Different Types of Fertilizer: When and How to Use Them Jenny Graham, July 26, 2024July 26, 2024 Choosing between the different types of fertilizer can be overwhelming. Let’s take a closer look so you can choose the right fertilizer and understand when and how to use them in the vegetable garden. Types of Fertilizer: When and How to Use Them From organic plant fertilizer to inorganic fertilizers there are so many to choose from. Knowing the essential nutrients and what your plants need will help you decide between the different types of fertilizers. Types of Fertilizer: Organic Fertilizers Our first stop will be organic fertilizers, which are always my first choice when amending the garden soil or feeding my plants. Naturally produced from organic materials, they can be added to the soil to provide nutrients for the best plant growth and crop yields. Organic Fertilizers Compost– Rotted down organic matter. Add to the garden to build soil structure, feeding the soil and your plants. Especially good for amending sandy soils and clay soils. Learn to make homemade compost. Fish Emulsion– Fast-acting liquid form made from fish remains. You can dilute it to water with or as a foliar spray. NPK can vary but typically around 5-1-1. Also contains micronutrients like calcium, magnesium, sulfur, chlorine, and sodium. Bone Meal– An excellent phosphate fertilizer. Adding bone meal increases soil microbes and improves soil structure, which helps build healthy root systems. Bone meal also provides calcium for your plants. Calcium encourages root growth, strong roots, and helps prevent blossom end rot. Blood Meal– One of the highest organic forms of nitrogen to encourage plant growth. Worm Castings– Or worm manure. You can use it to amend and build soil. An excellent fertilizer that stimulates plant growth without too much nitrogen. Furthermore, you can mix it into the soil, add it to the soil surface, or use it to brew worm-casting tea. Composted Manure– Balanced, compound organic fertilizer containing macro and micronutrients. Used to build soil structure and feed plants. Just be sure the manure is not contaminated with persistent herbicides. My go-to is making compost with chicken manure. Swamp Water– A fast-acting liquid fertilizer made popular by Korean Natural Farming techniques. Swamp water is an anaerobic fertilizer made from rotted organic material. It’s an excellent, free source of nutrients, created by submerging organic matter in water to decompose. Mulch– You can use mulch to suppress weeds, conserve moisture, regulate soil temperatures, build soil structure, and break down slowly feeding plants over time. Learn more about Bark Vs Mulch. Grass Clippings– Another high source of nitrogen. You can add grass clippings to the garden as a top dressing to feed plants over time. Just be sure it’s not full of weed seeds and do not apply it in thick layers, as it will turn into a stinky anaerobic mess. Cover Crops– You can even plant a cover crop to add nitrogen and organic matter to the soil. Try Sunn Hemp or nitrogen-fixing legumes. Primary Nutrients Found In Fertilizers and What They Are For (N) Nitrogen Fertilizers- Protein formation within the plant, which encourages vigorous plant growth. (P) Phosphorus Fertilizers- Used in photosynthesis and other cellular processes. Helps to build strong root systems, helping plants mature to produce seeds. (K) Potassium Fertilizers- Potassium nitrate is used to produce high-quality crops that are more drought-resistant with strong plant roots. Also aids in photosynthesis, fruit, flower, or vegetable production. It’s manufactured by reacting potassium chloride with a nitrate source. (NPK) Compound Fertilizer- A compound fertilizer will have all three of the macronutrients (NPK). Every compound fertilizer is different though and will have varying nutrient content or NPK ratio. This makes them good for different stages of plant growth. How to Choose the Right Type of Fertilizer The best way to choose the right types of fertilizer is to do a soil test and know your soil type. Contact your local extension office, as most of them will send off soil samples for you. You can also check out My Soil Test Kit, which tests for macro and micronutrients. The results come with suggestions on what to add to your garden soil per your test results. At the bare minimum, you can use this basic, at-home soil test to find out your NPK ratios, or major nutrients, in your garden soil. Types of Fertilizer for Specific Crops Knowing the specific needs of each crop you are growing will give clues on what type of fertilizer to use. Heavy feeders may need more nitrogen, whereas carrots need less. Tomatoes, for instance, thrive on calcium and magnesium. Types of Fertilizer: Micronutrients and What They Are Used For Specifically designed to improve your yield from your vegetable garden plants, micronutrients increase nutrient availability and promote healthy root systems for healthier plants. You can feed Micronutrients to all of your crops. Calcium (Ca) – Calcium Nitrate is Used to Strengthen Plant Structures Magnesium (Mg)- Chlorophyll Formation Sulfur (S)- Production of Amino Acids Boron (B)- Healthy Cell Growth and Pollen Formation Chlorine (Ci)- Managing Water Stress Copper (Cu)- Catalyst for Chemical Reactions Within