It does seem obvious when you think about it. We have a rough idea that plants take up nutrients in order to photosynthesise, as per our school days' biology lessons. But then, we don't always connect the dots and think that therefore, maybe they get hungry having used up all the 'good stuff' in the soil and need a little extra help.
This is where plants feeds and fertilisers come in. Most plant foods will have varying proportions of Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium, generally written as NPK on the product label.
- Nitrogen (N) promotes rapid growth of green leaves
- Phosphorus (P) promotes root growth, as well as flower and fruit development
- Potassium (K) aids the overall health of your plants
Depending on the product it will also contain a mix of other nutrients in smaller amounts.
Plant feed format
Generally there are three main formats for plant feeds - Granular, Liquid and Water Soluble.
- Granular - Granular feeds are added straight to your soil. Ideal if the weather has been very wet and you don't want to add extra water. These can also be slow-release - giving feeding throughout the gowing season.
- Liquid - Liquid feeds can be concentrated or ready to use, and just need to be watered in to the plant area. Ideal particularly if you are having to water anyway because of dry spells.
- Water Soluble - Add to water to make up your own solution. Again, ideal if you are watering your plants anyway, or just to boost the water content.
A bewildering choice
Once you get past the obvious difference in format, you are then into a bewildering choice of what type of feed you need. Based on the NPK levels of the product it will be indicated to best suit certain plant types.
Here we are going to take a closer look at six of the best known brands for plant feeding; Miracle Gro, Westland, Levington, Baby Bio, Doff and Phostrogen.
Miracle Gro
Specialising in an All Purpose plant food, which comes in a variety of formats. With a great mix of nutrients for general use on flowering plants, your garden should have bigger, healthier plants with more flowers than if you didn't use anything.
Miracle Gro also have an Organic option - the Performance Organics range, as well as individual feeds specifically for Rose & Shrub, and Azalea, Camellia & Rhododendron.
Westland
Westland have a comprehensive range of more specialised feeds which, they say, can help your garden flower better than ever before.
With liquid feeds for Organic Vegetables, and for Roses, they also do granular feeds with different properties.
For instance, Westland's Sulphate of Potash specifically targets fruit and flower production, promising more abundant flowers and larger, tastier fruit.
And their Seaweed growth stimulant is rich in natural minerals for overall plant health and growth. Healthier plants mean they have more resistance to pests and disease.
Levington
Levington is most widely known for it's hugely popular Tomorite product.
In various formats, tomato growers have used Tomorite for years to increase their yield of tomatoes. It is also great for other vegetables and flowering pot plants. Notice, it too contains Seaweed extract.
Baby Bio
Baby Bio has been around as a trusted indoor plant food for many years.
Super economical, just a few drops added to the water you are using for your plants is enough to help boost their health, giving greener leaves and vibrant colours.
The orchid food is specifically formulated to help grow your best orchids possible.
Baby Bio Pour & Feed is ready to use and can also be used on garden plants, edibles and container plants.
Doff
Predominantly liquid products, Doff has a range of feeds designed to target specific areas.
If you've ever wondered why some people's hanging baskets are groaning with flowers, whilst yours are simply 'flowering', they may be using Doff's Container and Basket feed.
If you think about it, we are usually more hungry the more active we are, so it makes sense that a container brimming with plant activity will do better with some extra food!
Doff also offers you another choice for tomato feed.
Phostrogen
Another All Purpose liquid feed comes from Phostrogen. Ideal for organic growers this is certified by Organic Farmers & Growers to use and promises bigger plants, better blooms and more vegetables, organically.
There is also a specific Rose and Shrub food which can simply be sprinkled around your plants and lightly raked into the soil.
So what plant food should you buy?
- Liquid plant foods lend themselves more to plants that need watering, and during periods of hot dry weather. A granular feed is great when you want to apply less frequently, or when you already have damp enough conditions and do not want to add extra water. Granular feeds can often be a great idea at the start of the growing season for a slow-release of nutrients so you need to do less work later.
- If you specialise in a particular plant type, then you could offer a more tailored solution to those plants for best results.
- Understand where a specialist feed is the best option - as with orchids.
- If you have a limited budget, and generally a mix of plants in your garden, then probably an All Purpose feed will give you great results for better, healthier plants and better flowering.
The above is not an exhaustive list of products and there are other brands available. This blog is purely to offer some guidance and to showcase some of the products available to you in the garden sections of our Colour Supplies Home and Garden stores.
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