7 fertilizing mistakes to avoid
Fertilizers play an important part in keeping plants healthy and thriving. Whether you are growing trees, shrubs, flowers, fruits, or vegetables, maintaining soil health and using fertilizers is a key part of any annual gardening cycle.
The three main nutrients for plant health are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, but calcium, magnesium and sulfur are also important along with certain key micronutrients. Fertilizers contain specific mixtures of nutrients depending on their purpose, some are balanced and 'multi-purpose' while others can be focused on developing fruit or encouraging leafy growth.
Whether you opt to use organic or inorganic fertilizers, they provide essential nutrients that plants need to develop healthy growth and perform at their best. However, it is vital to use the right fertilizers, at the right time, and in the right quantity - as failing to do so will cause potentially severe problems for your plants.
When you fertilize flower beds for great displays of blooms or fertilize a vegetable garden for a bumper crop of homegrown food, you want any feed to benefit your plants and not harm them. To help you avoid making any mistakes that could risk the health of your plants, we speak to experts to uncover some key potential errors to avoid.
1. Fertilizing at the wrong time
2. Applying the wrong fertilizer
3. Using too much fertilizer
4. Using too little fertilizer
5. Applying fertilizer to dry soil
6. Fertilizing in the wrong weather
7. Putting fertilizer too close to the plants
