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Our knowledgeable staff here at Garden-Ville are available to answer many of the questions you might have about gardens, landscaping, and trees. Many problems with plants, however, cannot be responsibly diagnosed other than in person. We're located in central Texas and may not be familiar with the details of gardening in very different climate or soil zones. One of the guiding principles of organic growing is adapting methods to the particularites of local soil and climate. With that in mind we'll do our best to answer your question, but if we can't we'll be happy to help you find the appropriate resources or professionals in your area.

Feel free to browse the topics below to see if we've already answered a question similar to yours. If you can't find the information you need, the question submission form is located at the bottom of the page.

  • Can I use liquid fertilizer on acerage? If so how much to spray on 30 acres with how much H20. Cost and how do I get it?

    10/3/20082:03:37 PM Link 0 comments | Add comment

    Fertilizer, Sea Tea

    Our liquid fertilizers are appropriate for any horticultural application. All of our liquid fertilizers are low analysis products. Sea Tea (2-3-2) has the most nitrogen of any of them. Garrett Juice is 0-2-1, while liquid seaweed is 0-0-1. All these products are rich in micronutrients, and the Sea Tea and Garrett Juice both have molasses, which encourages the growth of beneficial microorganisms. Foliar application on the Sea Tea is 2 oz per gallon of water. 1 gallon of concentrate treats 40,000 square feet, almost an acre. 33 gallons of Sea Tea would be necessary to cover 30 acres. You can have it shipped or can come by one of our retail locations in San Antonio, San Marcos, or Austin (the Austin store that stocks our products is called Eco-Depot). The cost if you order online is $18.65 per gallon plus shipping. Let us know if we can be any more assistance.

  • I need a recipe for making natural Mircale GRow- 15/30/15- Something I can add to water for my transplanted tomato and other veg. plant. I grow about 1,000 plants to sell at our farmers market and don't want to keep using mircale grow even thru it works Great! Can you help? Thanks, Wendell

    5/12/200812:32:06 PM Link 0 comments | Add comment

    Sea Tea

    Wendell,

    With organics you are not going to get that high of a NPK analysis. There is a product called Sea Tea that is great for growing tomatoes, it has an analysis of 2-3-2 and is made from sea weed extract, fish emulsion, molasses, and compost tea. It is an organic slow release liquid fertilizer that will help the roots and production and will not burn the plant. The suggested application rate is 2-4 ounce per gallon of water as a foliar feed or a soil drench.

  • Last year I planted Blue Daze and loved it. I read it is a perennial. It grew to be about 4 feet across. Do I just cut them back to the ground? They are dried out and crisp after the winter. Thanks in advance.

    3/12/20088:28:08 AM Link 0 comments | Add comment

    Sea Tea

    Kim,

    Trim the plant back and fertilize with a seaweed based organic fertilizer, Garden-Ville has a Sea Tea that you can use. If the winter was too harsh it may not come back. The Blue Daze is generally a heat loving plant and will tolerate a light frost if the soil beneath is mulched.  Hope everything turns out alright. 

  • What is the difference between Greensand or Seaweed fertilizer

    3/12/20088:26:10 AM Link 0 comments | Add comment

    Greensand, Sea Tea

    Seaweed  helps to improve the structure and stability of the soil, as the organic components of seaweed meal break down, they provide nutrients for plants and increase the nitrogen content of the soil, it also provides B vitamins like B1 and B12, as well as E, K, and folic acid, which are taken up by plants grown in such enhanced soils. Trace elements, especially iron and calcium, exist in seaweed extract in their chelated forms, which plants can absorb more readily than from plain dirt. Adding seaweed extract increases the amount of chlorophyll in the leaves of plants. Seaweed also contains plant hormones that encourage the growth of foliage. Plants treated with seaweed extract are more resistant to pests like spider mites and aphids. The extract provides some resistance to diseases like scab, mildew, and fungus as well. Enriching the soil with the seaweed strengthens the native bacteria and fungi that provide some of this protection.
     
    Greensand is made from glauconite and is commonly used to treat chlorosis in plants and lawns, percentages will typically range from 5-7 which is a good alternative to Ironite as it will not harm the water supply due to runoff.

    Sea Weed is for foliar feeding or for use as a soil drench to give plants the missing nutrients the desperately need. If you have any other questions please let me know.

  • ABOUT 6 MONTHS AGO I HAD A 15 FOOT MAGNOLIA PLANTED. IT BLOOMED, THEN STARTED SHEDDING LEAVES BUT SEEMED TO STABILZE UNTIL RECENTLY. I LIVE IN HOUSTON SO FOR THE LAST FEW MONTHS WE HAVE HAD INCREASED AMOUNTS OF RAIN, THEN SUDDENLY IT WAS NOT RAINING AND WAS 102 DEGREES. I WENT OUT OF TOWN FRIDAY CAME BACK SUNDAY AND ALL OF THE LEAVES WERE BROWN, HOWEVER, THE TREE BARK IS STILL GREEN. ANY IDEAS??? CAN IT BE SAVED??? HELP!!

    8/21/200710:06:58 AM Link 0 comments | Add comment

    Sea Tea

    Sounds like your tree may be stressed due to the change of conditions in the temperature and rainfall, try drenching the soil with Garden-Ville's Sea Tea to help the tree through the stress period.

  • I have 2 large crepe myrtle trees that once were the talk of my neighborhood. For the last several years thay have bloomed very little. The new leaf growth looks good and then turns brown on the edges. I live in San Angelo Texas where we have a fair amount of salt in our water. I have observed other crepe myrtles in my community that look wonderful. Any suggestions?

    8/21/20079:56:40 AM Link 0 comments | Add comment

    Sea Tea, Tree Questions

    There can be several factors that can affect the blooms of your crape myrtles.  Has the plant's exposure to the sun been hindered in any way and do you fertilize on a regular basis?  You could be lacking important nutrients or you could have a fungus in your soil.  Check out our link to testing your soil on "Think Organic" on our website and consider taking a sample of your soil to your local extension office.  You can also try using Garden-Ville's Sea Tea 2-3-2 which is a liquid fertilizer blend for flowering plants.  Please keep us informed of your progress in resolving this situation.

  • Do you know where I can purchase fish emollient?

    5/8/200712:27:35 PM Link 0 comments | Add comment

    Sea Tea

    Garden-Ville has a product called Sea Tea that is a mixture of sea weed extract, fish emulsion, molasses, and humate and it available in gallon and quart bottles, and you can purchase them at any Garden-Ville or on our website.

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