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About The Long Island Gardener
(Top Expert on this page)

Expertise
Do you know the wrong fertilizer will keep your plants from blooming? Do you know that too much Nitrogen can kill your grass, even if it does not burn the roots? Do you know that Roses need a LOT of Nitrogen to bloom -- and why is that? There's some complex chemistry in those plant foods. The secrets behind N-P-K are the key to the ultimate lawn, the the biggest flowers, the most fruits and vegetables. And if you don't get it right, you could be sorry. I'll show you what you did wrong, and how to fix it.

Experience
Homeowner with gardens indoors and outdoors, lawns back and forth. I wrote my first gardening column for our college newspaper, teaching roomates about the right way to feed those windowsills gardens. Today I look for challenges. Organic Fertilizers are the key to proper feeding of all our plants. Can you make your own fertilizer? Some people think so -- but there are side effects. I have been there, done that for 54 years and there is nothing like the voice of experience when it comes to Horticulture and Fertilizers.

Publications
Numerous and sundry but only in college did I write about plants.

Education/Credentials
B.A., Botany and Mass Communications.

You are here: Experts > Home/Garden > Roses > Fertilizer

Subject	Date Asked	Expert

Organic fertilizers that grows by eating waste.	7/16/2008	The Long Island Gardener
Q: i heard that there is this bacteria which eats up waste and multiplies itself. It then becomes a ... A: Sounds interesting, Carey. I need to know what WASTE you are referring to. There are pollutants -- ...
Combining Fertilizer	7/16/2008	The Long Island Gardener
Q: I have several potted plants and would like to give fertilizer as follow: only organic fertilizer in ... A: Fascinating. I wish you lived next door to me, Ari. You sound like a fun guy. The problem here is ...
organic fertilizer for orange trees	7/12/2008	The Long Island Gardener
Q: we live in Hillsboro, Oregon and would like to know just what kind of organic fertilizer we can use ... A: Taiwan's Food and Fertilizer Technology Center posts a cheat sheet on this very subject, 'Fertilizer ...
fertelizer	7/9/2008	The Long Island Gardener
Q: how to use the sheep organic fertelizer for indoor plants?how often?how much? A: Let's visit the Sheep 201 website: www.sheep101.info/201/nutrientmgt.html N-P-K for Sheep, like ...
lawn whit fungus	7/4/2008	The Long Island Gardener
Q: We're in Maryland and have about 3/4 acre lawn; last year we hired a lawn care company to help. The ... A: It's that time of year again when Lawn Care Companies send their best customers to the internet to ...
schrub after care	7/1/2008	The Long Island Gardener
Q: In hopes of forming a shrub screen we planted containers of Lilac Dogwood Burning Bush and Ninebark ... A: You pose a complicated question here, and I hesitate to answer because you are combining four ...
organic corn weed/feed fertilizer	6/28/2008	The Long Island Gardener
Q: I used a brand of organic corn weed/feed fertilizer prior to seeding my dog run (grass) - it has ... A: Rule Number One: Never use ANY kind of Weedkiller, organic or otherwise, prior to sowing Seeds of ...
crapa mytle plant	6/24/2008	The Long Island Gardener
Q: I am wondering what type of fertilizer to us on my crape myrtle . Should it be an acid or something ... A: Crepe Myrtle ('Lagerstoemia indica' to botanists) blooms in July here up North. The Soil pH must be ...
schrub after care	6/23/2008	The Long Island Gardener
Q: In hopes of forming a shrub screen we planted containers of Lilac Dogwood Burning Bush and Ninebark ... A: Please tell me if I understand you correctly: You recently planted, in the ground, container-sized ...
Non-composted items as a fertilizer	6/22/2008	The Long Island Gardener
Q: Can I put partially decomposed fruits and vegetables directly on my garden without posing a hazard ... A: Researchers have found that the common fruit fly is capable of contaminating fruit with bacteria ...
