# I need help with fertilizer and real fast.



## crafty2002 (Aug 23, 2006)

I was getting ready to put the fertilizer on a large part of the garden but don't know how much to put.

I had always used 10-10-10 but looking at the prices yesterday I bought 17-17-17. I just figured it was 1.7 time as strong so it will go that much further and the 50# bags was only a buck more that a 40# bag of 10-10-10. :shrug: Heck I figured it was a steal so I bought 3 bags but it doesn't say how much per 1,000 Sq. Ft. or anything else. 
So I have no idea how much to spread. 
If I get an answer in the next 10 minutes to this I will plant two 75' ros of corn some tomatoes and peppers before dark. 
If not it will be tomorrow. 
Please Help FAST LOL. 

Thanks
Dennis


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## mistletoad (Apr 17, 2003)

How much did your soil test call for?


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## vegfarmer (Feb 28, 2008)

As a rough figure you will need about 1/2 to 1 pound of actual N per 1000 sq feet. With .17 lbs of N per 1 pound material you will need about 3 to 6 lbs per 1000 sq ft. I would go the light amount firat then side dress later with the rest. Corn will need the most the peppers and tomatoes will need it for a longer period of time.


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## crafty2002 (Aug 23, 2006)

Thanks vegfarmer. I just went ahead and tilled some more this evening and will do the planting tomorrow. Thank the good lord for good weather for planting. :sing:

:grit::shrug:I can't believe this. As soon as I said Thank the Good Lord for good weather for planting, something told me to check the weather report. It was 73* here today. They are calling for 72 tomorrow 58 Sunday and then get this, SNOW Monday morning. 

I am planting peppers, tomatoes, corn, and beans tomorrow anyway. I put up some fast little hoop houses over what I plant and cover them with plastic and maybe put a light in each one but spring fever has sprung, LOL.

And mistletoad, What soil; test ???? I add fertilizer as the package calls for X's 2, (except this one 
didn't say what it called for) and plant the veggies. :sing: 

Thanks again vegfarmer. I'll get started in the morning even if it starts snowing, LOL. I have plenty of plants started in case frost gets some of them.
Dennis


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## Paquebot (May 10, 2002)

If it's any help now, general rule for application of 10-10-10 would be 1# per 100 foot row. That would also be 1# per 100 square feet if broadcast or 10# for 1000 square feet. Use that as the guide to figure how much 17-17-17 you'd need.

That fertilizer is going to be a lot faster acting. The P of NPK in the Triple-10 would be slow-release super phosphate. In the Triple-17, it would be from triple super phosphate. You've really got a good "quick kick" corn fertilizer there. Nothing wrong with it. When I worked for Royster Co., Triple-12 was everyone's choice until we came up with a formula for Triple-14. 

Martin


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## tomakers (May 27, 2007)

Go with the lesser amount. Triple 17 is strong stuff, and you can always add more. I usually fertilize corn every week to 10 days until it tassels. Then once more with 10-20-10 or equivalent.
JMO,
Tom


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## ksfarmer (Apr 28, 2007)

If you aren't soil testing, you are shooting in the dark anyway. Your local county extension office can get a test for you if you take them a sample of your soil.


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## crafty2002 (Aug 23, 2006)

Thanks Martin and Tomakers. As I have said. I am still n my learning early stages when it comes to gardens but they do better every year. I just figured that it was a lot better deal. For an extra buck I got 1.7 time the strength and an extra 10# to boot. 
Martin, make sure I am looking at this correct here. If the 10-10-10 is one pound for a 100' row. The trip-17 should be good for a 170' row. Am I right there or am I looking at it bass ackwards. 
I think I see what you are saying but I don't want to screw it up. 

