more.

        • melbaboutown
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          1 year ago

          It’s in a spray bottle labeled for foliar use and is meant to be sprayed on undiluted, does that still apply? This is the one I was brought https://www.seasol.com.au/products/seasol-foliar-spray/

          Next time I’m just digging slow release granules through the soil before planting and being done with it. -_- I would have but they had spoiled/bloomed, potentially from moisture getting in

          • Thornburywitch
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            1 year ago

            Dilute in half for soil use I think. That is, one cup of spray to one cup of water. Then soak soil every 3-4 days. The mixture will keep for at least a week or longer in a closed container in the fridge or even in cool spot as the weather is about to fall on its ear again. I would discard any diluted mixture after a week of hot weather if kept at room temperature. Or possibly donate it to the street tree or another outside plant.

          • Taleya
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            1 year ago

            Be careful with those, a lot have bullshit levels of cadmium. Worm casings are always good, and you already have mycorrhizal going!

            • melbaboutown
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              1 year ago

              D:

              I’ve ordered some Powerfeed as apparently that’s a fertiliser and Seasol is a soil conditioner… and they’re meant to be mixed? I’ll just have to be careful a certain someone doesn’t try to taste

      • Thornburywitch
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        1 year ago

        Thanks! The letters for the elements are so bloody hard to remember! And while logical in historical context, they are not logical in terms of initial letters.

        • Taleya
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          1 year ago

          Lol know how i remember? A friend in 199fucking 5 randomly said ‘The K stands for fire!’