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b54red · February 23, 2011

I sometimes add a little just to give a small boost of nitrogen above what is in the Miracle Grow. This is just an easy way to add a little nitrogen to the liquid solution since it is not easy for me to apply a good side dressing of nitrogen. I have also used a little Ammonium Nitrate dissolved into the fertilizer solution when I have it. This is mainly for the Brussels Sprouts which seem to really like a little extra nitrogen. I used to use chicken manure and would just scratch a little around the plants and then water the heck out of them.

I apply to both the soil and the foliage. Just make sure it is very dilute; I use about a 2 tsps to the gallon and give the soil a good drench. If applied in too concentrated a form it will burn most plants.

I did an unscientific test a while back in two identical raised beds. Both were amended with composted manure, cottonseed meal and alfalfa pellets. One bed of Brussels sprouts got the extra fertilizer every two weeks starting at plant out and the other just got a good watering. The results were conclusive for me since the treated bed produced nearly twice as many sprouts in the same period and the sprouts themselves were of a larger size to match the larger plants. I think the main reason the treated sprouts did better is because the plants grew faster and reached a good size before the spring weather got too warm. As soon as the temps get too high down here the sprouts will not form a tight head but instead make a loose little cabbage like thing between the stems.

February 23, 2011	#17
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	I sometimes add a little just to give a small boost of nitrogen above what is in the Miracle Grow. This is just an easy way to add a little nitrogen to the liquid solution since it is not easy for me to apply a good side dressing of nitrogen. I have also used a little Ammonium Nitrate dissolved into the fertilizer solution when I have it. This is mainly for the Brussels Sprouts which seem to really like a little extra nitrogen. I used to use chicken manure and would just scratch a little around the plants and then water the heck out of them. I apply to both the soil and the foliage. Just make sure it is very dilute; I use about a 2 tsps to the gallon and give the soil a good drench. If applied in too concentrated a form it will burn most plants. I did an unscientific test a while back in two identical raised beds. Both were amended with composted manure, cottonseed meal and alfalfa pellets. One bed of Brussels sprouts got the extra fertilizer every two weeks starting at plant out and the other just got a good watering. The results were conclusive for me since the treated bed produced nearly twice as many sprouts in the same period and the sprouts themselves were of a larger size to match the larger plants. I think the main reason the treated sprouts did better is because the plants grew faster and reached a good size before the spring weather got too warm. As soon as the temps get too high down here the sprouts will not form a tight head but instead make a loose little cabbage like thing between the stems.