JohnC

I have several boxes of 20-10-10 controlled release lawn fertilizer pellets (the kind without the week killer). I'm wondering if I can use this on bananas and what rate would be safe.

(I want to get the biggest possible plants this summer.)

microfarmer

I've been using a pelletized, slow release, triple 15 and have had no problems 'cept a slight burn on the emerging leaf tip. I used a 1 cup per full grown plant every 3 months.

I am switching to a 8-2-14 using organic materials.

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Dean W.

Good to know.

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Richard

If you are growing fruiting bananas and want more fruit production, you'll need a potash supplement so that in total you have 1.5 as much potash as nitrogen. It seems that Sul-Po-Mag at 0-0-22 would be a perfect match for your 20-10-10. Use the same weight of each. If they are in the ground, you'll want to apply 5 pounds of 20-10-10 plus 5 pounds of 0-0-22 over a period of 1 year. I would do it monthly because too much at once will burn the plant. For potted plants, I would try 1/4 of that dose. You'll find Sul-Po-Mag sold cheaply at farm supply stores, about $20 for a 50 pound bag. This is not a synthetic chemical but rather a mineral mined out of the ground.

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frankthetank

I have a bag of 29-3-4 that i might use on my bananas. Probably makes more sense then using the bag of 10-10-10 i have? I used the high N stuff last year, never had any problems, although i went lightly...

sandy0225

29-3-4 will put out leaves like crazy. If you are growing for fruit, then you'd be better off with other fertilizers with a higher last number.
But if you just want to have fun with them, like say in Wisconsin, 29-3-4 will really make them pop.
Be sure and give them some each month, put out a circle about 8" away from the stalk at least. If it doesn't rain, water them well.
You can start quitting on your fertilizer in Sept and let them use up what they have left.

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1501 East Fuson Road
Muncie, IN 47302
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jpfloors

I use LOTS of manure and it seems to work purfect, especially for reviving and recovery of transplants.

microfarmer

The horse lady across the back fence told me she's got another pickup truck load of horse manure compost ready to pick up. And here I am with an empty pickup truck...

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harveyc

KMag is the same thing as Sul-Po-Mag, I believe. I got some for Joe and Benny and myself late last year and my farm chemical dealer offered it at $.17/pound in bul or $.22 if I had them bag it up, I believe. We opted for the bags since it was easier to handle/store. Joe suggested that it be mixed in a ratio of 5 cups of KMag, 1.5 cups ammonium sulfate, and 1 cup of triple 16 (this assumes similar densities, I believe). This would result in a ratio of 3:1:6. Much less expensive than buying specialty mixes, I believe.

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Richard

K-Mag and Sul-Po-Mag are synonyms. Weights of the products I have here are:
1/2 cup Ammonium Sulfate ~ 113 grams
1/2 cup Sul-Po-Mag ~ 193 grams
1/2 cup Triple 15 ~ 225 grams

In my view the Triple 15 is unnecessary, esp. considering the ideal ratios are 3 lbs of 32-1-48 per year. You could instead apply 1 cup per year of a soil conditioner containing micronutrients; e.g., 3-3-3 and obtain all the phosphorus and minors you need for a year.

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