HELP!!! Is MSU fert 3/4 tsp/gal or Tbsp/gal??
 

I asked you all how much MSU fertilizer I should be using a while ago and most said 3/4 tsp per gallon (to get ~125ppm N), which is consistent with what the MSU fertilizer recc. Could someone please confirm that by tsp, you all actually mean teaspoon and not tablespoon?

The reason I ask is that I want to make sure I didn't just over fertilize.

Here's my problem: The spoon Ray gave with the MSU fertilizer says 1/2 TSP. Since I'm used to seeing Tbsp as tablespoon, and not TSP, I saw the TSP on the spoon and thought teaspoon. Since my MSU fertilizer (and all of you) have said 1/2 tsp (with the tsp in lowercase, tsp = teaspoon), I've been fertilizing with 1.5 scoops with ray's spoon thinking that was 3/4 teaspoon.

Today I was thinking about it, and it's obvious that Ray's spoon is more than 1/2 teaspoon, it's obviously 1/2 Tablespoon. Then I remembered that TBS = tablespoon, and lower case tsp = teaspoon.

So, could someone please verify that the amount I'm supposed to be using is 3/4 teaspoon/gallon and that I have been over fertilizing ?? I just want to make sure that the MSU fert "tsp" and the "tsp" that you all have been talking about is really a teaspoon and that I'm really supposed to be using 1/2 scoop from Ray's scoop (since 1/2 ray's scoop = 1/4 Tablespoon = 3/4 teaspoon) before I switch?

Thank you!

Niki

tsp stands for teaspoon
tbsp stands for table spoon

yes, I know that. But, Ray's spoon says 1/2 TSP on it, which makes it sound like it's a teaspoon. But, it's actually 1/2 Tablespoon. And, some baking spoons are labeled as TBP (all caps) and they measure one Tablespoon (even though the standard abbreviation for Tablespoon is Tbsp, sometimes I have seen TSP also used)

This discrepancy (the spoon being labeled 1/2 TBS and being inside the container that quotes all measurements in tsp, making one think that the 1/2 TSP in the fert container is the same units as the 1/2 tsp marked on the outside of the fert container) has led me to want to verify that I the tsp on the fert box is not the same as the TSP on the spoon.

Niki

I haven't used non metric measurements (grams and milliliters are so much easier!!) in 9 years, but I always thought that tsp (lower or uppercase) was a teaspoon and tbsp was a tablespoon.
While you wait for answers, do you have a cooking measuring spoon that you know is either a teaspoon or tablespoon and compare the quantity with the MSU spoon? I hope you sort it out. Sometimes though, it seems that the more you think about something, the more confusing it gets!

:scratchhead:

Hi Niki :waving

My multi-measurement spoons from Ray are all the way outside so I can't check them out right now but...

why not just contact Ray for confirmation of what the spoon is or should be? If there is a mistake on the spoon, I'm sure he'd appreciate knowing about it.

Welcome to First Rays Orchids

I got mine, it says on one side 1 tablespoon TBL on the other end same side, says 1/2 Teaspoon TSP.) on the other side of the measure says 1 Teaspoon TSP. on the other end says 1/4 Teaspoon TSP. I am sure, used a magnifying glass :) You can use a regular measuring spoon if easier ... Gin

I've got three of them and all have 4 "positions". From smallest to largest they read: 1/4 tsp, 1/2 tsp, 1 tsp, 1tbl (as in tablespoon.) Hope this helps.

Ross, Gin, and cb977,

Oh my goodness! I didn't realize that the spoon was a multi-measuring spoon. I just assumed the smaller end was the handle (I have some other spoons similarly that shaped are single measuring spoons).

boy do I feel like an idiot.

I looked more closely at my spoon, rubbed off the dust at the end I thought was the measuring end (it came in the fert. container so it was very dusty) and noticed a 1 Tbsp by the side I used. doh!

I had originally just looked at the smaller end (which said 1/2 TSP), thinking that the spoon was a single measuring spoon.

And, for those of you who have never heard of capital TSP being used for Tablespoon, all my grandmother's old measuring spoons and cookbooks that I inherited use a capital TSP for tablespoon and a lowercase tsp for teaspoon, hence my thought that maybe this was happening here....

Well, I'll be diluting the fertilizer I made up when watering and will be sure to mix the correct amount next time.

Good thing I only watered once with the super conc. fertilizer…I’m so glad I thought about the amount I added being way more than ½ tsp, but too bad it took me 12 hours to realize it!

As soon as I realized it, I flushed out the S/H one with RO water and ran a whole bunch of pure water through the two potted one (plus I’m repotting the potted ones this evening, so they’ll be out of the over fert. Water/soil within 24 hours of being over fert.

Thanks everyone, you guys are great!! :D

Please...don't! It was an innocent mistake.

I was thinking maybe Ray had changed the spoons he was sending :blushing:

I'm glad you have it figured out now :clap: