Idea on inserting fertilizer spikes to prevent burn- yays? nays?

[joeyb5980]

I just got my Jobe's tomato spikes in the mail today- had to order them this year, as I couldn't find them locally.  Anyway, I was trying to think how best to insert them into the pots without burning the roots.  Some of my lilies have roots throughout their entire container.  I had an idea, and don't know if it is really good or really dumb   Anyway, what if before inserting a spike, I wrap it in one layer of newspaper?  This way if it is shoved into the pot against roots, the actual fertilizer won't be against the root, but the newspaper will decompose and the plant can feed from the spike?  Would it make a difference?  Would it take to long for the plant to be able to feed through the newspaper?  Just something that crossed my mind.  My lilies are really needing this much awaited boost of fertilizer, but I don't want to burn them....Most of them have roomy pots, but a couple are kind of cramped.  Thanks!

[miguynmkoi]

Sounds good to me.  I use regular flower Jobes I purchase from HD.  I just stick them in the lily pots.  One for every root twice a month.  No burns but then again not alot of growth either 

[Double S]

I use the tomato spikes too. Never had one burn.  I wonder if the newspaper would make a difference???   

[emm]

Joey, although I've never used tomato spikes I suspect that wrapping them in newspaper is unnecessary and simply creating extra work for yourself.  I assume that they are a slower release fertilizer so that the plant is only receiving small amounts of fertilizer at a time, not enough to damage the roots of a good sized plant.  (Could perhaps cause problems with a young plant with an immature root system that isn't big enough to use a full strength fertilizer.)  I would suggest that you keep the spike away from the lily rhizome and not worry too much about the roots that are in direct contact with the spike.  Your pot is probably full of roots and some roots are damaged or lost anytime we repot or transplant without causing a problem for the plant.  emm

[Bartman]

I'd just push them in.  I use a wooden dowel to make a hole and put the spike in then squeeze the mud closed around the hole.  Never had a problem with burning.  Save yourself any extra work.

Bart

[gander]

I have never noticed a problem with them either. I just push them in and drop the pots back in the water twice a month.

[LeeAnne151]

I wouldn't bother, just poke them in.

[tinkster]

same here just poke them in and the lilly do great and bloom their heads off.

tinkster

[tootsie]

HMMMMMMMMMMMM, time released granules or jobe's fertilizer sticks, which one to use? Well, I put the pkg. of jobe's away so good, that I have forgotten where in the world the SAFE PLACE IS? So I went to W-mart and purchased a jug of time released fertilizer granules(house brand). I made squares out of news paper, put about 1-T spoon in folded them over and put them down in the sides of all the water lily pots I made the little envelopes while watching TV, then the next morning just filled them and put them in. Now the pondlilies will be fertilizer for the next 3 months, and I don't have to bother with them until it's time to put them back down to sleep I added up how many spikes I would have needed, then calculated how much I used of the time released granules, and  came up with the jug of granules was the least expensive I think I also did it this way as I have this darn cast on my wrist and everything I do is one handed, LOL, but really it was alot cheaper, than having to keep pulling up the pots in and out of the pond.

[joeyb5980]

Thanks everyone for your input.  I fertilized them all yesterday, and skipped the newspaper, since that was the general opinion.  Most of them had room in the pots to shove the spike in away from the roots anyway, but a couple were so full that I had to shove the spikes in through roots.  Sounds like since the spikes are time-released that they will be okay though.  That sounds like a good idea you had though Tootsie with the newspaper envelopes of granular fertilizer... Let us know how that turns out.  My lilies were really needing a good feeding of fertilizer- now that they have it, hopefully they will start pushing out more blooms in a couple of weeks!  Thanks again everyone.