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Fertilizing & Feeding Plants

Amanda's Garden Consulting Company
Nature provides its own food for plants by way of nutrient recycling via the soil food web. Photo Amanda Jarrett

Click on the following to be redirected:
Fertilizers & Ratios
Nutritional Deficiencies & Toxicities
Organic Plant Food​
In this article 
  • Basic Do’s and Don’ts of Fertilizing
  • To Fertilize or Not to Fertilize
  • Why Use Fertilizers?
  • Synthetic Fertilizers Vs Organic Fertilizers
  • The Nutrients Plants Need

​Selecting the correct type of fertilizer is often confusing, as there so many different types - and what do those three numbers on fertilizer labels mean? Here's some basic information, the pros and cons of organic and synthetic plant foods, as well as what those numbers represent.  

Basic Do’s and Don’ts of Fertilizing

Picture
  • Apply fertilizers around the plant’s dripline (where the canopy ends), not against stems and tree trunks.
  • Avoid sprinkling granular types on fruit, flowers, foliage. on stems and tree trunks.
  • Do not fertilize thirsty plants. Water and wait for the plant to recover.
  • It is a good idea to water the day before applying fertilizer.
  • Rake or in hoe granular fertilizers then water thoroughly.
  • Don’t apply more than the recommended rate on the manufacturer’s instructions.
  • Avoid high nitrogen fertilizers when flowers and fruit are desired.
  • To encourage flowering, use high phosphorus fertilizer.
  • Generally, don’t apply high nitrogen fertilizers, even organics, in late fall or throughout the winter as it stimulate new lush growth. 
Click on the pics below for captions to pop up. 
Phosphorus and potash encourage flowers.
Low nitrogen, high phosphorus encourages fruiting.
Nitrogen stimulates leaves, stems, provides vigor and green leaves.
To stimulate root growth provide plants with low nitrogen, high phosphorus fertilizer.

crimson clover, cover crops, soil, fertilizers, pollinators, nitrogen fixersCrimson clover is a cover crop that benefits insects and the soil.
​To Fertilize or Not to Fertilize
Healthy soil doesn't occur by applying fertilizers, it’s the result of a working soil ecosystem, called the soil food web. When working properly, the soil food web is a community of organisms that turns organic material into food and soil. The food is called humus and is the product of decomposed plants, insects and animals. It is responsible for maintaining active, healthy soil, as it feeds the insects and microorganisms, not just plants. It is a functional universe unto itself.
Humus is the perfect plant food as it contains all kinds of nutritional goodies, including nitrogen, micro and trace elements. A soil rich in humus is dark in colour; almost black and has a nice earthy smell.
To create a humus rich soil, add organic matter annually such as compost, composted wood chips and leaves, manure as well as the old fashioned standby - well-rotted, aged manures. Grow comfrey and other deep rooted plants to bring up minerals from the subsoil and as they do, their long roots also break up heavy soil.  Grow potatoes to make unworked soil more easier to work with (friable).
Plant cover crops such as fall rye or crimson clover in fall and work into the soil in spring. Allow nature to do its thing by leaving leaf litter and other organic material on garden beds. An addition of a 3 inch layer of organic mulch on top of the soil surface is also an essential component to a self-sustaining soil system.
Too much rototilling also degrades soil. I just use a garden fork to barely turn the soil in spring. Rototilling, double digging and over cultivating aids in breaking down all the organic material, depleting the soil of nutrients. 


​Why Use Fertilizers?

Picture
Veggies taste better when they have enough food to grow and develop.
Sometimes plants need help to flower, form roots and fruit, and for fruits to ripen. When soils’ are poor and plants become weak, yellow and fall prey to insects and diseases, plants can’t wait for the compost and other organic matter to become available to them. Use them to:
  • stimulate flowering, foliage, fruiting and rooting
  • increase vigour and health of sickly plants
  • increase hardiness
  • increase disease resistance
  • rectify nutrient deficiencies
  • feed container grown plants and houseplants

