I found this in a blog post at one of my favorite local garden centers, Pesche's, and had to try it. And I can swear it does work wonders for my annuals, I've been using nothing but for the last 5 years. I used to hand mix it in a watering container once a week; now I have it auto-mixed into my drip irrigation with a fertilizer unit at the slowest setting every day.
Here's one example of when planted vs 4 weeks later, and actually I didn't hook up the irrigation system until around June 9th or so, we had enough rain, so there was no fertilizer applied until then. Other photos are
here and a few other before/after pics
here from the Container Forum.
Planted May 24th, 2 Supertunia Vista Bubblegum, 1 Snow Princess Alyssum and 1 Cuphea Vermillionaire:
Taken June 26th, the yellow arrows are pointing to the same planter, there's also 3 12" planters in front of it.
From Pesche's site:
Would you like absolutely spectacular flowers in containers and in your planting beds?
Treat your plants to Pesche's cocktail for growing success! Water your plants well the day before fertilizing. Mix these 3 components together per instructions for 1 gallon. Feed your containers once a week, your flower beds every 2 1/2 weeks. Spray the mixture over the plants (They'll absorb it through foliar absorption, make sure to get the undersides of the leaves) or pour it into the soil.
Miracle Gro Bloom Booster Flower Food 15–30–15–1 tablespoon/gallon Bloom Booster
This has a high amount of phosphorous which aids in root development, flowering and acts as a buffer during drops in temperature.
http://www.miracle-gro.com
Monty's Joy Juice 8–16–8 - 1/2 teaspoon per gallon (this is now called Monty's PlantVantage)
Monty's supplies and enables other nutrients to become available to the plant promoting stronger and more productive growth. Monty's Joy Juice contains a unique processed humic substance which prevents burning and is a soil conditioner.
http://www.montysjoyjuice.com
NOTE: This is now called "PlantVantage Premium Growth 8-16-8", you can find it here at Amazon, and other stores in smaller containers as well.
Super Thrive - 1/4 teaspoon per gallon
Unique combination of 50 vitamins and hormones produced by the Vitamin Institute. The bio-usables in this product are absorbed immediately by the plants. Super Thrive produces bountiful, long lasting flowers and protects against transplant shock.
http://www.superthrive.com
Seeing is believing! Select two of the same plants and give one a good dose of the cocktail, use your normal water soluble fertilizer on the other test plant. Once you've tried Pesche's cocktail, you'll be amazed at the results! Many of our customers have won gardening awards by using this magic brew!
(If this is in the wrong forum, please feel free to move it wherever it should best be.)
