Whether to choose natural or synthetic fertilizers in your flowerbed garden

Every gardener dreams for bigger, stronger plants...bigger and vibrant blooms, so to ensure healthy growth for everything you plant let me quote a phrase, "it all starts from the ground up." It all starts with the soil.

Choosing Natural or Synthetic Fertilizers

If you have not yet read my Garden Soil Page, please do. My Garden Soil Page offers additional information regarding the amending of your garden soil, recipe for container soil and other soil tips.

Once your garden soil is ready, meaning...

...then the planting begins and the thought of fertilizers arises...choosing natural or synthetic fertilizers.

That's me in the above image, amending, planting and fertilizing.

Adding synthetic fertilizers to your soil:

You are at the garden center looking at and wondering what those 3 letters NPK or numbers 2-13-0 on the package or containers stand for?

Nitrogen (chemical symbol N): Added for leaf, plant growth

Phosphorus (chemical symbol P): Added to stimulate root growth

Potassium (chemical symbol K): Added to encourage flowering and plant growth

In other words if you purchase a 20-20-20, an All Purpose Fertilizer, you would get equal amounts of each element. You will also notice that some fertilizers have a higher number value to the symbol K or potassium. This type of fertilizer gives an additional boost for flower production. Always read the label before using any product.

Adding natural derived fertilizers to your soil:

If your soil required amending you may have already added some of the additives below:

Besides all plants requiring the 3 nutrients above, there are also secondary nutrients required:

• sulfer: if soil is amended with organic matter, the soil will not be deficient of sulfer
• magnesium: required for photosynthesis, lack of can cause stunted growth
• calcium: sandy soil or acidic (low pH) can be deficient in calcium. To correct, raise the pH level or amend the sandy soil

Other natural additives are: peat moss, worm castings, compost.

What are the signs of nutrition lacking in your garden soil?

Deciding if your plants require fertilizing depends on the condition of your soil and the condition of present or past plantings. Read some of the signs below. If your plants look healthy, then the soil is healthy. If your plants show any of the signs below, then its your soil and you will have to make some admendments.

It also makes sense to look at some plant images with the above nutrient deficiencies and compare with your own.

• Nitrogen: lack of growth, yellowing leaves, starts with older leaves and moves to new growth
• Phosphorous: poor growth habit, slower growth, roots not being fed, poor root system
• Potassium: leaves yellowing, browing tips, weak stems

Before purchasing any garden soil additives: how synthetic fertilizers will react in your soil will depend on the soil itself:

• The moisture level: high, low, moderate


• The soil temperature: always wait until the soil warms before you fertilize. See my Gardening Tips Page and my Annual Bedding Plants Page for addtional information


• The nutrients already in the soil: For instance, less fertilizer is needed if you add manure, compost or decomposed leaves the previous fall. Allow the nutrients to over-winter. Even allowing some of your plants from the previous year to decompose and add back into the soil will help to improve the quality

Using natural or synthetic fertilizers is an individual choice. Do some research. Ask questions at your local garden center. Ask for their recommendations...then get a second opinion.

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