There are many different fertilizers on sale in stores and it is difficult to choose which fertilizers are suitable for plants. Why not apply spring fertilizer to plants in the autumn, for example, and is potato fertilizer also suitable for strawberries?
After reading this post, you are much smarter about fertilizers and you know exactly what kind of fertilizer your plants need.
Why is it necessary to fertilize plants?
Plants need sunlight, water and minerals to grow. The plant may not get all the necessary nutrients from the soil, it may slow down the growth of the plant, the leaves will turn yellow, the plant is more susceptible to pests, the fruit will not grow large, and so on.
The amount of nutrients in the soil decreases with each growing season. To do this, it would be necessary to return the nutrients to the soil so that the plant can grow.
What does NPK mean?
NPK is an abbreviation for the most important nutrients for plants.
Nitrogen (N)
Nitrogen is the nutrient a plant needs most to grow. The plant needs nitrogen throughout the growing season.
Nitrogen helps the plant to sprout, grow the roots and stems of the plant and help the fruit to grow
Phosphorus (P)
Phosphorus is especially important for the growth of roots and shoots. Even if there is enough phosphorus in the soil, the plant may not get it.
Potassium (K)
Potassium regulates the water balance in the plant. Thanks to potassium, the plant is better able to absorb other nutrients. Potassium helps to strengthen the plant's resistance to diseases and pests and helps plants survive droughts or cold winters.
All elements are important to the plant, but they must be given to different plants in the right proportions.
Which fertilizers to choose?
In the store you can find separate fertilizers for all plants, but whether it is necessary to have 10 bags of different fertilizers or just a few fertilizers that are suitable for many different plants will suffice.
Rose fertilizer is suitable for many plants in terms of its elements. It is suitable for flowers, shrubs as well as vegetables.
Potato fertilizer is also versatile and suitable for many plants. You will find us, for example YaraMila potato fertilizer, which is primarily for potatoes, but is also suitable for other plants.
Spring fertilizer is special for its high nitrogen content. It has the same content as well lawn fertilizers. So you can safely use it as a spring fertilizer so that the plants can start growing quickly.
Rhododendrons and conifers are similar in their needs, in which case it is better to use a fertilizer for rhododendrons in both cases.
When choosing a fertilizer for onion flowers, make sure that there is more potassium than nitrogen, then the bulbs will be large and ready to bloom and the plants will not be threatened by pests. You can also look for fertilizer for onion flowers tomato fertilizer or fertilizers for herbs.
If you choose a fertilizer for chlorine-sensitive plants, make sure that the fertilizer does not contain chlorine (Cl). Chlorine-sensitive plants are potatoes, strawberries and roses.
When choosing an autumn fertilizer, make sure that the fertilizer contains as little nitrogen and as much Phosphorus and Potassium as possible. In autumn, it is not necessary for nitrogen to make the plant grow, but it is a bit in the autumn fertilizer so that the plant can withstand long autumns. In autumn, plants need phosphorus and potassium, these substances prepare the plant for the onset of cold, and the plant becomes frost-resistant and disease-resistant thanks to potassium. Phosphorus helps the stems to become woody and stronger and frost-resistant.
When to start fertilizing?
Fertilization should start as early as spring.
Nitrogen is especially important from the beginning of the growth phase. It is worth putting down nitrogen even when there is still snow on the ground. Some of the nitrogen can start to fly from the soil and snow binds nitrogen well.
Fertilizing onion flowers in the spring is also important if you want and next year beautiful flowers. Onion flowers start growing new tubers in the spring, and it is important to keep the bulbs large and healthy.
Fertilization should be expected for conifers, roses, rhododendrons. Before the end of the night frosts during fertilization, it may happen that the young shoots have already started to grow due to the fertilizer, and the night frosts may be too much for them.