Fertilizing

Average time to read: 2.6 minutes

Feed the soil, not the plants.

Healthy soil has everything plants need to grow. Soil is a complex matrix of silt, clay, sand, and organic matter. It has vast mycelial networks, beneficial organisms, and soil-dwelling wildlife. This infinitely complicated ecosystem supports all plant life on the planet so the best way to feed your plants is to feed the soil.

If you’re planting directly into the ground or large raised beds, it’s easy to feed the soil:

1. Top-dress with compost in the spring

2. Mulch during the growing season

3. Cover the area with organic matter in the fall

However, smaller containers or pots do not have enough soil to maintain its regular healthy functioning. In this case, supplemental nutrition (aka fertilizer) is needed for strong plant development.

When growing vegetables in pots or small containers, it is generally considered a good idea to replace “spent” soil every year. For best results, always choose a high quality soil but be aware: Vegetables are “heavy feeders” that will require more nutrition than is available in their pots. This means choosing a fertilizer that will make sure your plants have the nutrition they need to mature and bear fruit.

There are 2 primary categories of fertilizers: Chemical and Organic.

Chemical (or synthetic) fertilizers are made by isolating and separating the 3 key elements of fertilizer: Nitrogen (N), Phosphorous (P), and Potassium (K). As such, chemical fertilizers can be selected and applied highly specifically. They are typically water-soluble and easy to apply. They are widely available, easy to carry, store well long-term, and when used correctly, produce great results.

In spite of these advantages, chemical fertilizers are typically avoided by the more earth-friendly gardeners due to their negative environmental impacts. For one, the production of chemical fertilizers is wasteful and polluting. They also lack the many micronutrients that are beneficial to healthy soil functioning. When used incorrectly, they can damage or kill plants. Overuse leads to nitrogen runoff into nearby waterways, causing hypoxic conditions (aka low levels of oxygen) in the water, killing aquatic life. Above all else, always read and follow directions carefully.

Organic fertilizers are naturally produced from the decomposition of organic matter from plants and animals (and their biproducts) and from naturally occurring minerals. Common organic fertilizers are:

• Well-rotted manure

• Compost

• Liquid seaweed

• Bone & blood meal

• Limestone

And there are many others. Organic fertilizers contain more complex nutrition (both macro and micronutrients) that are slowly released and used over a longer period of time. They’re gentler on plants, make use of garden waste, can be made at home, aren’t as likely to leach into waterways, and some can improve soil structure.

There’s a lot to love about organic fertilizers but they have their drawbacks too. They tend to be needed in much larger quantities, which can be heavy and difficult to transport and apply. Their nutrition isn’t measured precisely like it is for chemical fertilizers so you don’t know exactly what your plants are getting. It also takes some time for the nutrients to be broken down and integrated into the soil.

Fertilizing is a skill you will build on with each passing year in the garden. Your preferences will evolve as you experiment and gain experience. You may discover that you prefer a precise regimen with specific fertilizers for specific crops. Or maybe you lean more toward the “No Dig” philosophy of gardening where an annual layer of compost is typically the only supplementary source of nutrition.

For more information, keep reading about fertilizing from reputable sources and get involved with the garden community in your area. Chat with neighbours, drop in to meetups, join groups, and get familiar with your local garden centres, nurseries, and farm supply stores.

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