How To Fertilize

Fertilizers basically are substances that supply nutrients for plants and can be used to amend the soil fertility. There is a bewildering array for sale in garden centers and there is lots of information about composts and manures. So I'm going to try and give you some information that helps maybe clarify and lets you know which ones you should be using to grow which plants.

Fertilizers have different ingredients that make them up. You've got nitrogen phosphorus and potassium. And these are listed on the packets as an N, P or a K in different proportions.

Nitrogen is good for developing green leafy growth. Phosphorus is for developing strong root growth. Potassium which is sometimes also called potash is for developing flowers and fruits and all of those good things.

So, nitrogen is good for growing crops like spinach and chard a very good source of nitrogen is sulfate of ammonia. So for producing lots of flowers and fruits, you need a fertilizer which is high in potash. Generally speaking, some homemade compost with some added manure and also a sprinkling of fish blood and bone meal or perhaps some chicken manure pellets will usually do the trick for most situations.

Tomatoes, cucumbers and beans will all benefit from a liquid feed. Buy a big bulk pot of tomato fertilizer and give them an occasional feed during the growing season making sure that you keep the fertilizer away from the leaves of the plants. Compost is really great for digging into the soil it releases nitrogen and minerals and lots of other nutrients that the plants require.

You can also plant green manures, these are crops that you put in the autumn and then dig them into the soil in the spring to add fertility. They'll rot down and do the same job as any other type of compost. Manure is really great, horse manure very readily available, chicken manure also very good.

But beware of chicken manure because it is quite high in nitrogen so if you've got plants like onions that don't want too much nitrogen, then be sparing with it. Don't use fresh manure allow it to rot first. Fresh manure will burn the roots of plant.

So there are a few tips on how to fertilize.