Prosol: Horticulture

FAQ for Professional Horticulture/Hydroponic/Gardening:

1. How do I know how much fertilizer to apply?
Each of our product's bags has a "directions for use" section. Follow these recommendations or seek the advice of a consultant.

2. Why do I need to use water-soluble fertilizer?
A simple question with a simple answer; because you can "Spoon Feed" your crop with water-soluble fertilizers. You don't need to worry about release rates as in granular fertilizers. If a nutritional problem develops, you can correct it quickly and efficiently with water-soluble fertilizers.

3. How do I determine what product to use?
For inexperienced backyard gardeners, we suggest a balanced ratio such as 20-20-20 all-purpose. For others, it depends on what type of crop you are growing. Advice can be obtained from the Agriculture Extension Service and other horticulture experts.

Hydroponics

Hydroponically grown plants of any type are subjected to many factors field-grown plants are not. For instance, field-grown plants are in a fairly stable medium. The pH of soil does not change rapidly; In fact, a concerted effort must be made to change it. Water, on the other hand, can change pH almost instantly and many factors can cause this change. Water is extremely susceptible to a buildup of soluble salts. While some plants will not show visible damage due to high levels of soluble salts, it can reduce their ability to survive. The best practice is to have the water source analyzed on a continuing basis for pH and soluble salts. This can be accomplished in house with an occasional sample sent to a reliable lab for analysis.

Nutrient levels in hydroponic production are measured in PPM (parts per million) and there are as many different ratios of fertilizer recommended as there are people recommending them. We offer general recommendations and rule of thumb guides which often must be changed up or down depending on the medium (sand, gravel beds or continuous flow) and water quality.

Generally speaking, a 100:1 or 200:1 dilution ratio is used to prevent precipitation of the nutrients in solution. PRO·SOL is manufactured so that even with more concentrated solutions (i.e. 8#/5 gal. water) all the nutrients remain in solution.

Many hydroponically grown plants are extremely sensitive to chlorine. Chlorine toxicity symptoms begin as marginal chlorosis and progress to general leaf chlorosis followed by necrosis. PRO·SOL for hydroponic use is specially formulated to contain no chlorine. Growers using less expensive fertilizer made with potassium chloride (KCL) as an ingredient often suffer from chlorine toxicity.

Unlike many other soluble fertilizers, most PRO·SOL formulations have a guaranteed level of micronutrients listed on the bag. It is imperative that a grower know exactly what is added to the growing medium so that adequate control measures can be used.

PRO·SOL water-soluble fertilizers are compatible with other ingredients commonly used in hydroponic production. The labels of other additives should be consulted for any special compatibility problems they might have.

Gardening Tips From Our Master Gardener

1. To start poinsettias, cut off a slip about 6 inches long and place it in wet sand in a can during the month of July. Make holes in the container for drainage. Turn a glass over it and leave it there. Keep the sand moist, but not too wet. It takes a while to root, so be patient. By fall, it will be ready to pot.

2. If you cut the bottom out of a gallon-sized plastic milk jug and remove the cap to let in fresh air, it will make an excellent cover for your small garden plants. And remember, they are transparent enough to admit sunlight.

3. For beautiful, blooming plants that will double in size right before your eyes, try this once a month treatment: add 1/2 oz. of 15-30-15 to a gallon of water once per week.

4. To help those cheery little winter birds, fill a string mesh bag with suet and scraps of leftover food and hang it from a tree limb. They will enjoy the winter a little more with your help.

5. For starting seeds indoors, it's best to plant them in a small amount of soil. Gradually add more soil as the plant grows. Do this and your plants will be much stronger and do better after you set them outside.

6. To keep weeds down and save you a lot of time weeding, put two layers of newspaper between your rows.

7. A good cost saving method for planting pole beans is to plant them next to sunflowers. The beans will climb the lower part of the sunflowers and you won't need to buy any poles.

8. If you stick our 14-7-7 planting tablets in the soil alongside your African Violets, they will bloom longer, prettier and more abundantly.

9. Add a teaspoon of mild detergent to revive a vase of wilted flowers. Two aspirin is another great method for vase plant revival.

10. Eating rhubarb leaves is not a good idea, they're poisonous. Eat only the stems. You should pick the stalks when they are as thick as your thumb by twisting them off, not cutting them, at the base of the plant. For easy and efficient harvesting, gather the outside stems first.

11. Here is a simple technique to help keep your garden fresh green peppers from spoiling so fast in the refrigerator. Wash them and hollow out the insides, cut them into whatever sizes you want, dry them, put them in a dry plastic bag and put them in the freezer. When you need green peppers next, in whatever amount, you will have them right there in the freezer, still fresh.

12. To speed up ripening of unripe tomatoes, place them with other fruit, especially pears.

13. Here is a tip for herb garden fanatics: to keep mint, lemon verbena, etc. from taking over in your herb garden, pull out the amount you need by the roots. Enough root will remain in place for the plants to continue growing.

14. An easy way to tell if sweet corn ears are ready for harvest is to make sure the top of the ear is round, not pointed.

15. Ferns will love it if you add 20-10-5 planting tablets, 1 per container, especially if you do this once every six months.

16. If you like fresh cooked rhubarb for sauce, cook it with whatever water adheres to the stalks after washing, don't add any more water, just add sugar to taste. This method will ensure your sauce won't be runny.

Tips for Constant Feeding: Injection Ratios and Concentrations for Commonly Used Formulas.
Click here to see the injection ratio chart.