In order for your plants to grow well, your beds must be well supplied with nutrients. You can achieve this with the right fertilizer. However, finding it is not always easy, because there are countless different fertilizers.
How much and what to fertilize depends on what is growing on the garden bed
Determine nutritional needs
It is important to know what is missing from your soil so that you can fertilize as required. Have a soil analysis carried out in a special laboratory about every two to three years. It doesn't cost too much and you usually get fertilizer tips right away. At least the pH value, the humus content and the most important nutrients such as phosphorus, nitrogen and magnesium should be checked.
If you give your plants too much fertilizer, not only will they suffer, but also the environment. This is because the fertilizers also end up in the groundwater. You can recognize over-fertilization on the plants by yellow or withered leaves, among other things.
Choose the right fertilizer
It is of little use if you simply put any fertilizer on your bed, because too much can even cause damage. It is therefore essential to follow the fertilizer recommendations from the laboratory. Without analysis, you have to orient yourself differently. There are so-called indicator plants that can provide information about the soil conditions. Then you will know what your soil is missing and which fertilizer you should use.
Ranunculus likes to grow in wet, calcareous and nitrogen-rich soil. The stinging nettle also indicates nitrogen-rich soil, while wild carrots and field horsetail indicate a lack of nitrogen. On calcareous soil you will find buttercups, chicory, meadow sage and coltsfoot, while dog chamomile and lesser sorrel indicate acidic soil.
If you generally want to improve your garden soil, then compost is an inexpensive and effective means. However, it should be well matured and is not suitable for lime-sensitive plants. Heavy consumers also need some nitrogen. You can feed this with horn shavings (32.93€).
Small overview of special fertilizers:
- Blaukorn: complete mineral fertilizer, use only sparingly
- Rose fertilizer (€12.86) also available as slow-release fertilizer
- Lawn fertilizer: It is best to distribute it with a spreader and then water it well
- Fertilizer with a high phosphate content: for fruit trees, legumes, flower bulbs
- Low phosphate fertilizer: lettuce, lawn, cabbage, ferns
tips
Yellow or wilted leaves are not always a sign of a lack of water, it can also be due to over-fertilization.