I had often questioned this advice (in my mind). Manufacturers of soluble fertilizers give instructions on how to use their products based on years of study, trials, and experiences. So why the need to deviate from their recommendations?

“Fertilizers are carefully crafted to provide an optimum level of salt in the soil solution when used as directed. Let the directions be your guide. Do not use more or less than the recommended amount, or more or less often than listed on the label. You will find that many fertilizers, especially soluble forms such Miracle Gro, Miracid, Peters, etc. will list a concentration for a particular feeding period. The more frequently you wish to fertilize the less concentrated the solution. From my experience I do not see any benefit to feeding more frequently than once every two weeks. This is a standard nursery practice for soluble fertilizers. Fertilizing more often than this will require more dilute solution and will waste more material as the excess spills to the ground each time. It is also more work to prepare the solutions more frequently.” Read more… http://www.evergreengardenwork...

This is true, but much of it depends also on the type of soil in use. If using a free draining soil such as I do, it proves different.
Peat or Cocnut coir based soils will hold and can build up salts, if not rinsed through w plain water occasionally.
Rick

I feed my adeniums soluble fertilizer comprised mostly of minor elements once every four weeks or so.

My preferred soil mix is organic, but with perlite added for aeration. As the soil microbes break down the nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, calcium and minor elements in the fresh organic soil these nutrients are slowly released and taken up by the plant roots. And each time I transplant or up-pot, I incorporate a granular 10-20-20 fertilizer with the fresh mix to give the roots a boost until the microbes begin their work. My plants grow outside year-round and get their water from occasional rains.

In an organic soil, decaying of humus does occur due to microbial activity. But this action does not compact the media if plenty of perlite or other grit is incorporated. In fact, the decay of soil creates air pockets…roots will not suffocate.

TKadie,
I like your soil mix and would be my preference for my Adeniums. Yours is close to what I grow most of my other plants in (more suited to here).
I need to try a few of my Adeniums in this type of soil over my winter here, inside.
They do well in my gritty own gritty mix and have to give a test run.
Rick

Rick, I use this soil mix for my seedlings and young trees. I up-pot my young trees every 5 to 8 months or so as needed. With the exception of my 32-yr-old adenium and grafted trees, all my other adeniums are seed-grown and are 2 yrs. old and younger.

My goal is to push caudex growth of my trees while they are young and growing fast. When they reach the shape and form I want and/or growth slows (around 5 yrs. old) then I will switch to a grittier mix so that I would not have to re-pot often to refresh soil.




From 8" panterra bowl

To 10" bulb pot

I have been keeping my seedlings and juveniles in a soil mix similar to yours (I think) and once they move into 6" pots or larger, I use a more gritty mix.
I do really like the fine root development on your plants though, Kadie.
Rick