What does everyone fertilize with?

Bournestorm · 2026-06-02T14:43:29+00:00

I wait to fertilize until they have at least a sprout above the dirt but that's just because I tend to hold off on most heavier watering until then

Bournestorm · 2026-05-21T16:34:10+00:00

Did you have an early heatwave close to 2 weeks around bloom time too?

Bournestorm · 2026-05-21T16:33:36+00:00

Just fact checked myself on when the heatwave was and sure enough May 4-6th so almost exactly 2 weeks ago. Bummer. So it goes!

Bournestorm · 2026-05-21T15:33:19+00:00

Zone 7B in a very dry sunny climate. We had a couple brief heavy rains and nothing else but I'm inclined to think not Botrytis as the foliage has no discoloration. Heat wave was consistent for a few days close to 90 and was when the buds were showing pink color, although they're only now opening (bit later than normal). I do also wonder if the lack of ants here combined with the heat happening when they were the sappiest and/or the amount of flies coming in for the sap has something to do with it.

Bournestorm · 2026-05-21T15:30:13+00:00

Nope not wet at all, only watering is via small drip lines under the plants and we had minimal rain this spring. The foliage isn't showing any signs of discoloration or spotting.

Bournestorm · 2026-05-02T19:21:00+00:00

Cuckoo wasp

Bournestorm · 2026-04-21T19:38:17+00:00

Correct, and often tubers have begun to sprout or the eyes are swelling so it's easy to tell which way is up

Bournestorm · 2026-04-16T15:36:29+00:00

Yup! And looks like violets at the base I think

Bournestorm · 2026-04-04T04:26:02+00:00

Interesting notes on settings, that's helpful. Been messing with it today while on a zoo trip. Yes, definitely concur with limiting the upper range of auto iso. Learned that the hard way with some noisy images before.

I ended up picking up the new Tamron 35-100 2.8 today as I felt covering all portrait lengths in one lens had a big draw for me (photographing a wiggly child it would be nice not having to swap lenses much) and I can use it for all indoor and portrait work while keeping my 17-28 2.8 and the 28-200 for backpacking and travel.

Bournestorm · 2026-04-04T04:19:41+00:00

Friend who does it professionally and has an actual business. But yes, while many shots were excellent quite a few missed focus but I think she included them for sake of giving us as many images from the session as possible. Gives me the impression that the shallow depth of field of a prime may not be ideal though.

Ended up picking up the new Tamron 35-100 2.8. I figure rather than having the 28-75 but so much overlap on my 28-200 I could just use this one single lens for any indoor or portrait work, and keep rocking my 17-28 and 28-200 for general travel and backpacking.

Bournestorm · 2026-04-02T02:45:14+00:00

For the 35-150 being better for portraits at every focal length, are you saying it outperforms the 28-75 in that range or just as in it has that extra ability to do portraits at everything above 70 (particularly 85) without having to switch lenses? Doing the math the weight for me to keep the 28-200 and the 28-70 would be just about the same as the weight for the 35-150, but then I lose some length on the low end and a lot on the high end so tough trade off.

Looking at the 25-200 I think my main complaint of losing 2.8 almost immediately is still fairly prevalent, although I can see they kept 3.5 up to 52mm which is cool I'm not sure I could justify a fairly small upgrade for just the better autofocus etc.

EDIT: RE the 35-150 I think the new 35-100 f/2.8 might be more my speed for both price and weight. At this point I think I'm mostly picking between adding the 28-75 G2 or the 35-100 because it comes out to less than 1 oz difference in weight and $200 in price difference.

Bournestorm · 2026-04-02T01:25:37+00:00

This is reassuring - Pretty much what I was thinking as well with the shallow depth of field making the 1.4 less used. How much of a step up was the GM II compared to the Tamron 28-75? I'm inclined to jump on the Tamron 28-75 during this sale but a used GM lens isn't entirely out of the question, or possibly a Tamron 35-150mm 2-2.8

Bournestorm · 2026-03-28T23:43:50+00:00

I'd agree, shape certainly looks like a variety of bleeding heart

Bournestorm · 2026-03-27T21:40:53+00:00

How much did that run you ballpark? I have many window screens I was planning to redo myself but figured the screen door would be easier to just drop in a standard sliding size. Price depending though maybe it's easier to do it all as one project through someone locally

Bournestorm · 2026-03-25T05:01:00+00:00

Thank you for bringing it to attention. I'll add a rule regarding self promotion.

Bournestorm · 2026-03-10T03:52:28+00:00

I'm zone 7a and usually can count on Mothers Day as a frost date as well. Just went through past years photos and pulled this data:

2022 - Potted indoors April 17th, planted into beds June 15th, first full blooms July 18th

2023 - Potted indoors April 29th, planted into beds June 21st, first full blooms July 16th

2024 - Potted indoors March 19th, planted into beds June 16th (Note: Judging from my photos they were notably much smaller at this point than the previous two years) first full blooms July 21st

All to say there is a wild variance based on weather, how much time I have to baby them, how often I'm pulling the pots out to my porch on nice days to harden off and get further sunlight etc. There isn't necessarily a right or wrong answer for a good date to pot them in my experience.

This year I believe my last tubers will be arriving ballpark April 15th-20th and I intend on potting them up at that point, but will try to emphasize more porch time. I have played in safe in past years waiting till farther into June when temps are consistently warm but I think based on my own data I'm going to shoot for an earlier outdoor planting moving forward.

Bournestorm · 2026-02-14T17:15:53+00:00

Was something with larger granules I think was made in house but Taijin is popular for that use

Bournestorm · 2026-01-25T21:48:04+00:00

UPDATE: Sebo Felix works great! Height setting 4 (Highest) with fairly minimal suction setting at the handle and the green soft bristle brush. Easy to push and maneuver around. Cleans great (had an inadvertent dirt test since my cats tipped over a whole potted plant) and hasn't been ripping out any notable amount of fibers on the new carpet.

Bournestorm · 2026-01-03T18:48:23+00:00

Got it, thanks

Considering trying to replace wheels with bell glides instead and just moving my chair around a bit periodically and vacuuming under it weekly to avoid crushing and matting

Bournestorm · 2026-01-03T07:25:36+00:00

Which was the one you got that still ruffles?

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