​Synthetic Fertilizers Vs Organic Fertilizers

fertilizer contents, fertilizer ingredients
Look for fertilizers that contain micronutrients and trace elements.
Synthetic plant foods are man-made and often contain only three major elements (macro nutrients): nitrogen, phosphorus and potash. Some may contain nutrients needed in lesser amounts such as iron and sulfur. They usually cost a bit more, but they are a better choice as plants don't just live on nitrogen, phosphorus and potash alone; they actually need 13 mineral nutrients.
Most synthetics are fast acting unless they are coated with a polymer, which releases the nutrients more slowly into the soil. Be cautious when using synthetics, even slow release ones, as they have the capacity to burn plant roots via the formation of salts - if over applied and used repeatedly.
Synthetic fertilizers are generally not beneficial to life in the soil. They upset the natural processes, making the garden more dependent on them. This is especially a concern if using fast acting fertilizer regularly. Plants will show their displeasure with brown leaf edges (margins) and wilting, followed by death. However, there are some advantages of synthetic fertilizers, but do use them only when necessary, judiciously and infrequently. 

Pros & cons of Synthetic Fertilizers

Advantages of synthetic plant foods:
  • Less expensive than many organic types.
  • Easier to find.
  • Easier to apply.
  • Many fertilizer ratios available.
  • Exact ratios of fertilizers are known.
  • Many types available.
  • Nutrients are generally available faster than organic plant food.
  • Rectifies nutrient deficiencies quickly.
Disadvantages of synthetic plant foods:
  • It's easy to apply too much, which burns roots and harms soil life.
  • Synthetic nutrients leach out of soils and are not retained.
  • When used regularly, salts, arsenic, cadmium and uranium buildup in soils, affecting pH and plant health.
  • The changes in pH and sudden abundance of nutrients hinder the soil ecosystem affecting earthworms, beneficial fungi and other organisms.
  • Degrades organic matter, especially with repeated applications. 

Organic Fertilizers

Organic fertilizers, also referred to as 'soil conditioners', consist of products that have been minimally altered. They are derived from natural sources:
  • seed meals ex: canola seed, cotton seed meal
  • leaf tissues ex: alfalfa meal, kelp
  • animal parts ex: bone, blood and fish meal
  • animal excrement ex: bat guano, steer manure, llama beans
  • rock dusts: ex: lime, greensand, langbeinite, glacial rock dust
  • compost
Nitrogen, phosphorus, potash, calcium, magnesium, micronutrients and trace elements, amino acids and other goodies, become available when using natural products since they usually assist with the soil food web. Many organic options include 'meals', which are finely ground so they are easily utilized. Others include dusts, which are usually made from different types of minerals. Aged manures are also a great source of nutrients. 
Fish fertilizer is an organic nitrogen fertilizer.
Gaia Green fertilizers are organic.
Miracle-Grow in a fast acting, synthetic water soluble fertilizer.

Pros & Cons of Organic Fertilizers

Advantages of Organic Plant Foods
  • Improves soil structure.
  • Often benefit soil ecosystem.
  • Does not harm soil organisms.
  • No toxic buildup.
  • They don't injure plant roots.
  • Many contain trace and micronutrients.
  • They are biodegradable.
  • Not easily leached from soils.
Disadvantages of Organic Plant Foods
  • Slow to work as the soil microorganisms have to break them down first.
  • Nutrient ratios are often unknown and/or not indicated on the package.
  • Generally, contain low doses of nutrients.
  • More expensive compared to synthetic types.
  • Not as available as compared to synthetic fertilizers.
  • Composition of organic fertilizers are variable, making standardization difficult.
  • To be truly organic, make sure your organic fertilizers choices are organically sourced.
Use bone meal when planting as it promotes root growth.
Slow release synthetic fertilizers are easier on the soil than liquid synthetic fertilizers.
Humik benefits soil organisms and feeds plants.

