Fish Emulsion

[EarthBoxAdmin]

Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Hero Memer, movrshakr. This user is located in Zone 10a - near Cape Canaveral. This was originally posted on March 31,
 2013.

Thanks!  Do you have any problems with it being pelletized rather than powder?

[EarthBoxAdmin]

Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Hero Member, gardendoc. This user is located in Ocean Springs, MS Zone 9a. This was originally posted on March 31, 2013.

Never have, much easier to handle

[EarthBoxAdmin]

Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Hero Memer, movrshakr. This user is located in Zone 10a - near Cape Canaveral. This was originally posted on March 31,
2013.

OK, I will see if my Lowes has it tomorrow.  I discovered the Sunniland I bought long ago from Home Depot, even though it is labeled Dolomitic Lime, does not have nearly enough magnesium.

Can't tell you how embarrassed I am about that, since I am usually one saying "read the analysis!"  Duh.

[EarthBoxAdmin]

Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Hero Memer, movrshakr. This user is located in Zone 10a - near Cape Canaveral. This was originally posted on March 31, 2013.

Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Hero Member, gardendoc. This user is located in Ocean Springs, MS Zone 9a. This was originally posted on March 31, 2013.

Here is the Lowes product I have used for years.

Here is the analysis...

Brand= Soil DoctorX, Pellitized lawn lime (purchased at Lowes)
40 lb, pellitized calcitic limestone
calcium 32.0%
calcium oxide 44.8
calcium carbonate 80.0
magnesium 4.3
magnesium oxide 7.1
magnesium carbonate 15.0
calcium carbonate equivalent CCE 97.8%
effective calcium carbonate equivalent ECCE 91.9%

Which of these numbers do I look at (or look at and add) to consider the 2:1 Ca:Mg ratio?

Ca/Mg not 2/1
calcium oxide/magnesium oxide not 2/1
calcium carbonate/magnesium carbonate not 2/1

calcium oxide 44.8 + calcium carbonate 80.0 = more than 100% of the mixture.
None of this makes sense.  Those percents are percents OF WHAT?  Certainly not of volume or weight.  The percents of different things should all add up to 100% or less if insignificant things were left out.

I am confused.

Also,

[EarthBoxAdmin]

Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Hero Member, gardendoc. This user is located in Ocean Springs, MS Zone 9a. This was originally posted on March 31, 2013.

Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Hero Memer, movrshakr. This user is located in Zone 10a - near Cape Canaveral. This was originally posted on March 31, 2013.

Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Hero Member, gardendoc. This user is located in Ocean Springs, MS Zone 9a. This was originally posted on March 31, 2013.

Here is the Lowes product I have used for years.

Here is the analysis...

I am confused.

I understand the confusion. Here's my simple solution, I don't worry about Ca:Mg ratios. Ca is the most critical consideration. Most, if not all, recommendations are based on soil systems, many of which do not carry over in the soilless systems of container growing. Commercial nursery growers use very little dolomite even in multi-year crops.

[EarthBoxAdmin]

Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Hero Member, baileyj. This user is located in Zone 7A--- Annapolis, Maryland. This was originally posted on April 1, 2013.

Movershakr,
I do not have the bag, sorry...I put all my lime in either gallon or 2 gallon jugs and just wrote the basics on the label--"Dolomitic lime, granulated, Lowes, 2013.."  the bag that GardenDoc has posted does not look familiar...
Hope it is the correct one, now that I am checking it !! I do know the % needs to be 2:1...but now I am also confused..
I need to pay more attention to the details....sorry !
Judi

[EarthBoxAdmin]

Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Hero Memer, movrshakr. This user is located in Zone 10a - near Cape Canaveral. This was originally posted on March 31, 2013.

That's OK Judi.  Thanks for looking.

The analysis on that bag I bought does really confuse me.  I do not understand how the percentages for different things can add up to WAY over 100.

[EarthBoxAdmin]

Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Horticulturalist, over 45 years in the business.The EarthBox Hero Member, kathy. This user is located in the mountains of PA Zone 5, almost 4. This was originally posted on April 2, 2013.

The lime Garden Doc buys at Lowe's is fine to use, it has the high amount of calcium and some magnesium, the 2 things we like to see, again the most important being the calcium. I use this same lime on my lawn every year. And for   the pellets are fine to use!  I also saw  this lime at our local KMart yesterday.

[EarthBoxAdmin]

Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Hero Memer, movrshakr. This user is located in Zone 10a - near Cape Canaveral. This was originally posted on March 31, 2013.

More clarification...

I talked to a rep at "Old Castle" the manufacturer of the Soil DoctorX.
(Castlewood is a subsidiary or distributor--didn't fully understand the connection)

Summary...
The product contains only calcium carbonate and magnesium carbonate.  The other percentages are listed because various farmers have formulas that require THOSE numbers, so the bag provides the equivalents on elemental and oxides.

They have three other products out of Buchanan, VA 'factory' that are very close to 2:1:
-Pro dolomitic pellets
-Pulverized dolomitic limestone
-Micro ____________ (BB sized)

He is going to try to find out retail sources for these and pass them to me.

