In our article about Dealing with Fertilizer Powders, we showed how making a concentrated solution simplifies fertilizer handling and dispensing. In this article, we will describe a simple fertilizer dispenser using a “self measuring” or “Bettix” bottle.
A Bettix bottle has two chambers, a larger “holding tank” (to the left in the image above) and a smaller, graduated measuring or dispensing chamber on the right, connected to the holding tank by a molded-in tube going from the bottom of the larger chamber to the top of the smaller one. Operation is as follows:
- Add fertilizer powder to the holding tank.
- Add water to that tank and close both tops, shaking to dissolve the powder.
- Loosen or remove the cap from the dispenser side and squeeze the holding tank until the dispenser is filled to the appropriate level.
- Pour that concentrate into your fertilizer application jug, then replace the cap.
For example, I want to apply 100 ppm N using K-Lite to my plants weekly. From the label, I know that 100 ppm N requires 2.9g of that fertilizer powder per gallon. (You can also use about 3/4 teaspoons per gallon, but that is far less accurate.)
My Bettix bottle has a 67 ounce capacity – perfect to hold two quarts (64 ounces) of solution. I have decided to use 2 ounces of concentrate per gallon so that my concentrate doesn’t run into solubility issues, so I must add 2.9g to every 2 ounces of concentrate, or 2.9 x 32 = 92.8g of powder to two quarts of water, giving me enough concentrate for 32 gallons of solution to be applied.
So now, I just have to shake the bottle, dispense the two ounces/gallon into my pump up sprayer, fill that with water and I’m good to go.