Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum

Bulbs => Ian Young's Bulb Log - Feedback Forum => Topic started by: Chris Gill on July 02, 2008, 05:32:47 AM

Title: Bone meal
Post by: Chris Gill on July 02, 2008, 05:32:47 AM
The availability of Bonemeal in New Zealand is virtually non existant. Could members advise of a substitute when growing bulbs in containers and for incorporating in seed mixes.
Cheers
Chris
Title: Re: Bone meal
Post by: Maggi Young on July 02, 2008, 10:24:28 AM
Hello, Chris, welcome to the Forum !
 I do not doubt that some of our NZ members will soon be online with their suggestions for you  8)
Title: Re: Bone meal
Post by: Lesley Cox on July 02, 2008, 09:05:38 PM
Hi Chris, A warm welcom to the Forum from me too, and no doubt from other NZers. There aren't enough of us, even outnumbered by the Aussies!

As for a sub for bonemeal, there's nothing specific that I've been able to find so I usually resort to branded name "Bulb Food" packages, usually from a kilo up to 5 maybe. Look on the pack for some nutritional guidence and if it's low in nitrogen and high is potassium, it shouldn't be too far out and suitable for top-dressing. Oh for the long ago days when it was possible to get bone flour.

The other option (for potting) and a good one, is Osmacote pellets in a low nit, high pot formulation. I use Osmacote Plus (with trace elements) 9 months which is good for at least a year.
Title: Re: Bone meal
Post by: t00lie on July 02, 2008, 11:50:18 PM
Hello Chris

A check today with my local garden centre supplier and i'm informed they can supply bone meal.

Not sure where you live in 'God's own' however the following are their contact details.http://www.diacks.co.nz/

or if that for some reason doesn't work search for Diack Nurseries Invercargill.

Cheers dave.
Title: Re: Bone meal
Post by: Lesley Cox on July 03, 2008, 01:25:56 AM
Dave, I wish you hadn't put that link. Can you acept delivery of 3 Quercus palustris for me? and bring them next time you're up this way? If not I'll get them to freight them.
Title: Re: Bone meal
Post by: Susan on July 03, 2008, 01:39:43 AM
Lesley, I buy mine from Red Barn. As far as I am aware, it has always been available there.

Susan.
Title: Re: Bone meal
Post by: t00lie on July 03, 2008, 03:22:52 AM
"Dave, I wish you hadn't put that link."

Lesley ---couldn't help yourself eh!!.

With my open deck ,(truck --not the unbuttoned state of my shirt--It's faaaar too cold for sunbathing---wink), and the size of the plants ,they are probably likely to get pretty battered around even after being placed on their sides .

 Diacks have their own covered truck which travels up to CHCH weekly so they should be able to arrange that for a decent price .Greg's the man to speak to there.Mention my name and ask for a discount.

Cheers Dave.
Title: Re: Bone meal
Post by: Lesley Cox on July 03, 2008, 05:15:00 AM
Thanks for that Susan. I've already had a reply from Diack's. Chris's innocent enquiry about bonemeal has cost me a heap of trees!!! :o :o :o
Title: Re: Bone meal
Post by: Ian Y on July 03, 2008, 09:30:40 AM
Chris, I am sorry for the delay in answering your query but I have not had too much spare time for the forum this last week.

A good thing because our NZ friends have given you the best answer even though Lesley is out of pocket by a number of trees.

In the absence of bone meal choose the general fertiliser with the lowest nitrogen percentage you can find that is generally enough for the bulbs.

One day I will get round to posting some more of my NZ pictures which cover the last week of field trips.

Title: Re: Bone meal
Post by: Lesley Cox on July 20, 2008, 09:48:54 PM
Thanks for your kind offer Chris, but no thank you. I'm currently surrounded by trees waiting to be planted, never mind all the other stuff.

