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nutrients How do you mix/apply your liquid nutes?

EliteMcScruffin

EliteMcScruffin

So going from indoor gardening to outdoor this year has introduced a world of differences.  While waging moderate garden warfare and trying to figure out best plant placement in the yard I have discovered that mixing liquid nutes in a 2 gallon watering bucket for all of the pots is a PITA.  SO TIME CONSUMING!  I swear I had to repeat the process 20 times to get all the containers.  The sun even completed it's lifespan and burnt out.  While waiting for the supernova shock wave to hit us I realized it had just become night time and went inside to hug my woman and tell her how beautiful life is.
 
That got me to thinking what everyone else does for mixing their liquid nutrients as well as applying them to container-based soil grows?
 
I remembered those lawn fertilizer sprayers and found this that I'm thinking about trying:
 
http://www.amazon.com/Gilmour-362-Professional-Pre-Mix-Sprayer/dp/B00002N67I/
gilmore_allpurpose.jpg

 
It has an adjuster which can allow selection of dilution rates from teaspoons to tablespoons per gallon, which I think would be pretty perfect for the liquid nutrients (I'm currently experimenting with the General Hydroponics Go Box) that we use.  The only thing I would need to sort out is the nozzle with its apparent 12 ft spread for its spray pattern.  I figure I just get closer, but it looks like you can unscrew it so maybe that is a good solution.
 
For foliar feeding I use one of these:
 
pump_sprayer.jpg

 
Anyways, I'd love to hear what everyone else does/uses to make this aspect of life easier.
 
You'd probably want to get a hose fertilizer siphon.
 
Fill up a bucket with the fertilizer and water. Stick in the siphon hose, and water the plants.
 
fertilizer+hose+siphon_r.jpg

 
 
 
14 bucks on amazon with free 2 day shipping (just make a new account and you will get a Amazon Prime trial every time. After you make the order, just cancel the trial. You'd still get the 30 days too)... http://www.amazon.com/Dramm-22625-Syphonject-Siphon-External/dp/B002KCY2WS
 
I've had Amazon Prime for years now... order so much from there it was worth the money.
 
I had looked at those too and thought they would do well with my watering wand, I just couldn't find any info on what the mixture ratio is with them.  If I could do a semi-concentrated mix that would allow for me to not have to refill it at all, boy that would make me happy.  I do like the idea of the bucket and siphon (I think it's called a vinturi siphon?) more than the hand held as it seems it would be easier to clean and less could go wrong with the functionality.
 
I use a 5 gal bucket to mix mine in but I only have about 8 peppers. I also have onions, tomatoes, yellow squash, strawberries and green beans. 5 gal for my tomatoe ferts and half the bucket for the all purpose ferts for the rest. 
 
Angie
 
seems like you just need to mix up bigger batches. There are tons of ways to get it from the bucket to the pots. I wouldn't trust that no pre-mix sprayer thing, but thats just me
 
siphon is good for hand watering, not good for drips though.
 
Doing by hand i bought a 32gallon trashcan from lowes with no holes, Then i mixed it and used a 1 gal watering pail..
 
I just got a mixrite 500 fertilizer injector which is $$ but pretty professional. 
 
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Storage container 3/4 filled with water. Squirt of liquid 10-10-10, about 2cups of worm juice/tea, and 1/2 pot left over coffe. My plants are lovin it and poppin out pods like little christmas trees. I water about twice a week by just letting the pots float in the brew untill I see moisture peek onto the surface in the pots.
 
Jamison said:
When I use to mix liquid nutes I'd just use a 20 gal tub and use a 1 gallon pail to water plants. 
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   Same here,I got a 15 gallon square container from Dollar General.Fill it, mix nutes of the week and gallon jug deliver.
 
JutsFL said:
This thing, it's been a lifesaver!
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I saw that on Amazon and Home Depot but it had terrible reviews on both sites. I was hesitant about reading into it any further as a result.
Have you run in to any problems with it clogging or anything else?

I love all the replies so far from everybody by the way. I'm sure it will help many more than just me as an informational source.
 
I just mix it in a 5 gallon bucket and then use a cup/pitcher doohickey to pour it on my 15 or so plants.  I also have a chapin 2 gallon sprayer I use for spraying for pests and possible foliar feeding.
 
HUZZAH!
 
2c_det_water_barrel.jpg

 
1. It's big, its blue.
2. Medicinal herb industry thumbs up of approval. Fits in most closets.
3. $20
 
 
Although many are marked with "Single Use Only" and I never tracked down why.
 
If you wanted a ratio..
 
For a 5 gallon bucket. you'd probably want to mix in about a 1/4 to 1/2 cup of fertilizer then fill it up to the top with water.
 
Should make life a little easier.
 
EliteMcScruffin said:
I saw that on Amazon and Home Depot but it had terrible reviews on both sites. I was hesitant about reading into it any further as a result.Have you run in to any problems with it clogging or anything else?
I love all the replies so far from everybody by the way. I'm sure it will help many more than just me as an informational source.
Click to expand...
Simply stated - it saves me HOURS!

It is meant for liquid dilutions, but I use crystalline ferts with no problems. Just when I mix them in the reservoir I use hot water to dissolve them more efficiently. I have yet to have any clogging issues, and it actually performs quite well (as opposed to the other sprayers I've tried - IE: MG sprayer!). With my water pressure it takes exactly 21 sec to put out one gallon. The reason I love this little contraption is that when I set it to 2 ounces - guess what?!, in 21 seconds - 2 ounces have been removed from the reservoir! Its precise enough for me to count on, and for that reason I'm sticking with it. (It doesn't hurt that Wally World had it for 9.89 when I bought it too)
 
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