And there is still one other thing. I am not sure if it is the soil around here or what, but when I said I go by the directions and this didn't have any, I lead you all astray. 
Several years ago I put the fert down before ready the directions. Only then did I realize I had just put almost to the tee, twice as much down as it called for on the package. I figured I would burn everything up but I didn't. It jumped like crazy. Weeds and all, LOL. But I have been using the trip-10 until this year and doubling it and the gardens have grown well from my perspective. 
Last year I doubled if not tripled it in some areas and it did good, if you take the deer and ground hogs out of the equation, that is. 
Plus I used, if ya'll remember, I was using human urine every week or so mixed with the waterings. 
I know someone gave me a chart or someone that told what the makeup of human urine was. Seems like it was high in N but I can't remember and can't find it on here again. As usual. Any one know what that was. 

Thanks for the help. 
Dennis


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## Paquebot (May 10, 2002)

crafty2002 said:


> Martin, make sure I am looking at this correct here. If the 10-10-10 is one pound for a 100' row. The trip-17 should be good for a 170' row. Am I right there or am I looking at it bass ackwards.


Your basic math is indeed correct. There is hope for the younger generation yet! 



> Several years ago I put the fert down before ready the directions. Only then did I realize I had just put almost to the tee, twice as much down as it called for on the package. I figured I would burn everything up but I didn't. It jumped like crazy. Weeds and all, LOL. But I have been using the trip-10 until this year and doubling it and the gardens have grown well from my perspective.
> Last year I doubled if not tripled it in some areas and it did good, if you take the deer and ground hogs out of the equation, that is.


Doubling or tripling 10-10-10 is not going to harm anything. That is due to the normal formula for manufacturing it. It's muriate of potash, super phosphate, limestone, sulfuric acid, and nitrogen solution. Only the potash would burn anything but would have to be applied as plain 60%. The suggested rate of application is for 2 reasons. One is based on the average vegetable need. The second is so that the gardener or farmer does not have to buy 3 times more than needed. A recent third would be that the excess does not end up in lakes and streams. 

Martin


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## crafty2002 (Aug 23, 2006)

Paquebot said:


> Your basic math is indeed correct. There is hope for the younger generation yet!
> 
> 
> Doubling or tripling 10-10-10 is not going to harm anything. That is due to the normal formula for manufacturing it. It's muriate of potash, super phosphate, limestone, sulfuric acid, and nitrogen solution. Only the potash would burn anything but would have to be applied as plain 60%. The suggested rate of application is for 2 reasons. One is based on the average vegetable need. The second is so that the gardener or farmer does not have to buy 3 times more than needed. A recent third would be that the excess does not end up in lakes and streams.
> ...


Thanks yet once again Martin. I guess One thing I have going for me is the run off settles right where I am still adding to the garden row by row. The extra rain water and the soil that gets washed down the hill stops right where I have stopped plowing and tilling. That helps a lot also because the ground down there stays moist longer so when it too dry to do anything up the hill, it is right somewhere down the hill. When it get really dry, I still have somewhere I can plow and till. 
The top is just right now. I am working my way down the hill and as I get to get, "IF I CAN KEEP UP" it tilling as good as it ever has in my life. But it is sure taking a toll on these old bones. 
What do you mean there is a hope for the younger generation yet, LOL. I am 53 going on 80, LOL. I know a man that is 74 that can work me in the ground, but he hasn't ever tried flying lessons without wings either, LOL.
I'm not a kid Martin. I just spent all my life in construction until I fell. Now I am looking for a way to stretch out the little check they think I am supposed to live off of. I might add, I am doing it to. It hurts a lot, but I have been hurting since 78 anyway. Plus it hurts more if I set around and do nothing. I just keep clucking along. 
I thought I was right about the 100' verses 170 feet but you said something about the trip 10 being a slow release. I think I will just go with the pound per 170 feet since I am going to be using urine again this year. 
Does any one know how much sunflowers need. 
I know corn need a lot of N. Other than that I am not sure what anything needs extra of. 
I am planting the garden with extra wide spaces between the rows this year. Everything but the peppers and Okra. They seem to stay where you plant them. 
The sunflowers are going to be in a separate area all together so I will plant them as tight as the packages call for. 
Thanks again
Dennis


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## Paquebot (May 10, 2002)

crafty2002 said:


> What do you mean there is a hope for the younger generation yet, LOL. I am 53 going on 80, LOL.


Anyone young enough to where I could be the father is a younger generation to me!

Martin


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