alfalfa for roses · Guide
Alfalfa for roses: what the evidence shows
Rose growers have used alfalfa since the 1970s. I went looking for the trial behind it and found one small rhododendron experiment and a gap nobody...
The Dr Forest blog · Est. Stockport · England · 2020
Soil science & growing guides, properly explained.
Evidence-led guides to organic fertiliser, feeding and soil science for UK growers. Deficiencies, ingredients, biostimulants and crop-by-crop feeding, with every claim checked against the original paper.
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biostimulants · Guide
What is humic acid?
Humic acid is the dark, alkali-soluble fraction of humus. What it is, where it comes from, what it does in soil and at the root, and...
dry patch · Guide
Dry patch on lawns: when a wetting agent helps (and when it does not)
There's a kind of brown patch that rain doesn't fix. You water it, it pours for a week, and the grass stays crisp while everything around...
biostimulants · Guide
Humic vs fulvic acid: the difference, and which you need
Humic and fulvic acid come from the same soil humus but do different jobs. The one-sentence difference, what each does with the evidence behind it, and...
Fertiliser comparison · Guide
What is actually in Tomorite? Five tomato feeds compared
Five UK tomato feeds fully compared: Tomorite classic, Tomorite Organic, RocketGro, Envii Maximato and Dr Forest 3-4-6. Honest NPK breakdown, cost per gram of nutrient, and...
blossom end rot · Guide
Blossom end rot in tomatoes: what causes it, and how I stopped it
Blossom end rot is a calcium-delivery problem inside the fruit, driven by uneven watering, not a disease. Here is what causes it on tomatoes and how...
high nitrogen fertiliser for grass · Guide
High nitrogen lawn feed: when grass needs it, and when to stop
A high nitrogen lawn feed drives the dense, deep-green growth a lawn is judged on. Here is when grass actually needs one, the UK feeding calendar,...
bokashi bran · Guide
How to use bokashi bran in your soil
Bokashi bran earns its keep beyond the kitchen bin. Worked into a soil mix or used as a top dressing, it adds organic matter and soil...
certified organic nitrogen · Guide
High nitrogen feed: what it does, and when to use it
A high nitrogen feed is the right tool for one job: leafy, green growth. Here is what it does, when leafy crops and lawns actually need...
The garden journal
Feeding schedules, soil science & 10% off your first order.
One letter a month on what to feed, when to feed it, and why it works. Written by Joe, for growers who want to understand their soil.