​The Nutrients Plants Need

Weigela florida 'Rubidor'
A complete plant food contains the primary nutritional elements to feed all plant parts. Weigela florida 'Rubidor'
Plants need 16 different nutrients for all different plant functions. They need lots of some nutrients and not so much of others. Three of those elements are oxygen, hydrogen and carbon, which are extracted from the air and water.  The 3 primary nutritional elements are nitrogen, phosphorus and potash. 
Picture
Nitrogen (N)
  • Promotes green colour, vegetative growth, foliage.
  • Increases foliage, fruit and seeds yields.
  • General growth, health and vigor.
  • Encourages green growth.
  • Major element needed for photosynthesis, aids in production and use of carbohydrates.
  • Necessary for cell division.
  • Promotes tender, lush growth that attracts insects, especially aphids.
  • Avoid high nitrogen from October until spring as new growth is susceptible to frost damage.
  • Nitrogen fertilizers have a high first number ex: 8-6-6.
Picture
Potash encourages winter hardiness.
Picture
Phosphorus stimulates flowers.
Phosphorus (P)
  • Promotes root formation and growth, maturity, fruiting, flowering.
  • Important to seed formation.
  • Improves the quality of fruits and veggies.
  • Accelerates maturity and fruit ripening.
  • Good for transplants and seedlings.
  • Needed for photosynthesis, respiration, cell division.
  • Phosphorus fertilizers have a high second number ex: 6-8-6.
​Potash (K)
  • Promotes root growth, flowering, and fruiting.
  • Promotes strong, stiff stalks and hardiness.
  • Encourages root growth.
  • Encourages ripening and flower/fruit formation.
  • Increases vigor in sickly plants.
  • Improves disease resistance.
  • Used to winterize lawns in autumn.
  • Improves flavour and enhances flower colours.
  • Potash fertilizers have a high third number ex: 6-6-8.

Secondary Nutrients

Picture
Blossom end rot on tomatoes is caused by a lack of calcium.
Secondary nutrients are needed in lesser amounts than nitrogen, phosphorus and potash. They are not included with the three main numbers on fertilizer labels, however, if they are present, they are listed in the ingredients.  
  • Magnesium (Mg):
    • important in chlorophyll production
    • helps absorb phosphorus and iron
  • Calcium (Ca):
    • improves vigor and is used for the formation of new plant parts
    • aids in photosynthesis
    • increases fruit set
  • Sulfur (S):
    • affects cell division and formation
    • promotes nitrogen fixing bacteria on legumes
    • assists in seed production
    • required for chlorophyll formation 
MICRONUTRIENTS
Don't be fooled by the word ‘micro’ and their lack of prominence on fertilizer labels, as micronutrients are just as important as the major and secondary elements. Manganese (Mn), Iron (Fe), Copper (Cu), Zinc (Zn), Boron (B), Molybdenum (Mo) and Chlorine (Cl), controls enzyme production, chlorophyll production and formation, calcium utilization, pollen and seed production and many other plant processes.
When a plant lacks any one of these minor elements, growth will be hindered, leaves become yellow with green veins and leaves become distorted, stunted, frizzled or cupped. Healthy soils, with good working ecosystems, rarely have micronutrient deficiencies. If they do occur, a good dose of compost certainly helps as well as other organic matter and a layer of mulch. You can also buy ‘trace nutrients’ and iron products where garden products are sold. 

Also check out:
  • Soil Building
  • Composting
  • Fertilizers and Ratios
  • Nutritional Deficiencies and Toxicities
  • ​Organic Plant Foods

