# Bulk Soluble Fert Application



## Cook (Apr 29, 2021)

Over the last few years I've been incorporating more flowering perennials and annuals in my beds, pots, and hanging baskets. Last year I went overboard, mainly because I was working from home and had the time to water and fertilize frequently. While I love the pop of color everywhere, watering and feeding was a chore. I used two 1gal watering cans and would need to refill about a dozen or more times to get everything properly watered, every day (subject to rainfall of course). What made it worse was adding my soluble 20-20-20 and 10-50-10 and mixing in the cans.

I have 5 gal wine jugs that I use for mixing up Kelp4Less products prior to adding to my Spreader Mate. I would often use these 5 gal jugs to make a lot of fertilizer for my plants, but it was a pain to pour into the watering cans or to use them independently to water. Plus if I wanted to mix up some K4L the night before spraying the lawn, I had to forego or wait to use them after I watered/fed my plants.

This year I decided to use my Gorilla Cart. At first I was going to fill it and mix in the cart itself, but then thought getting the last bit out of it would require me dumping it somewhere. Instead, I bought a 27 gallon tote from Lowes for <$13. I eyeball 24 gallons, add in my 20-20-20 or 10-50-10 (8tbl), and stir with paint mixer attachment on drill. I then use a pitcher to scoop the mixture out and apply at the base of each plant. It makes watering/feeding a very quick process now.

Protip: apply hydretain 1x/month, especially to hanging baskets and flower pots with direct sun. I also add some kelp, humic, fulvic and amino acids via K4L Extreme Blend for good luck.

Hope this helps others as well. If you're on IG, follow me @the.yahd


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## gm560 (Feb 22, 2018)

Cook said:


> Over the last few years I've been incorporating more flowering perennials and annuals in my beds, pots, and hanging baskets. Last year I went overboard, mainly because I was working from home and had the time to water and fertilize frequently. While I love the pop of color everywhere, watering and feeding was a chore. I used two 1gal watering cans and would need to refill about a dozen or more times to get everything properly watered, every day (subject to rainfall of course). What made it worse was adding my soluble 20-20-20 and 10-50-10 and mixing in the cans.
> 
> I have 5 gal wine jugs that I use for mixing up Kelp4Less products prior to adding to my Spreader Mate. I would often use these 5 gal jugs to make a lot of fertilizer for my plants, but it was a pain to pour into the watering cans or to use them independently to water. Plus if I wanted to mix up some K4L the night before spraying the lawn, I had to forego or wait to use them after I watered/fed my plants.
> 
> ...


I used the ortho hose end to fertilize my annuals. I just mix the 20-20-20 in the sprayer very strong and then let it mix with more water for a good dilution on the way out. I have been close to buying a dosetron a few times now but never pulled the trigger as this works pretty well for the sub $10 price tag. I guess the one advantage i have is i can get a hose anywhere on my property, Yours is obviously larger so maybe not an option for you.

FYI those King Tut Cyprus Grasses you have there are a lot of fun. I did them last year and had a lot people stop and ask what they were. Give them lots of water and they will get HUGE.


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## Cook (Apr 29, 2021)

gm560 said:


> Cook said:
> 
> 
> > Over the last few years I've been incorporating more flowering perennials and annuals in my beds, pots, and hanging baskets. Last year I went overboard, mainly because I was working from home and had the time to water and fertilize frequently. While I love the pop of color everywhere, watering and feeding was a chore. I used two 1gal watering cans and would need to refill about a dozen or more times to get everything properly watered, every day (subject to rainfall of course). What made it worse was adding my soluble 20-20-20 and 10-50-10 and mixing in the cans.
> ...


I don't like overhead water on mine. I feel like most annuals can handle it but certain perennials can get diseases easy from it. I can get a hose end to all my plants using 3 different hoses, but its a pain to drag the hose around everywhere. Plus I was never a fan of that ortho unit. This new process is so fast and simple.

Super glad to hear about the King Tut! we saw them at the nursery and had to have them. Such an odd looking thing.


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## gm560 (Feb 22, 2018)

Cook said:


> I don't like overhead water on mine. I feel like most annuals can handle it but certain perennials can get diseases easy from it. I can get a hose end to all my plants using 3 different hoses, but its a pain to drag the hose around everywhere. Plus I was never a fan of that ortho unit. This new process is so fast and simple.


Gotcha. Yea this is how i fertilize annuals (mostly hybrid petunias), so i do foliar feed. I actually don't intentionally fertilize my perennials beyond slow release a few times a year. I have them all on a drip line hooked up to my rain machine for every day watering. I attempted to inject fert into this directly 2 years ago using a mazzei injector, but it was a failure.



Cook said:


> Super glad to hear about the King Tut! we saw them at the nursery and had to have them. Such an odd looking thing.


Yea the best quote from a passerby was it looked like it was out of the Lorax. And it does.


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## Cook (Apr 29, 2021)

Cook said:


> Super glad to hear about the King Tut! we saw them at the nursery and had to have them. Such an odd looking thing.


Yea the best quote from a passerby was it looked like it was out of the Lorax. And it does.
[/quote]

:lol:


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## uts (Jul 8, 2019)

Has anybody used an alternative to hydratain?


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## gm560 (Feb 22, 2018)

uts said:


> Has anybody used an alternative to hydratain?


For flower beds? I have not. I have used a product called ezwet in containers and hanging baskets to improve penetration into the potting soil. It works well for that purpose.


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## uts (Jul 8, 2019)

gm560 said:


> uts said:
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> > Has anybody used an alternative to hydratain?
> ...


Was asking for potted plants only. Maybe finding hydretain locally might be cheaper.


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## Lawndress (Jul 9, 2020)

uts said:


> gm560 said:
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> > uts said:
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Best alternative is diaper filling. It's literally what is in the high water retention potting soil. Get diapers and wet them, then tear them apart and mix it in.


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## gm560 (Feb 22, 2018)

Lawndress said:


> uts said:
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You can just buy the crystals pretty cheaply. I have used them but find soil can still repel water, especially if it ever gets too dry in the summer. The ezwet or like product definitely helps the soil recover from that state nicely.


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## Lawndress (Jul 9, 2020)

gm560 said:


> Lawndress said:
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Yeah. But the diapers are easy to buy everywhere. Lol. Last time I needed it, I actually had a kid in diapers....


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