Byron wrote: <<Personaly I think that anyone recommending 15-30-15 or 20-20-20 to a newbie to grow peppers with, is recieving extra funds from ScottsEG Kick backs>> Byron, I just want to say Miracle Grow has worked very well for me as a home container gardener and I am not receiving a kick back. But I also want to say, I use other amendments to my soil and am not religious about applying it. As a matter of fact, I've been using eggshells and coffee grounds (the latter rich in nitrogen I hear) and with no adverse affects, maybe the banana leaves I fold in have something to do with it. I get a great yield and have strong hardy plants. I also use fish emulsion and who knows how much pigeon s--- falls into them? I agree that high nitrogen tends to produce more foliage than blossoms but perhaps my gardening in containers requires this. I also agree that peppers like abuse and stress. It seems when I neglect them most they flourish. Kind of like kids, pamper em when they're babies and let em bloom when they are teens for the best relationship! I think there are so many variables such as climates and your soil composition, it really must be a trial and error thang that varies from plant to plant, garden to garden and personality to personality! This discussion reminds me of the vitamin debate. :) Thanx for your sage advice I enjoy it! Rose ---"Byron.Bromley" <Byron.Bromley@Gsd-Co.Com> wrote: > > > Rob Johnston Jr., owner of Johnny's seeds, is frequent writer and > consultant to Organic Gardening. Stokes Seeds has been selling > seeds for 118 years. I would say a reputable source of info. > > In both of their catalogs in the growers guides they say for > peppers LOW nitogren. Side dress once or twice per SEASON > My County Agent says "Starve peppers" > > Lets take a look at Nitrogen level's, in my area, I can find > a low of 1 and a high of 31, except some organic urea of 45. > When I went to school, on a scale of 1 to 31, a 5 would be a low, > a 15 would be a medium a 20 would be a medium high > With a low of 1 and a high of 31 I would put Miracle Gro > as a medium nitrogen level, not a low. > > Lets look at some of the problems. > > Pinetree Gardens advocates Miracale Gro, They say they get 10 habs > per plant. ( I averaged of 40 in the worst growing season in 100 years) > > Ray Kaspro Uses a folar feed of 27-15-12, Has 4 1/2 ft Red Savina's > with no fruit and 7ft Rocoto's with a few cool fruits > > A tomato grower I chatted with said he tried Miracale Gro on tomatoes > by the instructions 100% every 2 weeks. Had 7ft Early Girls with 3 > small fruit per plant. > > I have chatted with about 20 others that have had similar problems > There has to be something wrong. > > While I am at it for those that flame me for using mouthwash to control > bacterial infections, look at the last ingredient on a box of Miracle Gro, > Miracid and Fish emulsion. That ingredient is chlorine. > (which by the way, I had 5 different "Master Gardeners" tell me I could > not use on plants) > > I have tried hi-Nitro's in my garden, I hate them. My personal > opinion of Scotts fertilizers are to sell products, not to really > grow veggie gardens with. If anyone on this list is interested I have > a file with all the problems I have had with hi-nitrogen fertilizers. > If anyone wants to read it give me a non-posted click. Because it isn't > chile's > > > What is also forgotten is that the origin of peppers is from very poor > soil. > > What I would like to ask you folks is to try a few plants this way > Mix some epsom salts, 1 tbsp per gal of water > At transplanting add 1/3 cup of 5-20-20 and 1 pint of epsom salts, and > 1 tbsp of 0-20-0 super phosphate per plant > At 1st fruit set repeat. > Do not feed again for the rest of the season > > 5-20-20 is a granular fertilizer, here it $7 for 50lb > Epsom salts at Walmart is $1.29 > My 0-20-0 cost $6.99 for 5 lb > Why epsom salts ? Plants actually need a little more magnisium > than potasium. So far I have not seen magnisium in any commercial > fertilizer. RE Reader Digest "Organic Gardening " > > The best way to learn is to spend the "Tuition money" and > do it yourself. I am only asking you to try it on 2 or 3 plants. > Just do it with the same variety that you feed Miracle Gro to. > > At the end of your growing season, compare > and get back to me with your results. > Here is a few comparisons > 1 Plant habit: Example a SB should be 3 to 3 1/2 feet tall > about the same diameter > Do your plants stand up straight ? > Excessive height is caused by excessive nitrogen > Weak stalk/stems are caused by excessive nitrogen > 2. Blossom drop at temps above 50F and below 85F > Blossom drop in this range is excessive nitrogen > --Every blossom that drops is one less pod.-- > 3. Pods per plant IE SB and Habs should have between 40 to 60 > pods per plant > Low pod count is caused by excessive nitrogen > 4. Pod heat, which pods are hotter ?? > Low heat is caused by excessive nitrogen. > > Personaly I think that anyone recommending 15-30-15 or 20-20-20 to > a newbie to grow peppers with, is recieving extra funds from Scotts > EG Kick backs > > Byron > > > > > == City Jungles...gardens of passion! CITY PEPPERS- grow em! http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/Canopy/7686/index.html http://www.geocities.com/BourbonStreet/Square/9333/PEPPERS.html Join PEPPERS Club & List! http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/PEPPERS http://www.onelist.com/subscribe.cgi/PEPPERS _________________________________________________________ DO YOU YAHOO!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com