Why do we Feed
Just like any living thing, your plants require food, obviously we’re not talking steak and chips, but just as those give us energy and nutrients, so do all plants require nutrients and other elements to help them survive. Whilst most of these will be within the ground/pot, they can quickly deplete the immediately surrounding soil meaning we have to give them a helping hand to ensure a healthy and vigorous plant.
So How do we Feed?
There are many options in type of feeds, and these are often dictated by the time of year or the age/condition of the plant. However, the types can be broken down into two main choices, liquid/soluble or granular/pellet.
Liquid or Soluble feeds are the fast acting ones, think of a bottle of Lucozade for yourself. They are best used at times when the plant is using a lot of energy, so when producing flowers, fruiting or in high growth stages. They are applied by mixing in with the water when you are watering your plants. The more regularly that you are watering, the more the plant will be photosynthesising and therefore the more energy its creating and can use to grow.
Granular or pelleted feeds are a slow release option, you would normally add these to the soil in the spring and then the nutrients will slowly wick into the soil over the following months as you water or it rains. A good mulch of organic matter (compost or manure) can work in the same way whilst also helping to retain the moisture in the soil and preventing weed growth.
Miracle-Gro is one example of a fertiliser, explore our full range in-store!
When do we Feed?
As previously touched on, this depends on the where the plant is in its lifecycle and also what the weather/season is. Generally, you feed through the spring/summer months as we are focused on producing flowers, fruit/veg or supporting new growth, with many plants going dormant over the colder months the need to water and feed is much reduced. However, for some plants a year round feeding regime is needed, think of your houseplants as an example or if you grow citrus trees, these will often have feeds that are specific for use just during their flowering/fruiting periods with another for all other times.
What do we Feed?
I’m sure lots of you will have heard of N.P.K. when people talk about plant feed but what does this actually mean, basically it’s the chemical elements that are key in supporting the plant:
N – Nitrogen, promotes strong growth in the plant, leaves, stems etc, ideal for evergreen plants, of those with large, heavy foliage.
P – Phosphorus, promotes strong root growth, so ideal for younger plants but can also improve the roots efficiency to take in water and other nutrients so can help in hot weather or droughts.
K – Potassium, promotes flower or fruit growth, ideal for summer bedding plants or fruit and veg.
There are lots more trace elements that are important for plant growth and these are detailed in the handy guide from Miracle Gro available here:
It’s always important to follow the manufacturers guidelines when feeding your plants, be that a capful added to a watering can, a handful of powder spread around the roots or pellets mixed in with the compost. And remember, more isn’t always better and it is possible to kill your plant if you overfeed it, much as you can if you overwater them.
So How do I Choose
We stock many different feeds from different suppliers, with general granular feeds like Fish, Blood and Bone or Growmore, soluble feeds like Tomorite or Miracle Gro all purpose or the more focused feeds like Epsom Salts or Super phosphate. We also have feeds that have been specifically developed to support certain types of plant, from Roses to Olive and Citrus trees.
Whilst generally any feed is better than nothing, there are some plants that do require something more specific, those being those that are acid loving such as Camelias, Azaleas or Rhododendrons.
Hopefully this short guide will help you make your choice but our team are always here to assist and offer expert advice.