Plant Information

High Performance Plant Food

Article Writen By: Monrovia - Horticultural Craftsman

All About Plant Nutrition

When the nutrients around the root zone are depleted, plants suffer malnutrition. Without regular nutrients, growth slows, flowering is inhibited, and the plant becomes vulnerable to pest, disease, and air pollution. If plants could walk, they'd move on to more fertile ground, bit since they can't, we help out by feeding them. A steady diet is the key to a beautiful blooming garden. It stimulates growth, promote flowering and keeps your plants more healthy all year-round.

Dietary Preference

There are three main food groups that plants need for vigorous growth expressed as N-P-K. Each nutrient is responsible for different types of growth and aspects of plant health. All are essential in varying amounts.

• N - Nitrogen promotes leaf and stem growth. It's important for evergreens, foliage plants and ornamental grasses.
• P - Phosphorous relates to flower and fruit production, which is crucial to fruit trees, roses and ornamental grasses.
• K - Potassium helps a plant immune system fight disease, and also helps fruit to ripen more quickly.

Each fertilizer is labeled with three numbers that indicate the strength by percentage of each nutrient. For example, 23-6-8 means that product contains 23% nitrogen, 6% phosphorous, and 8% potassium.

Feeding Au Natural or High Powered Rocket Fuel?

Fertilizers are divided into two types: organic and synthetic. Organic fertilizers are produced naturally and include compost or manure. Synthetic fertilizers are produced chemically, and are more granular fertilizers at the garden center. Both organic and synthetic fertilizers are beneficial to plants bit in very different ways. Synthetic fertilizers contain exactly what's on their label expressed as N-P-K. They are extremely fast acting but here today and gone tomorrow, so you must apply them often. Organic fertilizers also bear N-P-K percentages on the label, but these are usually in the low single digits. Such minimal nutrient levels mean you must use a lot of product to math the high potency of synthetics. Organics are slower to take effect because they must interact with soil microorganisms, but are long lasting. These natural fertilizers contain many of the lesser nutrients too, which improve soil and overall plant health.

Gourmet Meals For Finicky Eaters

Certain high performance plants need special combinations of nutrients. Rather than guess at their needs, it's worthwhile to purchase products that are designed specifically for them. Carefully read the labels of all specialty fertilizers to see what is best for your plants.

Roses are very heavy feeders because they are big plants that bloom all though the season. Rose fertilizer keeps the flowers coming.

Citrus trees need at least 12 nutrients to remain healthy and produce delicious fruit. These formulas are low in nitrogen and have special additives such as zinc and iron.

Camellias, Azaleas and Rhododendrons are plants adapted to acidic soils. Acid loving plants prefer special formulas that help them cope with less than ideal soil conditions.

Green Tips

Liquid fertilizers are time saving and ideal fro slow draining soils or container gardens. Your mix the liquid or crystal concentrate with water and apply. Either mix in a watering can or purchase a hose-end applicator that mixes the concentrate as you water for garden-wide applications.

A Selection of Easy Organics

Organic Fertilizer is now just as convenient as synthetics and is sold in pellet, powder, granule or liquid concentrate. These are the most convenient and easy to use forms:

• Fish emulsion is sold in jugs of liquid easy application
• Guano is potent bat manure package for easy application.
• Composite fertilizer pellets contain animal byproducts and assorted manure.
• Bulk bags of compost and manure.

Food For Thought

In our nursery, every Monrovia plant is fed often and on a strict schedule. This keeps growth rates continuous and every part of the plant matures evenly. Our special formulas promote deep root development, strong wood and branched, abundant flowers, and large, succulent foliage. A balanced diet in childhood ensured that our plants will grow into happy, healthy adults.