DIY root tabs

[plantnoobdude]

I would like to make DIY root tabs for the future when I need to recharge my soil. I really like the look of the APT jazz tabs but I cant justify 1 pound per root tab....

I need a root tab that will promote growth in finicky species such as eriocaulon and won't spike collumn nutrients.

I considered making some out of clay, but clay is red and would be unsightly if disturbed. This is why I was considering apt jazz. Are there any secret recipes for root tabs?

 

[hypnogogia]

I seem to remember @ceg4048 suggesting just making ice cubes out of fertiliser mix and inserting them I to the roots. The substrate will absorb and then release over time. I tried it with my red tiger lotus and it seemed to reinvigorate it.

 

[Hanuman]

I seem to remember @ceg4048 suggesting just making ice cubes out of fertiliser mix and inserting them I to the roots. The substrate will absorb and then release over time. I tried it with my red tiger lotus and it seemed to reinvigorate it.

That will pretty much go to the water column and even more so with an old substrate which CEC has drop considerably.

I would like to make DIY root tabs for the future when I need to recharge my soil. I really like the look of the APT jazz tabs but I cant justify 1 pound per root tab....

I need a root tab that will promote growth in finicky species such as eriocaulon and won't spike collumn nutrients.

I considered making some out of clay, but clay is red and would be unsightly if disturbed. This is why I was considering apt jazz. Are there any secret recipes for root tabs?

Yes those APT Jazz root tabs are the best I've used when it comes to blending with the soil. IMO they are no different than traditional osmocote though. What changes is the chemical composition inside. See if you can source brown color osmocote and then mix 1 or 2 balls with some biochar inside a gel cap.
I am definitely not buying APT Jazz though, it's just insanely expensive. I would rather buy new soil. I was lucky that Dennis was kind enough to give me one box for free.

 

[hypnogogia]

That will pretty much go to the water column and even more so with an old substrate which CEC has drop considerably.

that’s what I thought, and my recovering tiger lotus may just have been coincidence. Their prosperity does seem to be a ,title cyclical - periods of great growth and then slowing down.

 

[Hanuman]

that’s what I thought, and my recovering tiger lotus may just have been coincidence. Their prosperity does seem to be a ,title cyclical - periods of great growth and then slowing down.

It is possible that a small portion of the fertilizer remains in the substrate which would explain the recovery but the large majority will just go back to the water column specially if there is no way to contain that fertilizer like an osmocote bead or some clay would.

 

[plantnoobdude]

if you can source brown color osmocote and then mix 1 or 2 balls with some biochar inside a gel cap.
I am definitely not buying APT Jazz though, it's just insanely expensive. I would rather buy new soil. I was lucky that Dennis was kind enough to give me one box for free

I will try this, is this the super slow release version of osmocote? Thank you

 

[Hanuman]

I will try this, is this the super slow release version of osmocote? Thank you

I don't know if it's super slow. It just matches better the color of the soil 😅

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

I considered making some out of clay, but clay is red and would be unsightly if disturbed

It doesn't have to be red.

Is your garden clay? You could just use that. If you didn't want the clay to raise pH? You could try an acid clay, I get mine from <"the Gault clay"> along the chalk edge, but there might be acidic clay locally to you in the Kellaways formation etc.

Anywhere there are historic brick pits is likely to be suitable.

cheers Darrel

 

[plantnoobdude]

I don't know if it's super slow. It just matches better the color of the soil 😅

I found this
Amazon product ASIN B09MR4K1KXI might try this and some silicone capsules with the miracle gro stuff I already have...
Does this look ok? Also, not sure If Its a stupid question... But are the different colours different nutrients? Or just different colouring?

 

[Hanuman]

I found this

Amazon product​

I might try this and some silicone capsules with the miracle gro stuff I already have...

You could try. I don't know about silicone capsules though. What is normally used for human consumption is made out of gelatine.

Does this look ok?

I would go for an osmocote that doesn't have traces.

Also, not sure If Its a stupid question... But are the different colours different nutrients? Or just different colouring?

Colors have their meaning but I think that is on a per manufacturer basis so you have to research that. I found this:

osmocote different colors ?

Hello, i bought osmocote because my fluval stratum which contain nothing exept some iron is dead, 1.5 years old, defficiency show up, i don"t want to mess with it, what is the safest way to use it ? also there is different color in the package, what yellow, white, and kind of grey contains ...

www.ukaps.org

Color coding would only make sense if you stay with the same manufacturer. I don't think the color coding is universal otherwise.

 

[plantnoobdude]

You could try. I don't know about silicone capsules though. What is normally used for human consumption is made out of gelatine

I meant gelatine haha.

I would go for an osmocote that doesn't have traces

Alright I'll find it.

Colors have their meaning but I think that is a per manufacturer basis so you have to research that. I found this:

🤔 Interesting, thanks for the help!

 

[erwin123]

its really hard to find one without traces. this is the only one available in my country: Plantacote® Triple 14 | PLANTACOTE

since its a Dutch company those in Europe may have an easier time finding this brand.

 

[_Maq_]

clay is red

Only if containing iron (hydr)oxides. You can try commercially available powdered purified clay. Most of them are snow white.

an old substrate which CEC has drop considerably.

CEC is a permanent feature, it does not drop. What can actually drop is the frequency of exchange. This occurs when clay is kept in the same physico-chemical environment for longer time. Simply put, there's nothing to exchange because both sides 'use the same currency'.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

What can actually drop is the frequency of exchange .......... Simply put, there's nothing to exchange because both sides 'use the same currency'.

<"That is the one">.

cheers Darrel