In addition to the energy they create from sunlight, plants also require mineral nutrients in the ground to grow and reproduce. When you apply fertilizer to your lawn soil, you supply your plants with these crucial nutrients. Understanding the basics of plant nutrition will help you maximize your vegetable and fruit crop by applying the right fertilizers in the right times.

Plant Nutrients

Plants require 13 different mineral nutrients but, generally, your native soil will supply what your fruits and veggies need to grow. Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium are required in larger amounts, and also most fertilizers contain them. You can find the proportions of the three nutrients in the guaranteed analysis numbers on the fertilizer package. As an instance, a bag of 5-10-5 fertilizer includes 5 percent nitrogen, 10 percent potassium and 5 percent potassium.

Fertilizing Vegetables

Before fertilizing your vegetable garden, specify what your soil needs by contacting the local extension office about getting your soil tested. Soil evaluations not just identify mineral deficiencies, but also provide recommendations for the best fertilizers to use. Apply fertilizer until you plant your lawn, watering it in the soil. Apply a nitrogen-fertilizer each four to six weeks during the growing season, unless the soil test indicates otherwise. Using too much fertilizer can have as disastrous of effects for your vegetables rather than using enough. Too much nitrogen causes vegetable plants to pour their resources into growing foliage, which is fine if you are growing spinach but has the potential to reduce your harvests of tomatoes, tomatoes, squash and other fruiting vegetables. Too much potassium may inhibit the uptake of other nutrients and also decrease plant productivity.

Fertilizing Fruits

Fruit grown in the home garden may have a strawberry patch grown amid your veggies, a grape trellis, small fruits, like strawberries and raspberries, or fruit trees. Fruit trees grow best having an early spring application of 1 pounds. Of 12-12-12 fertilizer a year of tree age or inch of trunk diameter, around 8 pounds. Grapes and small fruits also benefit from early-spring programs of 12-12-12 fertilizer. Apply 1 pounds. Per grapevine or 4 to 6 pounds. Per 100-foot row of small fruits. Strawberries have more complicated needs. Implement 5 pounds. Of 6-24-24 fertilizer per 100-foot row when planting strawberries the very first year. After crop in June, add 4 to 6 pounds. Of 12-12-12 fertilizer per 100-foot row, then apply an additional 3 pounds. 12-12-12 fertilizer per 100-foot row in late summer.

Organic Options

If you want to go organic in your veggie garden, year attention to soil fertility corrects for your inability to apply a large amount of nutrients at the same time. Before planting, apply an organic fertilizer for example blood meal or kelp meal with regard to soil test recommendations; organic pesticide packaging also comprises guaranteed analysis amounts to guide your selection. Compost or even a slow-release organic fertilizer in the planting hole provides new seeds and transplants a boost, and you should side-dress your plants using rotted manure, compost or a slow-release organic pesticide when they start to produce fruit. After harvest, plant a cover crop or blanket your lawn using a thick layer of compost to help restore nutrients for the next season. Likewise, organic gardeners focus on long-term soil-building and wellness when growing fruitsand vegetables. Regular applications of mulch and compost, and springtime applications of organic fertilizer when needed, keep organic fruit gardens productive without heavy doses of conventional pesticide.

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