[CH] chile fertilizing
margaret lauterbach (mlaute@micron.net)
Mon, 14 Dec 1998 07:55:31 -0700
I was thinking about making some suggestions for fertilizing chile plants
when I was galvanized into action by the post asking for dilution
instructions (I guess) for tobacco sprays. Do NOT use tobacco sprays,
especially on chiles. Tobacco doesn't have to be healthy. It may be
loaded with tobacco mosaic, and it will transmit that disease to your
chiles.
Last year Brent Thompson said he transplanted his chile seedlings into
almost pure steer manure. I inferred he meant the kind you buy in a bag,
weed free. I had been reading high praise on another list for the
fertilizer and growth-provoking action of alfalfa meal. My seedlings were
already in the ground, so I mixed bagged steer manure with alfalfa meal,
half and half, and put a cupful at the base of each plant. I practically
heard a cheer, and the chiles greened up nicely and most produced well. I
kept an eye on them to see whether they'd need more epsom salts, but they
didn't. See if you can lay hands on alfalfa meal (you may have to order it
through a feed store), and try it.
This year I may transplant the seedlings into this mixture instead of soil.
In any case I always add a teaspoon of crushed (blended) eggshells and
about a tablespoon of Epsom salts to the planting hole.
Margaret L