Tips, Tricks, and Answers

The following articles are available for this topic. Click the article's title (shown in bold) to see the associated article.

Choosing the Right Flower Fertilizer. Flowers need different nutrients to grow, and not all of those nutrients will be found in your garden soil. You can either plant plants that only require the nutrients you have in your soil, or find a fertilizer that will replenish the nutrients not naturally found in your soil. A good mixed fertilizer will usually do the trick, but you can also test your soil to see what specific nutrients you need.

Choosing the Right Tree Fertilizer. Trees need nutrients to grow. If these nutrients are not found in the ground, fertilizer will have to be used. Your options while using fertilizer is either organic or inorganic. Inorganic is good if your tree needs a quick dosage, and your soil is generally good. Organic fertilizer is good for improving your soil over time, but takes longer to decompose and is generally more expensive.

Choosing the Right Vegetable Fertilizer. Vegetables require certain nutrients to keep them healthy. You can buy general purpose fertilizers with mixed results, or you can find exactly what your garden needs. Do this by testing your soil. Find how much you need by dividing your garden's square footage by 1000, times your recommended amount. Apply your fertilizer and enjoy a healthy lawn.

Do You Need Plant Food?. If your plants are not growing as well as you want to, fertilizer might be a good way to help. Start by testing the soil where you are growing your plants. If the nutrient mix is wrong, fertilizer may be the best approach to fix the problem. Look for specific fertilizers to make up for what your plants lack.

How to Make Compost. Composting is a great way to nourish your plants with things you already have around your house. Keep your compost materials in a protected container—medium and sealed or large and open, depending on your garden size—and let them age. Make sure to use appropriate materials for your compost, avoiding meats or fats.

Organic Fertilizers. The nutrients within organic fertilizers originate wholly from the byproducts or remnants of organisms. Because organic fertilizers are natural, they can be produced at home, lowering your gardening costs.