Feeding Trees and Shrubs with the Mittledier magic nutrients

Feeding Trees and Shrubs

Q. How much should I feed my berry bushes and other plants and trees in my yard?
A. All plants, shrubs and tree will bless you with healthy growth if you will feed them the Mittleider formulas. Pre-Plant once each year, and Weekly Feed three times each year is good for trees and shrubs. Any plant, bush or vine that is expected to grow and mature fruit quickly, such as berries and grapes, will do well with 4 or 5 feedings.
Here are the extremes: A large plant like a tomato gets about 2 teaspoons per week of Weekly Feed. A large 50-100 year-old tree would get 12-16 ounces spread under the leaf line and watered in well.

Everything else is somewhere in between. A single row of berry bushes could be fed about the same as a row of vegetables. A single raspberry bush would get about the same as a tomato plant. A large grape vine might get 2 or 3 tablespoons. A tree with a 3"-diameter trunk could be fed 2-3 ounces, and a 6"-diameter trunk would get 6-8 ounces.

Pre-Plant should be fed about twice the amount you give Weekly-Feed.

Always remember to water the mineral nutrients into the ground thoroughly when you apply them.

Using particle board sawdust in your Mittleider garden Yes or No?

About twenty years ago, I was renovating a lawn on rental property. The
heavy, clay soil needed some help, as water would run off the lawn and down
the street instead of soaking in, and I tilled in several yards of sawdust
and added nitrogen to compensate for the drain sawdust can create while it
decomposes. The cabinet shop was making their products out of industrial
grade particle board, which uses a much higher level of glue than plywood
does, and the owner didn't want to give me sawdust, as he said it would
poison the ground, and nothing would grow. Before finishing the project, I
came down with pneumonia, then spinal meningitis. I was out of the loop for
months on end. The portion of the ground with the sawdust grew more
luxuriantly and much more darkly green than the rest of the lawn, even
though I fertigated (application of diluted fertilizer while watering) the
entire lawn. At no point did I experience any adverse effects from the
sawdust.

Createing a soiless mixture

Hi Jim and everyone, I have a little problem that I never had with my
regular garden soils. I am using "Pro Mix" by Premier Horticulture,
its thier Professional Mix. I think there is a draining problem or
this mix retains too much water. The plant germinate great in this and
grow really good after I transplant, but about 2 weeks after the
transplant my plants are turning light light green and just wilt and
wither away. I have all plants inside under flouresent lights for
plants. I have a soil meter, and it is showing a real wet condition
(peggingg out the meter). The ph is 7.0 and according to my fertilizer
meter I have great NPK. I have the plants transplanted into 10 inch
pots and have tried watering every day, and the same problem, then I
have tried watering once a week, and the same problem. I am now on my
third set of plants. Should I mix the potting mix with course sand?
What am I missing here?

Green Thumb
Bill

Bill & Group:

We recommend you use sawdust and sand in a 2 to 1 ratio by volume. It's even better if you put some perlite in with it - 10% is great - as a part of the sawdust portion. The Constant Feed solution of one ounce Weekly Feed to 3 gallons of water is all you have to feed them.

Maybe someone else has experience with the "Professional" mix you describe. I wouldn't use any of them.

Jim Kennard