Did you know that top gardeners spend most of their budget on compost, mulch and fertilisers? Wander through any award-winning or open garden and you will notice that all the plants in the garden are happily flourishing.
How can you make the plants in your garden happy? Feed them. April is the month to do this. Start by spreading a 3cm layer of compost. This is one of the best ways to improve the soil quality and humus or organic content in the soil.
Compost alone, however, will not provide enough nutrients for plants to thrive and stay healthy. It is also important to give your soil a boost of vitamins in the form of pelletised or granular fertiliser.
There is a wide range of fertilisers. Organic pelletised fertilisers have taken the market by storm. Made primarily from chicken litter, organic fertiliser options come in odourless pellets that quickly dissolve into water-borne nutrients in your garden.
The most important chemicals for plant growth are nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K). By law, all fertilisers have to indicate the percentage content of these nutrients in any pack that you purchase in the order NPK.
It is a good idea to understand a few facts about the NPK nutrients.
Nitrogen – The leaf maker
Nitrogen (N) is the most important. It stimulates growth of the leaves, improves leaf colour and increases the size of plants. Nitrogen gives better-quality crops and increases the protein content of vegetables and fruit. It is especially beneficial to leafy vegetables and to constantly mown lawns.
A lack of nitrogen causes yellowing leaves and stunted plant growth. If too much is applied, it leads to soft lush growth, rendering the plant susceptible to damage by cold, fungal disease and insect attack.
Phosphorus – The root maker
Phosphorus (P) stimulates early root formation and germination of seeds. An adequate supply is essential when sowing seeds and growing young plants. Phosphorus influences the uptake of potassium. Plants are better able to resist disease. It encourages winter hardiness, and aids flower and seed formation. Phosphates offset the adverse effects of too much nitrogen.
There is usually a large amount of phosphorous in the soil, but only small amounts are available to the plants at one time. To compensate, soluble forms of phosphorus fertiliser should be added. Apply directly around the plant and avoid broadcasting (the usual method with general fertiliser).
Phosphorous deficiency causes poor germination of seeds, slow plant growth and poorly formed roots. Flowers and fruits are produced in moderation and are often undersized. An extreme shortage shows in the leaves of plants that turn purple. Too much phosphorous is rare and can be seen in the form of stocky growth.
Potassium – The flower and fruit maker
Potassium or potash (K) improves the quality of flowers and fruit, and the flavour of fruit and vegetables. It should be applied to all fruit and vegetable crops, except those in high acid soil, to increase size and yield. Adequate potassium increases the amount and quality of seeds formed by plants.
Potassium is essential to plants for photosynthesis, the vital process by which plants make food for growth. Potassium is also necessary for root crops, where it is stored as starch.
Potassium encourages healthy plant growth, and makes plants resistant to temperature extremes and drought. It should be added to over-wintering plants in autumn, especially roses, and deciduous fruit trees, to make them more frost or cold resistant.
Potassium deficiency causes plant leaf edges to look scorched. Fruit and vegetables are poorly coloured and lack flavour.
It is only slowly available and easily washes out of soil, so extra applications of potassium are necessary. It gives a boost to most plants during their growing season. - Saturday Star