Fertilisers can be split into 2 groups - Organic & Inorganic. Organic fertilisers are made from natural materials, i.e. blood, fish, bonemeal, seaweed etc. Inorganic fertilisers are made from minerals & chemicals. Inorganic fertilisers are made from minerals & chemicals. Both provide the same nutrient for plant growth, the difference is that Inorganic fertilisers are more concentrated so if too much is used it can burn the plants. Organic fertilisers being natural material break down slowly in the soil spreading their benefit over a longer period of time. Fertilisers are used to supply the following needs for the plants: Nitrogen (N) - stimulate foliage Phosphoric Acid (P) - for root development Pottasium (K) - used for improving the quality of flowers & ripening fruit. On fertilisers the N.P.K. is followed by a % which shows the relationship of the 3 main ingredients. Growmore 777 is a fertiliser with 7 parts each of the 3 main ingredients per volume. Fertilisers also contain small amounts of other elements, trace elements, which are necessary for the healthy development of plants.
Bonemeal – Organic – Contains Phosphate which is safe to handle. Good for root development & a particularly good pre-planting fertiliser for roses, shrubs, trees & other woody plants, encouraging strong & healthy root growth, leading to quick establishment. Vegetables, especially peas, onions & root crops benefit from it & a regular dressing encourages the vigour & colour of outdoor bulbs & plants.
Chicken Manure – Organic – Is a useful source of nitrogen, the main nutrient that plants need for green leafy growth. It is slow to release it’s nutrient content, some of which will not be available until the soil warms up in late spring & summer, even if the product is applied in late winter or early spring. The typical analysis of dried & pelleted poultry manure is N-4% P-2% K-1%.
Fish Blood & Bone – Organic – Contains Nitrogen, Phosphoric Acid & Potash. It is a general fertiliser for flowers & vegetables. Apply 2oz. per square yard.
Growmore 7.7.7. – Inorganic – Contains equal amounts of Nitrogen, Phosphoric Acid & Potash. It is a general fertiliser for flowers & vegetables. Apply 2oz. per square yard.
Nitro Chalk – Inorganic – Contains Nitrogen – An early seedling boost for spring greens, cabbage & lettuce. Apply 2oz. per square yard.
Phostrogen – Inorganic – Is an all-purpose plant food in the form of a water-soluble powder. It contains nitrogen to promote healthy green foliage; potash to develop abundant flowers & fruit & make plants drought and disease resistant; phosphate to encourage a strong, healthy root system; & trace elements to keep plants healthy. It is normally applied as a solution in water & can be used regularly throughout the growing season for all types of plants, both indoor and out. Apply plant food solution round the roots of plants as far out as the foliage reaches, using as much solution as when watering thoroughly. Container plants, young plants & seedlings: 1 level 5ml teaspoon in 10 litres of water, at every watering. Flowers, shrubs trees, lawns, fruit & vegetables: 4 level 5ml teaspoons in 10 litres of water, every 7-14 days. Tomatoes: 4 level 5ml teaspoons in 10 litres of water, every 7 days after first flowers have set. House plants: 3 pinches per litre, at every watering. Powder application, apply 2oz per sq. yd. as a soil dressing in spring & repeat in the summer. Alternatively, to feed your garden in minutes, use a Phostrogen 'Handy Feeder', 'Easy Feeder' or 'Thru Hose Feeder'. Simply pour 250g of powder into the feeder bowl & use as directed in the feeder instructions.
Calcified Seaweed – Organic – Is a marine algae which is dredged from the sea bed mainly off the Brittany coast, dried at a low temperature & crushed to a fine powder. It contains about 46% calcium oxide, 5% magnesium oxide; sulphur, copper, iodine, cobalt & some twenty trace elements but no Nitrogen. It is an ideal soil conditioner & clay breaker, can be used on lawns, beds & borders as an alternative to lime to correct soil acidity. It is highly favoured by chrysanthemum, sweet pea, dahlia, leek & onion growers. It is non-toxic and safe to use, does not scorch and stores well if kept in a reasonably dry place. It is faster acting than Seaweed Meal.
Seaweed Meal – Organic – A good all round feed for plants – NPK 2.8 , 0.3 m 2.6. Use 4oz. per square yard as a base dressing & 2oz. per square yard to top dress around plants.
Sulphate of Ammonia - Inorganic - A well-established, quick-acting, growth-promoting fertiliser with a response normally seen in about 10 days. It’s main use is to give a rapid boost to established, quick-growing vegetables & salad crops. It is also a very effective spring tonic for shrubs, fruit & spring greens. Apply it from April to September. Sprinkle it evenly between the rows of vegetables & under the full branch spread of trees, shrubs & fruit bushes (1oz per square yard). Hoe or rake it in &, if dry, water well for maximum benefit. Do not apply as a heap at the base of the stem & shake off any that lodges on the foliage. It may also be dissolved in water (1oz in 2 gallons) & used as a liquid feed. A light sprinkling over the surface of a compost heap each time the height rises by about 6 inches will speed the rate of compost production by ‘feeding’ the organisms responsible for the degradation process
Sulphate of Iron – Inorganic - Used for lawn improvement, moss control & creating the acidic soils needed by lime-hating plants such as rhododendrons, azaleas, heathers etc. It darkens the lawn grasses & improves their appearance. Used regularly, it gradually increases the acidity of the soil, which discourages some weeds and favours the finer grasses. It helps to protect the lawn against some common diseases & controls moss & algae growth. It is soluble in water so a convenient ‘moss killer’ can be made by dissolving 1oz in 2 gallons of water & applying this from a plastic watering can with a fine rose over 4 square yards in spring & autumn. In spring, the inclusion of Sulphate of ammonia (2oz) will boost the growth of the grass, but this should be omitted from the autumn treatment so that the grass will harden off for the winter.
Sulphate of Potash – Inorganic - Potash strengthens plants & makes them more weather resistant. It also encourages flower formation & colour, leading to better blooms and higher fruit yields. It is particularly beneficial to tomatoes. Apply it from early spring to November as a base dressing before sowing or planting. Sprinkle it evenly over the whole area (2oz per square yard) & work it into the top 4 inches of soil with a hoe or rake. As a top dressing to established plants, apply early in spring (1oz per square yard generally and up to 4oz per square yard for fruit trees & bushes). Sprinkle evenly between rows of vegetables, amongst flowers & over the whole area covered by the branch spread of trees, shrubs and fruit bushes. Hoe or rake in &, if dry, water well for maximum benefit. Do not apply as a heap at the base of the stem and shake off any that lodges on the foliage. It may be dissolved in water (1oz in 2 gallons) & used as a liquid feed.
Superphosphate – Inorganic - Phosphates are vital in helping root development & the quick establishment of young & recently moved plants. Vegetables, especially peas, onions & root crops benefit from them & a regular dressing encourages the vigour & colour of outdoor bulbs & flowers. Phosphates also encourage the early maturing of fruit. Superphosphate may be applied all year round as a base dressing before sowing or planting. Sprinkle it evenly over the whole area (2oz per sq. yd) & work into the top 4 inches of soil with a fork or hoe. As a top dressing to established plants, sprinkle over the whole area covered by the branch spread of established bushes, trees & shrubs (2oz per sq. yd). Hoe or rake in &, if dry, water in for maximum benefit. Do not apply as a heap at the base of the stem & shake off any that lodges on the foliage
