|
FERTILIZER |
NUTRIENT CONTENT (approximate) |
APPLICATION METHOD |
SPECIAL FEATURES |
| INORGANIC
Magnesium sulfate (Epsom salts) |
10% magnesium; sulfur |
Topdressing |
Effective against
chlorosis (chlorophyll depletion that causes the plant to lose
color). |
| Ammonium nitrate |
35% nitrogen |
Liquid feed |
Do not mix with lime. |
| Sodium Nitrate |
16% nitrogen; trace
elements |
Topdressing |
Fast-acting but
quickly washed out of the soil. Keep off foliage. |
| Calcium Nitrate |
16% nitrogen; calcium |
Topdressing |
Contains 48% lime.
Long-lasting, fast-acting; useful on acid soils. Can be used to aid
rotting of compost. |
| Potassium nitrate |
12%-14% nitrogen;
44%-46% potash |
Topdressing/liquid
feed |
A general spring
fertilizer. Impure Chilean potassium nitrate contains only 15%
potash. |
| Ammonium sulfate |
20% nitrogen; sulfur |
Topdressing |
Best source of N, but
makes soil more acid. Do not mix with lime. Fast-acting. |
| Ferrous sulfate |
Iron; sulfur |
Topdressing |
Effective against
iron-induced chlorosis. Acidifies the soil. |
| Potassium sulfate |
48% potash |
Base or topdressing |
Best general source
of potassium. Fast-acting for flowers and fruit. Acidifies the soil. |
| Superphosphate |
13%-20% phosphorus |
Base dressing |
Best source of
phosphates. Keep off delicate leaves. Do not mix with sodium
nitrate. |
| Urea |
46% nitrogen |
Liquid/foliar feed |
Very rich source of
N. Not available in all areas. |
| ORGANIC
Bone meal |
2%-5% nitrogen;
20%-30% phosphorus; calcium |
Base or topdressing |
Slow-release
fertilizer; apply in spring or fall. Contains lime. Ensure it is
sterilized. |
| Dried blood |
9%-14% nitrogen |
Topdressing/liquid
feed |
Fairly fast-acting.
Apply in late spring or summer. Ideal for leaf vegetables. |
| Fish meal |
4%-9% nitrogen; 7%
phosphorus; 1%-2% potash |
Base dressing |
Fairly slow-release;
apply during spring cultivation, one spade's depth. |
| Seaweed extract |
2% nitrogen; 1%
phosphorus; 4%-13% potash |
Liquid/foliar feed |
Gentle, fairly
quick-acting, neutral pH; good source of trace element, enhances
winter hardiness. |
| Wood ash |
5%-10% potash |
Topdressing |
Must be kept dry to
retain potassium. Young wood produces the richest ash. Keep off
foliage, as it can scorch badly. |
| COMPOUND
Broad-leaved evergreen fertilizer |
4% nitrogen; 6%
phosphorus; 4% potash |
Base or topdressing |
Balance of
fast-acting inorganics and slow release organics. Acidifying action
to lower soil pH. |
| Bulb fertilizer |
4% nitrogen; 10%
phosphorus; 6% potash |
Base or topdressing |
Rich in slow-release
organics. Applied at planting in fall and as topdressing in
midspring to late spring. |
| Rose fertilizer |
6% nitrogen; 6%
phosphate; 4% potash; iron; magnesium |
Topdressing |
Fairly fast-acting.
Apply in summer. Specially formulated for roses, but suitable for
other flowering shrubs. |
| Iron tonic |
6% chelated iron, 4%
sulfur |
Liquid feed |
Cures yellowing
caused by iron deficiency or alkaline soil. |
| Tomato fertilizer |
8% nitrogen; 24%
phosphate; 8% potash |
Base or topdressing |
Incorporated into
soil around base of seedling at time of transplanting; also as
topdressing as fruiting begins. |
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