grass is yellow	6/19/2008	The Long Island Gardener
Q: my grass has yellow spots in certain area, and i put fertilizer and it wont grow and it dyes ... A: Depends. If the Yellow spots are caused by a local visiting canine's calling card, post a sign to ...
pet safe lawn ferterlizer	6/18/2008	The Long Island Gardener
Q: do you know of a pet and child safe weed and feed fertilizer? A: Chemical weedkiller is bad for everyone. It's got legally mandated warning signs all over the ...
Pelleted Iron on my lawn	6/15/2008	The Long Island Gardener
Q: I saw a local garden expert on TV last week. He suggested putting pelleted iron on the lawn to keep ... A: Someone please put me on television to straighten these people out. IRON FOR YOUR LAWN! Yikes! ...
leaf smut???	6/13/2008	The Long Island Gardener
Q: I think I have leaf smut and it has spread across my entire yard due to the spores getting in my ... A: First, I'd like to know what kind of Grass you are growing. Bluegrass? Fescue? St Augustine? ...
Composting grass where Bonus is used	6/11/2008	The Long Island Gardener
Q: I have used Bonus S for many years on my Lawn, with good results I might add, but my question is can ... A: Ignorance is bliss. Unfortunately, Scotts 23-9-4 'Bonus S' may hold some surprises. Ones you may ...
Nitrogen	6/10/2008	The Long Island Gardener
Q: How much nitrogen is recommended to make my grass greener without damaging it? Denver,CO A: Slow-release Organic Nitrogen is the ultimate fertilizer for Lawns. Don't be fooled by the low ...
Fertilizing new grass	6/9/2008	The Long Island Gardener
Q: I have new grass and didn't spay or do anything to the ground before hand. I tilled the soil up and ... A: The key to a great Lawn is not great Scott's products. The key to a great Lawn is great Lawn care. ...
fertilizing evergreens	6/8/2008	The Long Island Gardener
Q: I live on a largw agreage with over a hundred evergreens I have used 11-34-0 & 11-62-0 ... A: Potassium shortage shows up in Evergreens that PREMATURELY drop large numbers of needle growth. How ...
soil alkaloids	6/7/2008	The Long Island Gardener
Q: i had sent you a question and you replied. what it is my friend has an antique yellow rose bush and ... A: I see this more clearly now. Meet Dr Huey: www.ph-rose-gardens.com/00704.htm This is the Peaceful ...
what is the best use of used coffee grounds	5/31/2008	The Long Island Gardener
Q: I understand that used coffee grounds act as an good fertilizer---but for what and how do you apply. A: I sure do hope you like coffee, Richard. Because Earthworms LOVE Coffee grounds. I'm not kidding. ...
impatiens	5/29/2008	The Long Island Gardener
Q: I have a bed on impatiens under a pine tree. It has a southern exposurer in Michigan. Last year I ... A: Impatiens are not Full Sun plants -- but this being under a Tree, I am hoping your Southern Exposure ...
Fertilizer for Zoysia Sod	5/26/2008	The Long Island Gardener
Q: My lawn has just had new Zoysia sod put down. Location is S.C. What kind of fertilizer should I ... A: The kind of fertilizer you should use depends of course on the SOIL TEST YOU DID BEFORE YOU PUT THE ...
Using wrong Fertilizer	5/24/2008	The Long Island Gardener
Q: This morning I used Miracle Grow on all my outdoor plants, including flowers...I realized later that ... A: This depends on how much you diluted it. If it was diluted for Lawns, your plants will be FINE! If ...
too much horse manure	5/22/2008	The Long Island Gardener
Q: I added a large dose of horse manure and grape compost (from a local winery that also has horse ... A: One of many reasons for aging Manure before use is that it gives you a chance to destroy any ...
making fertilizer	5/21/2008	The Long Island Gardener
Q: a person at a home and garden show recently told me that if you boil the limbs and leaves of a ... A: Indole-3-Butyric Acid -- 'IBA' -- is the most popular synthetic auxin in use for rooting plant ...