He was very interested in the EarthBox system, and it may give us another alternative for dolomite.

[EarthBoxAdmin]

Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Full Member, Dogmusher. This was originally posted on April 9, 2013.

Frankly, I just use the same oyster shell I put out for my baby chicks.  Since we free range our chickens, they don't need the supplement after leaving the brooder box, so I use it in my earthboxes and sometimes in my aquaponics tank to raise the pH. 

Speaking of the fish tanks, I tend to use the fish water to water my ebs after the initial fill.  The only other food I give my plants is some chelated iron and some epsom salts.  The fish provide the rest.  Of course, the fact that we make our own compost and top up with that, mixed with a little coconut coir may help, too. 

[EarthBoxAdmin]

Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Newbie, maryeann. This user is located in Port Orange, FL - Zone 9. This was originally posted on April 10, 2013.


How do you use epsom salts on your plants? All plants?

[EarthBoxAdmin]

Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Hero Member, cushman350. This user is located in Tomato Hell, Wichita Falls, TX Zone 7b. This was originally posted on April 10, 2013.

Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Newbie, maryeann. This user is located in Port Orange, FL - Zone 9. This was originally posted on April 10, 2013.


How do you use epsom salts on your plants? All plants?

Throwing chemicals like Epson salts at our EBs may not be recommended if a horticultural reason does not warrant them. Are they actually lacking these additives or is it like a "try it and see" approach? We run the risk of upsetting balances.

I also went through the "mad scientist" with my EBs, always trying to unveil some secret remedy as of yet undiscovered. 2007-2012.

They are your EBs so you are free to try it all. But this is a forum so there are many opinions, just don't try to ask our EBs to do too many things with too many amendments.

Just sayin'.

[EarthBoxAdmin]

Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Full Member, Kareneh. This user is located in Phoenix, Arizona - Zone 9a. This was originally posted on April 10, 2013.

I thought Epsom salts were only recommended as a quick fix for a magnesium deficiency. If your plants are not showing symptoms, why use it?

[EarthBoxAdmin]

Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Hero Member, cushman350. This user is located in Tomato Hell, Wichita Falls, TX Zone 7b. This was originally posted on April 10, 2013.

Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Hero Member, cushman350. This user is located in Tomato Hell, Wichita Falls, TX Zone 7b. This was originally posted on April 10, 2013.

Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Newbie, maryeann. This user is located in Port Orange, FL - Zone 9. This was originally posted on April 10, 2013.

How do you use epsom salts on your plants? All plants?

Throwing chemicals like Epson salts at our EBs may not be recommended if a horticultural reason does not warrant them. Are they actually lacking these additives or is it like a "try it and see" approach? We run the risk of upsetting balances.

I also went through the "mad scientist" with my EBs, always trying to unveil some secret remedy as of yet undiscovered. 2007-2012.

They are your EBs so you are free to try it all. But this is a forum so there are many opinions, just don't try to ask our EBs to do too many things with too many amendments.

Just sayin'.

Now, if you were to use a control group and try a different amendment in each box and compare results, that might be worth reporting.

[EarthBoxAdmin]

Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Sr. Member, BPFSU. This user is located in Zone 8b North Florida. This was originally posted on April 29, 2013.

Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Hero Member, mjb8743. This user is located in Zone 7, South NJ, Garden State. This was originally posted on March 2, 2013.

Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Jr. Member, Sh0e. This user is located in Zone 24, Southern CA. This was originally posted on March 2, 2013.
I'm also thinking about what I need to do to improve my yield, especially tomatoes. I've done EB's three years now, and every year I have a BER problem. I'm afraid that I will just quit soon on this product (which is sad because I really do want to believe in it). But for all my efforts with tomatoes, I've nary had one good crop (i.e. one box) that produced anything of a bounty.

Do you keep the same mix from year to year? New, first year mix is more prone to BER. Also, do you add the required 2 cups of dolomite to the mix each year? If so, after 3 years, BER should be a minor occurence, if at all.

Mickie

Mickie, you mention two cups of dolomite at  replanting, but the EB site FAQ says this:

Is the EarthBox reusable? How do I replant my plants?
Absolutely. Simply remove your old plants, the old fertilizer strip and some of the surrounding growing media. Decide what you are going to plant in your EarthBox and refer to the Planting Guide to know where the fertilizer and plants need to be placed. Top the EarthBox off with some fresh growing media, creating a mound. Mix in 1 cup of Dolomite to the growing media. Based on the Planting Guide, pour 2 cups of dry, granular fertilizer (3 cups if using an organic fertilizer) in the form of a 2-inch-wide strip, burying it 2"-4". Put a new mulch cover on your EarthBox and replant. You can use the same growing media up to 6 growing seasons, and the EarthBox for many years.

Kathy, has EB changed their recommendations?  Also, just my opinion, but instructions on replanting should be it's own link at the bottom of the EB site.  Right now it seems to be buried and takes some perseverance to find.