Fertilizer

This is the first time I have looked at rec.ponds, so my question is
probably well chewed already. I need recommendations about fertilizer
for Louisiana irises grown in water. I am a hybridizer and planning
to start a mail order business one day. I grow my irises in water in
half barrels in which olives, peppers and the like were imported. I
am familiar with fertilizing these irises in the ground, but unsure
what is best in this situation. A commercial grower I know who grows
Louisiana irises similarly just used Osmocote. Not sure of the
amounts or if this is really a good idea.

I would appreciate any insight or ideas on this. I think the irises
are hungry.

Patrick

Sorry to say I have no idea. Looks like others are in the same boat as you
have had so many replies.

Jim
"Patrick O'Connor" wrote in message
...
This is the first time I have looked at rec.ponds, so my question is
probably well chewed already. I need recommendations about fertilizer
for Louisiana irises grown in water. I am a hybridizer and planning
to start a mail order business one day. I grow my irises in water in
half barrels in which olives, peppers and the like were imported. I
am familiar with fertilizing these irises in the ground, but unsure
what is best in this situation. A commercial grower I know who grows
Louisiana irises similarly just used Osmocote. Not sure of the
amounts or if this is really a good idea.

I would appreciate any insight or ideas on this. I think the irises
are hungry.

Patrick

Hiya Patrick,

As a hobbyist, I divide my iris in the spring after they've bloomed and
feed them a fertilizer spike made for Tomatoes. Otherwise I let the fish
poo fertilize them. If no fish, and no concerns about water quality,
Osmocote would be fine, imo. ~ jan )

See my ponds thru the seasons and/or my filter design:
http://users.owt.com/jjspond/

~Keep 'em Defrosted~
Tri-Cities, WA Zone 7a
To e-mail see website

"Patrick O'Connor" wrote in message
This is the first time I have looked at rec.ponds, so my question is
probably well chewed already. I need recommendations about fertilizer
for Louisiana irises grown in water. I am a hybridizer and planning
to start a mail order business one day. I grow my irises in water in
half barrels in which olives, peppers and the like were imported. I
am familiar with fertilizing these irises in the ground, but unsure
what is best in this situation. A commercial grower I know who grows
Louisiana irises similarly just used Osmocote. Not sure of the
amounts or if this is really a good idea.

I would appreciate any insight or ideas on this. I think the irises
are hungry.

Patrick

I jammed one piece into a pot in my veggie filter and the thing went nuts. I gave
one chunk to my MIL and planted it on the edge of their small private lake and it
went nuts. I had one chunk split an industrial strength 18 inch pot in 2 summers.
They like to be crowded, they dont seem to need more than fish waste strength fert.
but when repotting start em off with long release osmocote since after 1 season you
wont get anything down into the pots. why not try a series of pots all the same size
with about same size chunk of iris and experimentally determine what is the best
type, amount and concentration for growing in your neck of the woods. Ingrid

~ jan JJsPond.us wrote:
As a hobbyist, I divide my iris in the spring after they've bloomed and
feed them a fertilizer spike made for Tomatoes. Otherwise I let the fish
poo fertilize them. If no fish, and no concerns about water quality,
Osmocote would be fine, imo. ~ jan )


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
List Manager: Puregold Goldfish List
http://puregold.aquaria.net/
www.drsolo.com
Solve the problem, dont waste energy finding who's to blame
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Unfortunately, I receive no money, gifts, discounts or other
compensation for all the damn work I do, nor for any of the
endorsements or recommendations I make.

I use M. pot ash in my pond and all my plants go crazy and it don't
hurt the fish.



http://community.webtv.net/rebeljoe/POND