Plant Cells Iron (Fe)- Catalyst for Chemical Reactions Within Plant Cells Manganese (Mn)- Chlorophyll Formation and Enzyme Regulation Molybdenum (Mb)- More Efficient N and P Assimilation Nickel (Ni)- Regulating Biochemical Processes Zinc (Zn)- Proteins, Starch, and Growth Hormone Formation Types of Fertilizer: Inorganic Fertilizers Synthetic fertilizers can also be used in the vegetable garden with caution. Using too much fertilizer, especially synthetic, can pollute waterways and damage your soil by accumulating heavy metals and salts, like ammonium sulfate. Can You Still Use Synthetic Fertilizers? Yes, you can if you choose. While I will always reach for organic fertilizers first, synthetic fertilizers can still be used in the vegetable garden. If you choose this route just be sure to use them sparingly, according to the directions on the fertilizer labels. Chemical Fertilizers and What They Are Made of? Synthetic fertilizers are often made from chemical processes of artificial compounds derived from petroleum and sometimes natural sources. Compounds such as ammonium nitrate, nitric acid, ammonium phosphate, potassium sulfate, sodium nitrate, and superphosphate are often used. Various Forms of Fertilizing Products Whether you choose to go with organic or inorganic fertilizers, you will quickly find that they come in different forms as well. Your particular needs will dictate what types of fertilizer and the form you need. Powder or Dry Fertilizer- A cost-effective option with less packaging. Often slow-release fertilizers with a good shelf life. Water soluble. Liquid Fertilizers– Fast acting for a quick boost and more gentle. You can use them to water plants at the root zone or as a foliar feeding spray. Using quick-release fertilizers throughout the growing season is a good idea, as they tend to wash away quickly. Granular Fertilizers- These are often slow-release fertilizers, with varying nutrient levels. A good option for amending at the beginning of the growing season or early spring since they provide nutrients over an extended period of time. Fertilizer Spikes- Another form of slow-release fertilizers available with varying nutrient levels. Convenient and easy to apply, simply plugging the spikes into the ground. Why Are There Different Fertilizer Types? The types of fertilizer you use will depend upon your situation. Every garden soil is different and will require different levels of essential nutrients. That is why doing a soil test is so important. Which Type of Fertilizer is Best for Plants? Different types of fertilizers are better suited for different stages of plant growth. Knowing what to use and when will help you get the most out of your vegetable garden. As a General Rule of Thumb: Nitrogen is for vigorous growth. Phosphorus is for strong roots, seed production, and high yields. Potassium improves drought resistance and the quality and yield of your plants. How Does Fertilizer Work? Fertilizers help plants grow by providing essential nutrients that may be missing in your garden soil. These nutrients are nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, sulfur, calcium, magnesium, and sodium. Plants also need trace amounts of boron, copper, iron, cobalt, manganese, molybdenum, chlorine, iodine, selenium, and zinc. How to Fertilize Your Plants? Depending on what types of fertilizer you choose will determine the fertilizer application. Be sure to always read and follow the directions on the label. You can mix most fertilizers into the soil before planting or use them as a side dress along the drip line. Additionally, you can use liquid fertilizers to water plants at the root zone or use them as a foliar feeding spray. Types of Fertilizer: Your Choices in the Vegetable Garden Having a fertilizing schedule that includes macro and micronutrients is beneficial in the vegetable garden. I recommend staying with organic products and using lots of homemade compost, compost tea, and swamp water. At the end of the day though, the point is to grow food. Do a soil test to find your specific nutrient needs to choose what is best for you and your vegetable garden. A Few Of My Favorite Organic Products to Fertilize With: Homemade compost made from organic materials. Fox Farm Trio Hoss Complete Organic Fertilizer Hoss Microboost My Favorite Inorganic Fertilizers Fertilome Gardeners Special Hoss All-In-One Fertilizer Happy Homesteading & Fertilizing, Jenny @ The GrahamStead Family Farm Jenny and her family have been homesteading for more than two decades. They currently live on a 10-acre farm in Northeast Florida, which they built from the ground up, nine years ago. On their farm, they grow 100% of their meat and most of their vegetables. With a small herd of Aberdeen Angus cattle, pastured poultry, sheep, and seasonal pigs, they not only meet their family’s meat needs but also sell their surplus to the local community. Dedicated to sustainable practices like making compost, seed saving, and processing much of their garden and animal harvests at home, you can find Jenny wandering through her garden, making herbal tinctures, preserving food, making bone broth, and one of Jenny’s favorite hobbies, tanning all types of hides. Sources: EOS DATA ANALYTICS, https://eos.com/blog/types-of-fertilizers/ Gardening Homesteading