thisplace.com.au - How to Feed Your Garden

The secret behind great gardens is good fertilising. By applying the right fertiliser, in the right measure, at the right time, you could be on the road to having a better, healthier garden.

Which Fertiliser Do I Use?

Fertilisers come in several varieties and this can lead to some confusion as to which one is right for my garden. Basically, there are two main groups to choose from - chemical and organic.

Chemical Fertilisers

These fertilisers are specially formulated - they are like a vitamin pill for plants with essential nutrients in the right amounts. Below are some examples that you may have come across.

Liquid fertilisers - with type of fertiliser you mix with water to supply instant nutrients to hungry starving plants such as annual flowers
Granual fertilisers - these types of fertiliser have uncoated granules that release their nutrients regardless of weather conditions
Controlled-release fertilisers ( also known as slow release fertilisers) - with this type you simply sprinkle on the ground, under the mulch, giving your plants food over several months - the most common forms are granules of fertilisers that are coated with resin, plastic or wax - when your plants are growing quicker in the warmer months, so does the release of nutrients

Organic Fertilisers

These types of fertilisers are natural products that will help soil composition as well as encouraging soil organisms. They are usually milder and include a less balanced mix of nutrients than their chemical counterparts.Another benefit of these types of fertilisers is that they can be very inexpensive (even free in some cases ). You can make your own fertiliser at home very easily. Some of their different types are below

compost - you can make your own compost quite easily - and then apply to the garden at a rate of about one to two bucketfuls per square metre
blood and bone - this type of fertiliser can be bought in bags from your local nursery or perhaps even the supermarket and are a safe mild fertiliser
manure - the best way to use this fertiliser is to use manure ( whether it be horse, cow, chicken or sheep etc) that is at least two or three months old

Tips and Tricks

for the best possible results make sure that you read the label clearly - follow any instructions carefully
when you fertiliser make sure that you water thoroughly before and after
wash off any solid fertilisers that are in contact with the stems or leaves as this may result in the plant being burnt if they are left on
for the best results use fertilisers that are right for the job - that is use lawn fertiliser for the lawn, native fertiliser for natives etc
remember you kindness can kill - more plants die from overfeeding than underfeeding
feed your plants just three times a year - in spring, around the Christmas period and at the start of Autumn
keep your fertiliser in a dry spot as moisture that may get into them can ruin the mixtures

Source: The Jimboomba Turf Group