Fertilizer/Plant Food Question for various succulents

[Jaeda]

While I am aware that Night-Blooming Cereus and Mother of Pearl/Ghost Plant aren't the "typical" succulents of topics here, I figured this would still be "the place" to inquire about them and also an unknown type of cactus (common just about anywhere including at chain stores like wally world), and two different types of "Wandering Jew"...

Things, while windy, are warming up now and so these plants are getting moved outside. It was not an easy winter for them. I was wondering what NPK fertilizer/plant food any of you might recommend for them. Would I be safe with a balanced fertilizer/plant food like I'd use on my Brugmansia and Datura? Or should I look into an acid-loving type like I use with my acid-lovers (Gardenia, for example)? I'd just like to give them a nice start for the growing season but since I'm just getting my feet wet with succulents, I don't want to end up killing them because of it.

Suggestions?

[freeethnoseedring]

You have to start a fertilizing schedule.  Some plants require more fertilizers than others.  Use a well-balanced fertilizer (10:10:10 or 20:20:20) with chelated trace elements.  You can fertilize your plants with a dilute fertilize solution at every watering but you must "rinse" your plants out occasionally with a clean watering, this prevents a mineral build-up which can be detrimental to your plants.  Alternatively you can fertilize your plants a few times during their active growth season with a stronger fertlizer solution, whichever works best for you.  Do not fertilize plants that are dormant or that are going into dormancy.  Plants that are over-fed will grow well but they may become more susceptible to disease and pests. And you should add a bit of lime to the top of the soil every couple months. This will neutrilize any acid build up in the pot.

[freeethnoseedring]

But for pedros and such check out //http://www.sanpedroman.com/cactifacts.htm

[EA-1306]

That is an interesting site, I am not too sure about some of that info, but it isn't bad, just not as accurate as it could be.

I'd use a complete macro with micro fert, maybe a 20:20:20, at low dilution for the succulents.

[winder]

Once diluted, 10:10:10 and 20:20:20 are the same.

The analysis on the package is for what is in the package, not what is in the water after preparation according to label directions.

The analysis on the label is a percentage basis.

But almost all plants tolerate the same concentration of minerals in the water for optimum uptake, with some certain exceptions.  But the range of dissolved minerals is prbably around 200-1000 ppm for most plants.  So whether that starts from something that is 10:10:10 or 20:20:20 matters not, as the difference is a factor of 2 in dilution.

The differences between 10:10:10 and 20:20:20 would seem to be mainly ease of packaging by the manufacturer and ease of use by the buyer.

[freeethnoseedring]

So like, 1tsp of 20-20-20 in a gallon of water is the same ppm as 2 tsp of 10-10-10 in a gallon of water?

[EA-1306]

Yes.

In the case of NPK the numbers are both a ratio and a dry weight %, or so is my present understanding, is that correct?