Fertigation System & Liquid Fertilizers

[Setzer1994]

Hey gang,

After one year in the new house-on-the-ledge, I'm already tired of spreading fertilizer and all things granular at a 45 degree angle on my front yard. I did some digging and came across "fertigation" systems that I decided to purchase and have my irrigation guy install. It's sounding like this is the main-line unit that is getting installed on Friday:
https://www.dripdepot.com/item/ez-flo-m ... -19-liters

My question is now what do I use as a liquid fertilizer? The same company offers their own, and I was leaning towards their organic products. One is a 3-1-2, the other is a humic acid. They can be mixed/applied at the same time:
https://www.dripdepot.com/item/ferti-ma ... ze-2-5-gal
https://www.dripdepot.com/product/root-maxx-by-ez-flo

Any thoughts on these low-dose products to start with, while getting used to the system? Any other recommendations?

Thanks!

[MorpheusPA]

You're going to want to apply about a pound of nitrogen a month during the correct months (May, September, October). As far as phosphorus and nitrogen...it depends on a soil test, if you have them. If they're necessary, sure. If not, then no--although if you were to apply minimal amounts over the course of the season, that wouldn't be a problem, of course, like we do with soybean meal (and we kind of go a bit overboard with Milorganite).

The 3-1-2 is a bit hefty in terms of P and K, but if you need P and K, that would be OK until you catch up. You'd add it to the tank in an amount per month such that you'd be targeting 1 pound of nitrogen per thousand square feet per month. That calculation can be...trying. It works out to 33 pounds per thousand square feet of 3-1-2 to reach 1 pound of nitrogen (seriously), or a bit under 4 gallons (if a liquid) per month of feeding.

That's why most use more concentrated (and less organic) sources of nitrogen in fertigation systems and spread occasionally. Carbon sources are weighty things.

I use an EZFlo system on my gardens, and pulse 9 oz urea into each garden zone per week for a grand total of 0.25 pounds N per week per thousand square feet (flower garden, slightly different rules). At 46-0-0, urea packs a huge nitrogen punch.

For the shutdown feeding, you'll still have to spread. It would require an all at once burst of nitrogen after last mow, long after the watering system is shut down for the year.

[Setzer1994]

Hey Morph -
My soil test with your review is here:
viewtopic.php?f=11&t=26540

Basically I didn't need anything but the milo and micros.

So it's sounding like just a pure liquid concentrate Urea would be mostly what I'd want to look for? I'll have to do the calculations once the system is installed, but I'm guessing that it would end up on probably the lowest of settings as far as dispersion.

[MorpheusPA]

It depends on the tank. If it adds water to dilute things down as it goes, you can add the solid urea. If it simply drains the tank to add to the water, then you can pre-dilute (very cheap) solid urea yourself with cold water and add it to the tank. Mine does the former, making feeding very easy.

Timing becomes the issue with feeding. I'm not worked up with how you feed in September and October, so if you use the slow setting and just make sure about 2 pounds of N goes down over that period, 1 pound in September, 1 pound in October, I'm thrilled. Slow, fast, all on September 1 and October 1 in an inch of water, fine. Spread through September and October, fine. I don't care as long as the grass is green.

May is the issue. Avoid feeding early in May, even gently (although that's less critical than a heavy feed, I still wouldn't do it). I'd start feeding no earlier than May 20th and plan to be done no later than June 5th or so. That might require a more moderate rate. The dates are a bit arbitrary, and for CT, it's not as critical as VA, but it's still smarter to avoid summer feeding or feeding too early in spring.

Seriously, garden feeding is easier. Pour in 0.25 pounds N per thousand per week, feed until empty. Ignore for seven days. Discontinue around Labor Day, September 15th if the weather holds warm.

Gotta scoot. I got a new job and need to go wee in a cup.

[Setzer1994]

As a brief aside, I made my first attempt today at backpack-spraying tenacity/surfactant/tracker dye and I hated it.

First I got tracker dye all over me.
Then my backback sprayer was heavy as hell.
Next it was quite the workout to pump the handle.

I got through the back yard and said "F this". I'm going back to hose-end weed b gon.

[MorpheusPA]

As a brief aside, I made my first attempt today at backpack-spraying tenacity/surfactant/tracker dye and I hated it.

First I got tracker dye all over me.
Then my backback sprayer was heavy as hell.
Next it was quite the workout to pump the handle.

I got through the back yard and said "F this". I'm going back to hose-end weed b gon.

Yeah, you do have to be careful, not fill the backpack sprayer all the way, and you'll develop the Sprayer's Left Arm (or right if you reversed the assembly).

Fortunately, use of these is kind of rare. After a few blanket sprays, it becomes a spot spray thing.