The pin oaks came about because when I looked at Diack's site, recommended by Dave, I found they had a sale of of "bundled" trees so I bought 3 pin oaks, one I've been wanting for years for its fabulous autumn colour.  If you've looked at a few threads here, you'll know we're all really bad at keeping "on topic" as the Trillium-Lers would say - and insist on! >:(

Dave, a truck from Diack's stopped off here last Sunday morning at 6am (fortunately it only woke Roger and the dog. I slept on) and left a large sample pack of bone dust (according to the label) on the door step.
Title: Re: Bone meal
Post by: Katherine J on August 26, 2008, 02:04:44 PM
Does bone meal smell??????
It is also in Hungary rather unavailable, nurseries don't have it, and they say "go to a pet food store". In pet food stores they say: "What is that??? :o". But finally I found a webshop and I bought a 800 g packet. But it smells awful, like stiff. Maybe this is a stupid question, but I thought that because gelatin is extracted from it, it is dried (and maybe sterilised?), it does not smell... Not that I am so sensitive, but I don't want to make any harm to plants, if it is something wrong.
Title: Re: Bone meal
Post by: Maggi Young on August 26, 2008, 02:20:59 PM
Kata, bone meal smells bad! Some suppliers seem to have a method which smells less bad, but all smell bad! Because of the smell it is important to keep it way from animals, who will want to eat it and dig where it is, if you do not cover it well with soil. :P
Title: Re: Bone meal
Post by: Katherine J on August 26, 2008, 02:44:45 PM
Thanks Maggi. I will sleep well then. ;D
Title: Re: Bone meal
Post by: ashley on August 26, 2008, 04:51:28 PM
Hi Kathrine,

Wear gloves when handling it  ;)

As far as I know bone meal is unavailable in Ireland and several other EU countries, presumably as a potential vector for BSE (bovine spongiform encephalopathy).

Ashley
Title: Re: Bone meal
Post by: Chris Gill on September 14, 2008, 03:33:37 AM
Hi Everybody
To all of those who helped with this enquiry, many thanks. At last I have found a source here in Blenheim which looks promising, only time will tell.
Regards
Chris
Title: Re: Bone meal
Post by: mark smyth on September 14, 2008, 06:23:16 PM
Ashley bone meal is freely available up here including DIY stores
Title: Re: Bone meal
Post by: Arda Takan on January 26, 2011, 09:29:55 PM
Unfortunately there is no bone meal here too. =(
Title: Re: Bone meal
Post by: David Nicholson on January 26, 2011, 09:54:06 PM
Arda if you can get an organic or inorganic fertiliser with an NPK (N=Nitrogen, P=Phosphorus, K= Potassium)measure of around N1 to 3, P around 13-15 and P = zero then it will be roughly the same NPK as bone meal.
Title: Re: Bone meal
Post by: Arda Takan on January 26, 2011, 10:00:22 PM
Thank you David I'll do that.
Title: Re: Bone meal
Post by: Gerry Webster on January 27, 2011, 01:58:47 PM
Arda if you can get an organic or inorganic fertiliser with an NPK (N=Nitrogen, P=Phosphorus, K= Potassium)measure of around N1 to 3, P around 13-15 and P = zero then it will be roughly the same NPK as bone meal.
About 65 years ago my  granny used bonemeal (along with dried blood). I've never used the stuff, preferring fertilizers of known & constant composition. Here are the NPK ratios for some which are widely available in the UK. The  ratios are  shown as a  % of N


Phostrogen (new)   100  :  71 : 192
Phostrogen (old)      100 : 100 : 270
Vitax Q4         100 : 141 : 188
Vitax Vitafeed              100 : 100 : 100
Chempak no 3      100 : 100 : 100
Chempak no 4      100 : 100 : 200
Chempak no 8      100 : 200 : 200      
Tomorite         100 : 112 : 200
Phostrogen Tomato   100 :  69 : 196
Phostrogen (acid)   100 :  66 : 100

Sorry - this table doesn't want to post neatly.
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