All About Plant Food or Plant Fertilizer for Your Garden

Plant foods or plant fertilizers are nutrients you can use in your garden. These nutrients help your plants grow, have healthy foliage and roots, and produce flowers and fruit. Water soluble plant foods often come as powders which are added to water with which you irrigate the soil around your plant so it can soak down to the plant's roots. Plant foods may also come as a form that is poured directly on the soil around your plant.

The main nutrients in plant food are nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. These nutrients are usually listed in proportion on any fertilizer label. So, if the label says 18-17-21 the fertilizer has 18% nitrogen, 17% phosphorus, and 21% potassium. Nitrogen is important for plant growth. Phosphorus is important for flower and fruit. Potassium is important for overall plant health.

The secondary nutrients in plant food are calcium, sulfur, and magnesium. These are all important for healthy plants, but in smaller quantities than the main nutrients. The micronutrients in plant food are boron, chlorine, manganese, iron, zinc, copper, molybdenum and selenium. These are also important for healthy plants, but are only needed in very small quantities.

Plant foods can come as either organic or inorganic in origin. Organic plant foods come from sources such as manure. Inorganic plant foods often are chemically synthesized. I have found that generally speaking organic plant foods are not as strong, but will help the plants for a longer period of time, while inorganic plant foods can give your plants a quick burst of nourishment. I also feel that inorganic plant foods are better to help improve your soil. However, when I set out a new plant or have a distressed plant I like to give it a weak dose of inorganic plant food.

All About Plant Food or Plant Fertilizer for Your Garden

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