07/06/2026
Dahlia R@nt
The other day I posted in a group that I was excited seeing my urea delivery was only 10 stops away. Being the first couple days of July, of course I got a couple snarky comments, might have been attempting to be helpful 😐, about it being super strong doses of nitrogen and at this time of the season shouldn’t I be balance feeding?!?
Step. Off. Unkindly.
These general comments that seem so “knowing” are covert judgment and correction, as though they know more than me. Those same sentiments could be stated a different way and actually be genuine and unharmful.
Not as they were stated, though.
Here what the commenters didn’t know:
1. The status of my plants/growth phase
2. My zone
3. Last frost date
4. My weather
5. My soil test readings
6. My experience
7. The full history of the plants in my gardens
8. My soil type
9. My understanding of all the above synergistically
10. The amount of time I have spent in scientific papers and studies and employing that in agricultural and horticultural systems
11. The amount of time”Don’t f**k with me” written on every strand of my DNA
12. My work with individual, high-potency nutrients and plants on my land specifically
13. How much of an experimental baddie I am because science and witchery are my besties
So, since you’re not the sassy ones challenging me, I’ll share these things with you so you may benefit from my knowledge and crazy (not really crazy) processes rather than another general suggestion thread that helps no one in a random group on FB.
This year I started everything in my Pincushion breeding lab in February. I have zero chill when it comes to beginning the season. I’m working on my impatience and impulse control with my therapist. But I started seeds first because I had an abundance and I wanted to use the paper towel method this year so my tray space wouldn’t be wasted at all by duds.
Way. Too. Early.
But I knew this, I just thought I could manage it better. However I had neither the space nor the lighting to actually accomplish that at the scale I was attempting.
Then I woke up my reserved tubers and got them into a big bin so I could take cuttings at the end of February. The I started buying new tubers. And more new tubers. And some seeds. More seeds and tubers….
In fact my last purchase of tubers was just three days ago. And by last, I mean most recent. Not necessarily the final one 😬 IYKYK
Before I knew it I had three extra shelving units installed, converted three of my current shelving units from basement storage to plant helper, rearranged the full basement (it’s actually a cozy workspace now!), got my guy to install new wiring through the basement to support all my new lights and fans and not blow breakers, and I was so surrounded by plants there was almost no room to move.
So I bought a few (20) fully bloomed border dahlias I loved from local nurseries and asked them to live in the basement from April through May, too. You know. For good measure.
My plants were all STRESSED.
I struggled with keeping them all watered but not sharing because transmission.
I struggled with the type of media I had tuber starting in versus seedlings versus semi established seedlings, versus cuttings.
I struggled with nutrition and my curious cats.
But I was f**king HAPPY!
I started noticing stress signs in the pants while they were still indoors and tried helping with nutrition. It just wasn’t enough. I knew it was outside they needed. But the planting did not happen in the timeline I wanted. Some went in a month later than I expected, on top of starting them way too early.
Now add in 11 new beds, tilled, largely unmanaged land in those spots so very nutrient depleted, and adding yards and yards of fresh organic compost to those beds (actual high quality stuff) that natural raises the bed’s pH (which I completely blanked on until yesterday).
Yes, of course I planted each and every plant with a heaping helping of alfalfa pellets 👎, bonemeal (P), and a big sprinkle of Osmocote (balanced 14-14-14) mixed into surrounding soil and watered in generously.
They’ve gotten blood meal, Alaska fish fertilizer, MorBloom, more osmocote, Epsom salt, molasses, kelp, silica, water water water, tons of sun, and a milk bath.
But each and every one looks like it has a virus.
Nitrogen needed. Urea ordered. Me excited. FB rude.
But there’s no way every seedling and every tuber (over 500 individual, 325+ different varieties) all have the same virus but are still trying to grow.
I had a major deficiency happening that I had t account for somewhere.
Oh crap. That soil testing kit with 40 tests in it has been sitting on my counter and is now covered in mail. It has not yet met a single one of my beds. So we did that last night… and was that eye opening!
What I learned (a couple surprised me):
First I tested a single bed in four places because the plants had different general appearances across the bed. The soil sample from each was telling just by looking at it. Some light and fluffy and less soil-like and more compost like, some almost fully lake clay, some a mix of clay and soil. The full results shocked me considering everything I’ve fed the soil so far.
I forgot that the massive amounts of compost I added to new and depleted soil would have an alkaline effect and not necessarily offer anything N this season. Oh my! My pH was 7.5+ in every bed. That had to come down NOW.
Despite Urea application (46-0-0), FACEBOOK, my nitrogen was N0 in every bed. So depleted that an application of urea sprinkled and watered in made no difference. Ok. The picture is starting to get clearer.
Phosphorus was ok in all beds. Between adequate and sufficient. P2-3. Not surprising since it builds up in the soil.
K (Potassium) depleted across the board, K0.
The only thing I didn’t add this season that usually go hog wild with was aged cow p**p.
But holy crap! Any wonder every plant looks like a sickly Victorian child wondering why someone is painting them rather than helping them.
So, late last night I began a treatment and correction protocol for this late in the season with struggling established dahlias: a blend of Urea (46-0-0), muriate of Potash (0-0-60), and culinary citric acid all dissolved in five gallon buckets of water and mixed to be applied within an hour. 2 quarts per plant, not broadcast application.
I was able to do this on the spot immediately and without hesitation because I have these things on hand from being comfortable working with them over my many years of growing, specifically pumpkins. I learned a lot about individual nutrients and the different forms of application while studying cucurbits and different giant pumpkin varieties. I’m far more comfortable making my own custom solutions for my highly specific needs to be addressed than buying generalist mixes commercially.
So.
Yeah. I get excited about Urea deliveries.
(I’ll update with pictures in the coming days and weeks to show the improvement)
