DIY Lily plant fertilizer tab inserter

[Laaf]

I saw a tool at the pond shop for over 50 dollars that admittedly was more high tech and possibly easier to use than mine.

But I made my own for under 10$ and wanted to share. I found a video on line I got the idea from. Maybe you all have seen it before or already know about this.

I took a 3/4 inch 6 foot dowel and a 3/4 pvc pipe cut to size so the wooden dowel is longer than the PVC pipe.

((The PVC came in a 10 foot length so I cut it in half and made one for myself and one for a friend))

I put enough layers of Gorilla tape on the dowel to mark when it was sticking out a finger's length at the other end, and to keep it from falling through the pipe.

I just position the PVC where I want it, push the dowel in a bit to get the hole started, pull the dowel all the way out, drop the tab it, then put the dowel back and press the tab all the way in. Then I wiggle it around and poke back at the hole to try to fill it as you pull it out.

Depending on what your plant is in, it can come out with thick mud on it. It also sometimes got stuck in the mud/planting material and I had to wiggle and twist to get it loose.

Overall I give myself an A on function and ease of use. And a C+ on appearance.

I made mine about 5 feet long and it was plenty long to get to all of my lilys without wading in or diving in.

Anyone have a different way of making a lily fertilizer pole?

Laaf

 

[Hound Heaven]

Nice idea! I think I'll borrow it

 

[BKHpondcritters]

That's really high-techy-techy, compared to my method. I wait until the water is warm enough for me to go wading (I figure before then it's too chilly to worry much about fertilizing the lilies) and then either don my 'Oompa Loompa Suit' (ie - oversized waders) or just roll up my shorts & wade on in. Then it's simply a matter of poking a finger down in the lily pots & stuffing in a fertilizer tab. I tend to go wallowing around in the pond on a regular basis all summer long, anyway, so scheduling it every couple of weeks to coincide with the necessary fertilizing isn't a big deal for me. But your method looks awesome for those that don't want to get wet!

 

[Tula]

I think I'm going to give this a try, thanks !

 

[GBBUDD]

Clever

 

[YShahar]

I saw a tool at the pond shop for over 50 dollars that admittedly was more high tech and possibly easier to use than mine.

But I made my own for under 10$ and wanted to share. I found a video on line I got the idea from. Maybe you all have seen it before or already know about this.

What a great idea!

I tried to get fertilizer tabs shipped from Amazon, but they got held up at customs; turns out you need permission for the Ministry of Agriculture to get them in. And that was just a bag of 12 of them! So I bought some Omocote slow release granules. Hopefully, those will do the trick. I might try your idea but adapted for little granules.

 

[Lisak1]

I love this idea!

Has anyone else found that the tabs get real mushy as soon as they get wet? I can barely get them in the pot before they start crumbling in my fingers.

 

[BKHpondcritters]

I love this idea!

Has anyone else found that the tabs get real mushy as soon as they get wet? I can barely get them in the pot before they start crumbling in my fingers.

I've never had that problem with mine. Sometimes they are a little broken or crumbly coming out of the bottle, but they hold together well when being shoved into the lily pots. What brand are you using?

 

[addy1]

I love this idea!

Has anyone else found that the tabs get real mushy as soon as they get wet? I can barely get them in the pot before they start crumbling in my fingers.

Wrap in paper towel and stick in, paper towel dissolves. I used to do that with the osmocote before I just started dumping under the litter.

 

[Lisak1]

What brand are you using?

I think they're Highland Rim. They just fall apart in my hand half the time.

 

[BKHpondcritters]

I think they're Highland Rim. They just fall apart in my hand half the time.

That's crazy! This is the brand I use & that never happens to me:

https://www.amazon.com/Plantabbs-Products-Pondtabbs-60ct/dp/B000HHQNM0/ref=asc_df_B000HHQNM0/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=198059725112&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=779057981311640050&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9010234&hvtargid=pla-350837762141&psc=1

 

[elshaw0629]

I saw a tool at the pond shop for over 50 dollars that admittedly was more high tech and possibly easier to use than mine.

But I made my own for under 10$ and wanted to share. I found a video on line I got the idea from. Maybe you all have seen it before or already know about this.

I took a 3/4 inch 6 foot dowel and a 3/4 pvc pipe cut to size so the wooden dowel is longer than the PVC pipe.

((The PVC came in a 10 foot length so I cut it in half and made one for myself and one for a friend))

I put enough layers of Gorilla tape on the dowel to mark when it was sticking out a finger's length at the other end, and to keep it from falling through the pipe.

I just position the PVC where I want it, push the dowel in a bit to get the hole started, pull the dowel all the way out, drop the tab it, then put the dowel back and press the tab all the way in. Then I wiggle it around and poke back at the hole to try to fill it as you pull it out.

Depending on what your plant is in, it can come out with thick mud on it. It also sometimes got stuck in the mud/planting material and I had to wiggle and twist to get it loose.

Overall I give myself an A on function and ease of use. And a C+ on appearance.

I made mine about 5 feet long and it was plenty long to get to all of my lilys without wading in or diving in.

Anyone have a different way of making a lily fertilizer pole?

Laaf

Thank you much for this great idea!! My pond is small and shallow enough that if I lay flat on the ground and lean in enough that my face is nearly in the water, I can push the Planttabs in the pots. But I'm getting too old for that!! And it would be nice to not soak my face/hair every time I need to fertilize the water lillys!

 

[j.w]

@elshaw0629

 

[elshaw0629]

View attachment 166819@elshaw0629

Thank you! I'm new to both this forum and ponds and I'm excited to learn as much as I can from people with much more expertise than me! Starting with your fabulous fertilizer pellet gun!

 

[Laaf]

I still use it! And it's working great for me.