The What – Why - Where - When
What is fertiliser? Nutrients to be precise macro and micro-nutrients.
Macro: N Nitrogen P Phosphorus K Potassium
Macro (secondary): Calcium, Magnesium, Sulphur
Micro: Iron, Manganese, Zinc, Copper, Boron, Molybdenum, Chlorine
Plants need a balance of these essential nutrients to grow and thrive.
Organic vs Inorganic?
I advocate the use of organic fertilisers and soil additives, as this benefits not only your plants and your health when eating homegrown produce, but your long-term soil health as well. Chemical fertilisers can be a quick hit and show great results fast, but at the expense of your soil’s beneficial organisms and plant hardiness. Fast growing sappy growth can easily succumb to pest and disease attack.
Look for one of the Australian Certified Organic logos of any fertilisers or soil additives you are considering purchasing.
Choices:
- Granular/powdered – blood and bone and rock dust minerals.
- Pelletised manures.
- Controlled/Slow Release.
- Liquid/water soluble - fish emulsion and kelp. Applied at the roots or as a foliar feed.
- Manures – Rocky Point Cow Manure Plus or horse, poultry, sheep.
- Compost – ActivGrow Soil Improver, mushroom compost, or homemade.
- Worm castings.
- Rocky Point Lucerne Mulch, Pea Straw Mulch, or green manure crops that can be dug back into the soil before they flower.
Which one and how often depends on what are you fertilising.
There are many fertilisers available to the home gardener and some are broad use, while some are specially formulated, targeting specific plant types or groups.
Specialty fertilisers are used when a plant or group of plants have specific nutritional needs.
For example,
- lawns need high nitrogen.
- fruiting trees, herbs and vegetables are heavy feeders.
- natives such as grevilleas and banksias in the Proteaceae family require fertilisers that have below 2% phosphorus.
Knowing what needs what when is key, and as you can see there’s no one size fits all.
Do your research or ask a qualified horticulturist at your local garden centre or hardware store for specific advice.
Get to know Rocky Point's Pelletised Fertiliser range;
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