Greening Up Photinia With Iron and Manure

Q. I cleared the rock mulch and would like to know if adding manure to the mix would help the plant. I use Ironite on the plant several times a year.

A. Ironite is okay. Viragrow does not carry it. We carry Kerex, EDDHA and an organic iron spray. The best judge is whether it is working or not and keeps your plants in good color. Otherwise switch to Iron EDDHA.

5 lb. bag of Iron EDDHA from Viragrow
Stable across the entire pH range and alkalinity
Rates are typically in the tbs range per plant per year.

If photinia are in rock mulch the soil pH (alkalinity) will tend to stay above 8. Ironite uses sulfur to help keep the soil pH lower where the ironite is located. Every place else has not changed in pH.

The chemistry of Ironite is focused on is to lower the pH where the iron is applied and this should help the plant use the applied iron better. You should only have to apply the Ironite once in the spring.

The iron EDDHA relies on a different soil chemistry and it doesn’t concern itself with soil pH and changing it. It works at any soil pH, requires about 1 tsp or 1 tbs per plant and applied once a year in the spring.

Adding manure is going to help ….usually…. if the manure is “aged” and the salt content has been lowered through aging. I would NOT add fresh manure. The problem with all manures is the salt content.

You are always better off with compost rather than straight manure. Composts using animal manures usually have lower salt content because of the watering and leaching that goes on during composting. 

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