Garden fertilizer is a product or mixture of products applied to soil or plants to provide essential nutrients that support plant growth and development. Further more plants need a variety of nutrients to thrive, and these nutrients can be divided into three main categories: primary nutrients, secondary nutrients, and micronutrients.
Primary Nutrients: Nitrogen (N): It is an important element for leaf and stem development. Phosphorus (P): Important for root growth, flowering and fruiting.
Potassium (K): Contributes to whole plant health, stress resistance and fruit quality.
Secondary Nutrients: Calcium (Ca): Necessary for cell wall structure and general plant stability.
Magnesium (Mg): Necessary for chlorophyll production and energy conversion.
Micronutrients: Iron (Fe), Manganese (Mn), Zinc (Zn), Copper (Cu), Boron (B), Molybdenum (Mo) and Chlorine (Cl): Less needed but still important for growing plants.
Fertilizers can be classified according to their source:
Organic Fertilizers: It is obtained from natural sources such as compost, manure, bone meal and seaweed.
It slowly releases nutrients and improves soil structure.
It is environmentally friendly but the food concentration will be lower.
Inorganic or Synthetic Fertilizers:
Chemical methods are used to create specific feeding patterns.
Put the food in a simple form.
There are often more nutritious foods available, but if used incorrectly it will lead to malnutrition.
When choosing fertilizer, consider your plant’s specific needs, soil type, and the plant’s growth stage. It is also important to follow recommendations to avoid overfertilization, which can harm plants and cause environmental problems.