nitrogen & 10-10-10	5/18/2008	The Long Island Gardener
Q: I am a first time gardener in Georgia and think I put to much nitrogen on the vegetable garden. ... A: Shoot first, ask questions later... Now what? What you've learned the hard way, unfortunately, is ...
tomato root problems	5/12/2008	The Long Island Gardener
Q: I have an unexpeceted wilting of a tomato plant. AllExperts say, all fingers point to some sort of ... A: Marigolds must be within inches of the root system of any plant to repel Nematodes. But note these ...
weed and feed fertilizer	5/10/2008	The Long Island Gardener
Q: two weeks ago i applied scots weed and feed fertilizer to my lawn. the lawn was not wet and my wife ... A: The problem with a 'Weed and Feed' type chemical is that it does not kill all the Weeds you want it ...
Zoysia Care	5/8/2008	The Long Island Gardener
Q: You mentioned in one of your answers that putting down a slow release fertilizer, like Milorganite ... A: Sorry for the confusion. I get ahead of myself sometimes. Milorganite is a slow release fertilizer ...
Fertilizer for Kalanchoe and Rose	5/5/2008	The Long Island Gardener
Q: which NPK should we use for Kalanchoe and Rose ? I read one article told NPK 2:1:2 good for blooming ... A: Slow release is better than fast release - so yes, you have the Long Island Gardener seal of ...
Fertilizer for Kalanchoe and Rose	5/2/2008	The Long Island Gardener
Q: which NPK should we use for Kalanchoe and Rose ? I read one article told NPK 2:1:2 good for blooming ... A: You're right to assume that potting Soil is a very different environment from outside real estate ...
Fertilizer for Kalanchoe and Rose	4/30/2008	The Long Island Gardener
Q: which NPK should we use for Kalanchoe and Rose ? I read one article told NPK 2:1:2 good for blooming ... A: These amendments are moot, my friend, because you do not know what you HAVE in your Soil. You have ...
Sewage in Garden plot	4/27/2008	The Long Island Gardener
Q: Due to the heavy winter this year, our septic overflowed and ran downhill to our garden plot about ... A: Raw sewage contaminated Soil is absolutely NOT useable for at least 1 season. Look at it this way: ...
fertilizer	4/26/2008	The Long Island Gardener
Q: Is Dimension dangerous for kids and pets? A: In New York State, you need a special license to use DowAgro's 'Dimension' weed killer. And the ...
Cow manure vs horse manure	4/24/2008	The Long Island Gardener
Q: Which is best for vegetables gardens, cow or horse manure? I live in Connecticut and have used both ... A: I don't know why I did not say this sooner... I guess I am trying to keep it out of every answer I ...
Cow manure vs horse manure	4/19/2008	The Long Island Gardener
Q: Which is best for vegetables gardens, cow or horse manure? I live in Connecticut and have used both ... A: Manure in Vegetable plots makes me nervous. But that could just be me. To each his/her own. I am ...
Winter Fertizer	4/18/2008	The Long Island Gardener
Q: I accidently picked up Scotts Bonus S Winterizer fertilizer and spread over my yard and now my ... A: How do you accidentally pick up a bag of this stuff, Vickie? Tsk tsk tsk. Scotts has a standing ...
soil test location	4/17/2008	The Long Island Gardener
Q: Our zip code is 98662 can you suggest a local soil test location near us?? - Roger A: Correct me if I'm wrong, but apparently neither Washington State nor Clark County provide University ...
Fertilizer	4/16/2008	The Long Island Gardener
Q: How safe is it to use the new Scotts Organic Lawn Food Fertilizer? Is it totally organic? And what ... A: The Fair and Balanced answer to this is, Sure it's organic. Read the label. It's derived from ...
fertalizer vs. Regular soil	4/14/2008	The Long Island Gardener
Q: I've never gardened before but yesterday I planted two weeping Cherry blossam trees and lilac ... A: Tell me, my friend: were these 'seeds' GRASS seeds? I'm not clear on this. Sorry to delay your ...

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