Granular fertilizer is can be purchased in twenty pound bags (or in even larger bags if necessary), or it also can be purchased in smaller jars and boxes that are more or less concentrated depending on the specific brand and purpose.

All plant fertilizers are marked with a three-numeral formula on the label that shows at a glance the percentage of each of three major nutrients included in the food. This three-numeral formula is often called the N-P-K formula or the N-P-K ratio.

The ‘N’ in N-P-K stands for nitrogen. Nitrogen feeds the leaves and greenery on the plant. The ‘P’ stands for phosphorus, which encourages strong root growth and helps buds and flowers to form.  The ‘K’ stands for potassium, which is essential to general health and basic functioning of all plants. Each element is assigned a number, and the three numbers are separated by dashes.

The higher the numbers on the label, the more concentrated the granular fertilizer is. For example, a 24-12-10 granular fertilizer is made up of 24% nitrogen, 12% phosphorus, and 10% potassium. The N-P-K numbers show this right on the label. A 24-12-10 formula is fairly concentrated. An 8-5-4 formula is fairly weak.

A high nitrogen granular fertilizer (for instance, the 24-12-10 ratio in the example above) will plump up the plant’s leaves and make the plant grow large quickly. Some specific types of plants (like roses, for example) need a lot of nitrogen to perform their best. Other kinds of plants (like hydrangeas) will not flower well if fed too much nitrogen. Knowing your plant and what kind of food it needs is very important when it comes to choosing the right fertilizer.

A granular fertilizer with a high middle number (for example, 12-24-10) will help to establish a strong root system in a plant, and will foster the development of lots of flower buds and fruit. A 12-24-10 fertilizer is made up of 12% nitrogen, 24% phosphorus, and 10% potassium. A high-phosphorus fertilizer is especially good for trees and shrubs, but it is also a fairly safe choice when you aren’t really certain what kind of fertilizer to buy.

Most all purpose granular fertilizers have a middle number (the phosphorus number) that is roughly twice the first number (nitrogen) and twice the last number (potassium). The lower these three numbers are, the more often you can use the granular fertilizer. So, for instance, you can use an 8-5-4 fertilizer more frequently than a 24-12-10 fertilizer.

For best results, always pay attention to the instructions on the box or bag, and don’t over-feed your plants. More is not necessarily better. Every plant has specific needs and most plants benefit from a high-phosphorus granular fertilizer no matter what their specific needs. Too much nitrogen (the first number) can ‘burn’ some plants, so be careful.

Searching the internet for the different kinds of granular fertilizers available and reading up on the specific kinds of plants you love and their specific needs will help you determine what kind of granular fertilizer is best for you and your garden. Once you understand the numbers and your plant, the rest is easy.

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Organic fertilizer carries the same number formula that synthetic fertilizers do. These three numbers, which are always separated by dashes (such as 12-24-10), refer to the three major nutritional elements in plant food: nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Sometimes this ratio is abbreviated as N-P-K (the ‘K’ stands for potassium) or is just called the ‘N-P-K’ ratio.

So, for example, an organic fertilizer with an N-P-K ratio of 12-24-10 is made of 12% nitrogen, 24% phosphorus, and 10% potassium. Understanding the percentage of each nutrient in the mixture is important because each one feeds a different part of the plant.

Nitrogen feeds the leaves and foliage of the plant and makes the plant green. Blood meal is an example of an organic fertilizer that is very high in nitrogen. Bat, rabbit, and bird guano are also organic fertilizers that are very high in nitrogen.

Phosphorus feeds the part of the plant that creates a strong root system and encourages lots of buds and flowers. Phosphorus is also good for encouraging fruit to set. An organic fertilizer that is naturally high in phosphorus is bone meal.

Finally, potassium is necessary for the overall health and proper functioning of all plants, whether they are mostly flowers or mostly leaves. Potassium is usually the least plentiful element in any organic fertilizer. A good example of an organic compound that is rich in potassium is pot ash or charcoal.

Some organic fertilizers contain biochar, a charcoal-like substance high in potassium and other plant nutrients that is created by burning plant material and using the ash as food. All organic fertilizers are required to show the percentage of each nutrient that is synthetic and the percentage that is organic after each N-P-K number so the buyer knows how high the organic carbon content really is.

Organic fertilizers are easier on the environment and contain fewer artificial chemicals than synthetic fertilizers. Make sure you know what kind of fertilizer formula is best for the specific plant you want to feed. A high nitrogen fertilizer encourages strong leaf growth. A high phosphorus fertilizer is good for flowers and root systems.

A good all-purpose organic fertilizer will have a ration of roughly 1-2-1. Look for a high middle number when in doubt, and make sure you research your plant and the organic fertilizer best suited for its specific needs before you buy.

Organic Fertilizers Are Easier On The Environment is a post from: All Garden Planters.com

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A 24-12-10 liquid fertilizer will encourage green growth in plant material grown in fiberglass planters very rapidly because it is high in nitrogen. Nitrogen is the compound that plants need for good foliage growth.

The numbers on a fertilizer label explain what percentage of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium are in the fertilizer. The first number refers to the amount of nitrogen, the second to the amount of phosphorus, and the third to the amount of potassium. These ingredients are often abbreviated as N-P-K. (The ‘K’ stands for potassium.) So a 24-12-10 liquid fertilizer is made up of 24% nitrogen, 12% phosphorus, and 10% potassium.

A liquid fertilizer that is high in nitrogen (such as a 24-12-10 mixture) is often used on grass to make it thicker and greener, or on container plants that are mostly leaves. High nitrogen plant food can stress the root systems of perennial plants and shrubbery, but for container plants it can be useful since container plants don’t generally winter over.

Feeding high nitrogen liquid fertilizer to lawns and grassy areas is coming under increased criticism because of the damage that nitrogen run-off does to rivers and local water tables, but for houseplants or annuals in pots it is not dangerous.

When choosing a liquid fertilizer it is very important to consider what kind of plant you are feeding. Nitrogen encourages leaf growth and greenery, but phosphorus encourages root and bud growth (for fruit and flowers). Potassium contributes to the overall health of any kind of plant.

For most flowering and fruiting plants, a more traditional liquid fertilizer ratio is 1-2-1 (regardless of how big the numbers are). So a 12-24-10 liquid fertilizer is better for flowers, because the first and last numbers are about half the middle number.

For a general, all purpose liquid fertilizer, look for any kind with a high middle number (phosphorus), and first and third numbers that are about half of the middle number (for example, 5-10-5, or 10-20-10).

Some liquid fertilizers are created specifically to stimulate root growth. Root stimulating liquid fertilizer commonly has a phosphorus content which is more than double the other two numbers, (such as 4-10-3).

Other liquid fertilizers are labeled ‘organic’ because they have carbon compounds in them that come from plants or animals. An organic liquid fertilizer has the same N-P-K numbers as a synthetic fertilizer, but after each N-P-K number the percentage that comes from natural or synthetic sources will be noted in parentheses.

Whatever liquid fertilizer you choose, make sure it fits the plant you want to feed. When in doubt, research your plant online and choose a plant food formulated for its specific needs.

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