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  • Home
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    • Hardening Off Plants
    • Taking Cuttings
    • Seed & Plant Catalogues
  • How to Garden Topics
    • Fall Garden Chores
    • Planting Know-How
    • Soil Building
    • Soil pH
    • Watering Tips & Techniques
    • Drought Gardening
    • Sheet Mulching, Lasagna Gardening
    • Cover Crops
    • Composting
    • Compost Tea
    • Houseplant Winter Care
    • Hummingbirds in Winter
    • Winterize Your Garden
    • Ponds in Winter
  • Growing Food
    • Spring Veggie Gardening
    • Fall Veggie Garden Clean-up
    • Crop Rotation, Succession & Companion Planting
    • Harvesting
    • Growing Potatoes
    • Winter Veggie Gardening
    • Taming Tomatoes
    • Speeding up Tomato Harvest
    • Tomato Tips
    • Saving Tomato Seeds
    • Raspberries
    • Tomato Troubles
  • Plant Pests 1
    • Plant Pests Part 2 - Controlling Insects
    • Garden Inspections
    • Cloches
    • Helping Pollinators
    • Critters in the Garden
    • Black Sooty Mould
    • Brown Marmorated Stink Bug
    • Dogwood Anthracnose
    • Viburnum Leaf Beetle
    • Dormant Oil/Lime Sulfur
    • Japanese Beetles
    • Peony Blotch/Measles
    • Slugs & Snails
    • Horsetail, the Weed
    • June Beetle
    • Powdery Mildew
    • Soil Solarization
    • Rhododendron Leaf Spot
    • Plant Rusts
    • Black Knot
  • Container Growing
    • Choosing a Container
  • Feeding Plants 101
    • Fertilizers & Ratios
    • Nutritional Deficiencies & Toxicities
    • Organic Plant Food
  • Plant of the Month
    • Spring Flowering Bulbs
    • Colourful Fall Plants
    • Abelia
    • American Sweetgum
    • Ash (Fraxinus) Trees
    • Astilbes
    • Azaleas, Deciduous
    • Aubretia, Rock Cress
    • Aucuba, Japanese Spotted Laurel
    • Autumn Crocus
    • Bear's Breeches
    • Beautyberry, Callicarpa
    • Black-eyed Susans
    • Bleeding Heart, Lamprocapnos spectabilis
    • Calla Lilies
    • Catalpas
    • Chinese Windmill Palm
    • Columbine
    • Chrysanthemums
    • Crocuses
    • Dahlias
    • Dawn Redwood
    • Daylily
    • Delphiniums
    • Devil's Walking Stick, Aralia spinosa
    • Doghobble, Leucothoe
    • Dwarf Alberta Spruce
    • Dwarf Burning Bush
    • Elderberries, Sambucus
    • Evergreen Clematis
    • English Daisies
    • Fawn Lilies, Erythroniums
    • Fall Asters
    • Flowering Currants
    • Flowering Quince
    • Fritillaria
    • Garden Peonies
    • Garden Phlox
    • Ginkgo biloba
    • Grape-hyacinths
    • Handkerchief or Dove Tree
    • Hardy Fuchsia
    • Harry Lauder's Walking Stick
    • Heathers
    • Heavenly Bamboo
    • Hellebores, Lenten roses
    • Himalayan Sweet Box
    • Hydrangeas, Mophead & Lacecap
    • Jack-in-the-pulpit, Cobra Lily
    • Japanese Anemones
    • Japanese Forest Grass
    • Japanese Maples
    • Japanese Skimmia
    • Japanese spirea
    • Japanese Spurge
    • Kale, ornamental
    • Katsura Trees
    • Kousa Dogwood
    • Laurustinus viburnum
    • Lavenders
    • Lily-of-the-Valley Shrub, Pieris japonica
    • Mediterranean Spurge
    • Mexican Mock Orange
    • Montana Clematis
    • Mountain Ash
    • Oregon Grape Holly
    • Oriental Poppies
    • Oriental Lilies
    • Paperbark Maple
    • Pearl Bush
    • Persian Ironwood
    • Peruvian Lily, Alstroemeria
    • Phalaenopsis, Moth Orchids
    • Photinia, Fraser
    • Poinsettias
    • Primroses
    • Persian Silk Tree
    • Portuguese Laurel
    • Rose of Sharon
    • Saucer Magnolia
    • Shrubby Cinquefoil
    • Sneezeweed, Helenium
    • Snowberry
    • Snowdrops
    • Solomon's Seal
    • Star Magnolia
    • Strawberry Tree, Pacific Madrone
    • Stewartia
    • Torch Lily, Kniphofia uvaria
    • Tree Peonies
    • Tuberous Begonias
    • Variegated Wintercreeper
    • Viburnum, Pink Dawn Bodnant
    • Virginia Creeper
    • Weigela
    • Winterhazel, Corylopsis
    • Winter Camellia, C. sasanqua
    • Winter Daphne
    • Wintergreen, Gaultheria procumbens
    • Witch Hazel
    • Wood Anemones
    • Yews
  • Garden Tours & Such
    • NW Horticultural Society July Garden Tour 2024
    • Burnaby in Blooms
    • Burnaby's Century Gardens
    • South Delta Garden Club Tour 2023
    • Garden Club Events
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