Used my Ferti-lome citrus food for the first time today. I used a tbls. per gallon of water. Following the guidelines, I could actually use that amount almost every time I watered.

But I noticed that it didn't fully dissolve. Wonder if it needs hot water to dissolve. I put the tbls. of Ferti-lome in a gallon milk jug, added a good amount of water, and shook it like crazy, and added the rest of the water.

Makes me wonder, is Ferti-lome made to be sprinkled on the soil around the tree and watered in?

The directions really aren't clear on this. Maybe I need to contact the nursery when I bought it and the trees.

Ferti-lome is not a "water soluble" fertilizer intended to be used in a liquid feeding fertilizer program. The active ingredients in Ferti-lome should be soluble, but the inert ingredients (the filler) is not soluble. Ferti-lome is intended as a a broadcast fertilizer. - Millet

"Ferti-lome is not a "water soluble" fertilizer intended to be used in a liquid feeding fertilizer program. The active ingredients in Ferti-lome should be soluble, but the inert ingredients (the filler) is not soluble. Ferti-lome is intended as a a broadcast fertilizer. - Millet

So I hate to ask you to "dumb it down", but I'm going to. This means that I do mix it with water, and the residue that is at the bottom of the jug is just the inert ingredients, filler? And that all the active ingredients have been dissolved and are ready to be used on water the tree? And what is a "broadcast fertilizer"? I know they may seem like dumb questions, but I'm not proud. I've have to start learning somewhere, and the best way I've found is to ask the questions.

I also wet the soil of each plant very well before I watered in the Ferti-Lome. Didn't seem right to add it to the dry soil.

gborosteve, there is no such thing as a dumb question. Yes, you can use the dissolved Fertli-lome fertilizer. I would not bother to remove the undissolved filler material, but you certainly can if you wish. A broadcast fertilizer is one intended to be use in a fertilizer spreader, such as the type you use on your lawn. A water soluble fertilizer is a type of fertilizer that is manufactured completely out of soluble ingredients, which dissolves with no residue. Peters brand is a very popular water soluble fertilizer brand

Appreciate your help with this. Perhaps at the nursery I didn't make myself clear in stating my citrus would be container, and not in the ground, which is why Ferti-Lome was recommended. But no bother. I add a tbls. to a gallon of water, shake away and feed. Any residual is no bother.
According to the package directions, I can feed at this rate just about every time I water. But I'm not going to go overboard. I will watch the plants and see what they need.
But they did respond nicely to their first feeding. All the buds started opening up. I cannot wait til one of the Meyer's has opened up her buds. It will make a stunning picture. There are buds in big clusters all over the place on that shrub.

Seems the way to go is Osmocote 19-6-12, 18-6-12 for seedlings. These based on information given....one Sambo, two Meyer and one Eureka lemon tree.

Thanks, Millet.

Here's a pic of the Sambo:

gborosteve, the two formulations of Osmocote 19-6-12 and 18-6-12 look to be very similar, they are not. In fact the two formulations are indeed very different from each other. Osmocote 19-6-12 is a 2 -3 month fertilizer with a higher initial nutrient release rate, followed by a slower steady release of nutrients for the remainder of the life of the fertilizer. Therefore, 19-6-12 is a good slow release fertilizer for new container trees. Osmocote 18-6-12 is a 4 - 6 month slow release fertilizer. It's initial 1st month nutrient release rate is quite low, followed by a steady higher release of nutrients for the remainder of the life of the fertilizer. This makes 18-6-12 an excellent formulation to use when rooting or seeding. Studies by Dr. Carl E. Whitcomb, Ph.D. have shown that the use of slow release fertilizers, produce better quality container trees, than trees grown using the conventional water soluble formulations. - Millet