Beginner’s guide to choosing the right fertilizers
A stroll down the fertilizer aisle at any garden center can quickly overwhelm someone who is new to the world of gardening. Whether you’re looking to fertilize grass, vegetables, fruit trees, roses, or something else entirely, there can be an almost endless row of options for each. So how do you determine which fertilizer is going to be the right choice for your growing needs?
Fertilizer basics
Fertilizer is food, for your plants. It should contain all of the nutrients that your plants need to survive, and thrive. It seems like growing plants should be as simple as pushing a seed into a bit of dirt and letting nature take over from there. In theory that’s what happens, or should happen. The soil around our homes is not always necessarily the most hospitable environment for some plants, however.
Plants need a number of primary nutrients that include nitrogen, phosphorous, calcium, magnesium, zinc, carbon, and hydrogen. While some may already be in healthy amounts in your soil, you should perform a soil test prior to taking any action. Home tests are readily available, and will give you information about the additives your soil needs to make it the ideal growing environment for the plants that you are planning on growing.
Your local extension office can also provide valuable tips to help you get your soil healthy, so that your plants will grow well.
A helpful tip is to remember that your soil pH levels should be your focus. Some plants grow best in neutral soil, some thrive in soil that’s slightly acidic. If the pH level is off in your soil, your plant’s roots will not be able to efficiently absorb all of the nutrients.
A quick home test will give you the answers you need about your soil’s pH levels, and it’s fairly simply to remedy the levels in either direction with acidifying fertilizers to boost soil’s acidity, or limestone to reduce it.
What are you looking to fertilize?
This may seem like a basic question to consider, but the truth is that not all fertilizers are created to work in the same way for all types of plants. The fertilizer that will keep your front lawn lush and green may quickly kill off your tomatoes.
Lawn fertilizers are most often available in granular or liquid form. They contain the water-soluble nitrogen that your grass needs to grow and stay green. The type of grass you have, the season you’re in, and the growing zone you’re in will impact how often you fertilize your lawn. Grasses are fairly low-maintenance, and will respond well to most fertilizers targeted at lawns.
Fertilizers for vegetables, trees, flowers, and other plants can often need to be a little bit more focused. These plant foods are available in a few different forms, to include granules, spikes and liquids. You’ll find that some plant foods are for general use, and will keep most of your plants or vegetables happy year-round. Some plant foods are formulated for specific plants, to include roses, or succulents and African violets.
Keep in mind that some fertilizers and plant foods should not be used around edible plants, as they may contain ingredients that can be ingested when the plants absorb them.
Organic fertilizer additives
If you prefer to keep your garden more on the organic side, then you’ll find there are plenty of chemical-free fertilizing choices to consider. While plant foods that are designated for use on edible plants will not contain toxic ingredients, it’s often best to keep things simple when you’re working in the garden.
Bone meal and blood meal are additives that contain calcium and phosphorous, and can offer a boost for plants every few months. They are steamed and dried byproducts of the meat industry, and are very good for plants.
Composted manure can help to condition your soil, and give your plants a healthy nitrogen boost every few months. Be sure to only buy composted manure, or compost it yourself, so that you can avoid burning your plants. Fresh manure contains levels of ammonia and nitrogen that are too high for plants, and will cause a rapid decline in the health of the plants.
Selecting the right fertilizer for your plant needs is fairly straightforward.
- Know the requirements of the plants you’re growing
- Test your soil
- Amend your soil with fertilizers and other soil additives
- Fertilizer on a schedule that works for the health of the plants
Be sure to always follow instructions included with store-bought fertilizers, so that you can ensure the safety and health of you, your family, and your garden.
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Author bio:
Ken is a huge fan of living his life to the fullest. His health is extremely important to him and he currently enjoys helping Norcal Ag Service [https://norcalagservice.com/] get the word out about their awesome organic farming supplies. When he’s not working, he enjoys blogging, hiking, and plenty of steak and grilled veggies.