Fertilizer Combination for Specific Type Plants---A General Guide

Before selecting a fertilizer, soil tests are often times conducted to determine the soil’s pH (will discuss in a later blog).

As a general rule, fast release fertilizers applied to the lawn and gardens need to be applied sparingly (not too much) so as not to burn the plant’s foliage. A good rule of thumb is don’t apply fertilizers on days of extremely hot weather or periods of drought when the plants are already stressed.
　
That being noted, when selecting a fast release fertilizer based on specific plant types keep in mind the following basic guide for fertilizer selection.  

Essentially:

• N (nitrogen) is used to help stimulate the green leafy part of a plant. Fertilizers with high percentages or ratios of N are generally provided to turf (lawn plants), non-flowering trees and leafy green plants. The most basic fast release fertilizer combination is 10-6-4. (Nitrogen is the highest percentage of the fertilizer.)

• P (phosphorous) is for the flowering and seed producing part of the plant and root system. Roses; tomatoes; annual flowers; fruit trees; potatoes are provided fertilizers with higher percentages of phosphorous so that fruit, flower, root and tuber production occurs. Too much nitrogen and you could have a leafy green rose bush with no flowers! The basic combination fertilizer for flowering and fruiting plants would be a 5-10-10 or 5-10-5 combination.

　

• K (potassium) is needed for the all around vigor of the plant and is generally provided in some percentage on all commercially produced fertilizers. A fast release chemical fertilizer for plants like corn, which is both a leafy plant and seed bearing, would be a 10-10-10 or 12-12-12 combination. The 10-10-10 or 12-12-12 combinations are probably the most common used in the garden.