These products are applied at different times and in different ways, depending on what you want to achieve. Fertilizers of this sort contain little nitrogen and higher levels of phosphorus and potassium the N-P-K ratio may be 3-20-20, for example. Such products, with N-P-K ratios such as 16-6-4, are often used in spring, when you want to encourage lush growth or green up your lawn.Īnother type is meant to stimulate root growth, stem vigor, and flower and fruit production. One type, used during the period of active growth, contains largely nitrogen. These fertilizers are of three general types. They’re aimed at the gardener who wants a particular combination of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium for certain plants or garden situations. Special-purpose fertilizers, on the other hand, are formulated for specific needs. Such fertilizers are intended to meet most plants’ general requirements throughout the growing season. The various products labeled “general-purpose fertilizers” contain either equal amounts of each major nutrient (N-P-K ratio 12-12-12, for example) or a slightly higher percentage of nitrogen than of phosphorus and potassium (such as a 12-8-6 product). By revealing which nutrients may be lacking, testing can help you choose an appropriate fertilizer.
GARDEN TOOLKIT VS BAG OF FERTILIZER STATE OF DECAY 2 MODS PROFESSIONAL
For a more detailed evaluation, you may want to pay for professional analysis, and there are mail-in versions of soil test kits, too. The inexpensive soil test kits sold at garden centers can give you a rough idea of the nutrients available in various parts of your garden. Exotic, bright-blossomed proteas, for example, will not tolerate excess phosphorus: they “glut” themselves on it and then die. In some instances, complete fertilizers can even harm a plant. If the soil contains sufficient phosphorus and potassium and is deficient only in nitrogen (as is often the case), you can save money by using an incomplete fertilizer that provides nitrogen alone (ammonium sulfate, for example). Using a complete fertilizer for every garden purpose seems sensible, but, in fact, it isn’t always the best choice. Complete and Incomplete FertilizersĪ fertilizer containing all three major nutrients is called a complete fertilizer a product that supplies only one or two of them is an incomplete fertilizer. One tip: Be sure to write the information on the bags you fill before you bring them home. For fertilizers sold in bulk from self-serve bins, the ratio is noted on the bin.
(A 12-0-0 fertilizer contains nitrogen but no phosphorus or potassium, for instance).īoxed, bagged, and bottled products display the N-P-K ratio on the label.
A 25-4-2 formulation contains 25% nitrogen, 4% phosphorus, and 2% potassium.Īll fertilizers contain at least one of these components if any is missing, the ratio will show a zero for that nutrient. A 16-16-16 fertilizer, for example, contains 16% nitrogen, 16% phosphorus, and 16% potassium. Prominently featured, the N-P-K-ratio is the percentage the product contains by volume of nitrogen (chemical symbol N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). Regardless of its type, any fertilizer you buy will come with information about the nutrients it contains, so you want to understand the N-P-K-ratio. Choosing the right products to keep your plants healthy can often be a bit confusing. In some stores, you’ll find bins filled with bone meal, blood meal, or hoof-and-horn meal―all labeled natural fertilizer. Labels identify the package contents as organic compost, rose food or vegetable food, lawn fertilizer or general-purpose fertilizer. The shelves are piled with boxes and bottles, the floors covered with bags stacked high. Fertilizer sections at nurseries, garden centers, and supply stores dazzle the gardener.
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