Fertilizers

If you want to have a successful garden, you will need to fertilize the soil. If you use the wrong fertilizer, it can cause problems. Also, overuse of fertilizer can cause problems. There are many types of fertilizers from chemical to organic. You will want to decide what is to grow in each area. If you are planting vegetables, you probably should use organic to avoid the chemicals in your vegetables. Fertilizers have three different components: phosporus, nitrogen, and potassium. Many of them are listed as 20-20-20, meaning they have equal parts of each of the components.

Fertilizers come in three different physical forms: liquid, solid, and gas. Anhydrous ammonia is actually a gas, but since it turns to liquid under pressure, it is considered a liquid. Potassium is usually in a granular form and can be either fine or course. Most phosphates are soluble in water and dissolve quickly. There are various means of putting the fertilizer on the soil, from a large pull behind a tractor fertilizer that forces the liquid into the soil to a type that looks like a grain drill that puts the granules in a small ditch.

When fertilizing a garden, it is usually done by hand, either by broadcasting or side dressing. Either of these will see the plants through the first half of their growth; however, many times a second application will be necessary in order for the plants to produce. The fertilizer should be applied as advised by the soil test. Some soil will need more nitrogen while other soils will need more potassium.