Q. I need some help on NPK ratios used with the Micro Mix. The Micro Mix sheet suggested using a 16-16-16 ratio (I can get 17-17-17, will it work?), but the “how to mix your own fertilizer” file and spreadsheet talks about a target 110-60-110
ratio. Which one is best? What is the necessary degree of
exactness/accuracy needed to “feed” successfully (how far can I
diverge from the “ideal’ and still have success?).
A. 17-17-17 will work fine for mixing with the Micro-Nutrient mix you purchased from the Foundation, as will 15-15-15.
Ideally your garden only needs the 110-60-110 ratio of N, P, & K, but the extra phosphate will not hurt your plants. And the pre-mixed Weekly Feed sold throughout Utah and Southern Idaho is 13-8-13, so even 13-13-13 works fine.
We don’t get excited about 10-10-10, because it’s a bit low in N & K, but people use it successfully. It just might require an extra feeding or two during the season.
The 20-20-20 that’s sold in some places is usually quite expensive. This is because the fertilizer is 100% water-soluble, so it can be used in hydroponic operations. That mix can also be used, if you can’t find anything less costly.
I can’t recommend other changes. Certainly the micro-nutrients have proven to be very valuable in growing greatly increased quantities of healthy vegetables.
Look in the Photos section at MittleiderMethodGardening@yahoogroups.com for pictures of an experiment conducted at the University Del Cauca that shows dramatic differences in crops grown with and without micro-nutrients.
