answersLogoWhite

0

Fertilizer Selection

Updated: 12/23/2022
User Avatar

Wiki User

13y ago

Best Answer

We eat food for energy which allows us to grow. Plants use sunlight to make sugars to allow them to grow. Unfortunately, sunlight alone isn’t quite enough for healthy plants. Although It is obvious that they need water, they also need other important elements to build strong stems and healthy roots. These elements are what fertilizers are all about, and it is important to recognize that plants need some help from us in the form of fertilizers to stay healthy.

All plants evolved for a specific ecosystem, from which the plant could draw everything it needed. Two things have changed: plants are grown in places different than those they evolved in - the monocultural lawn or the pot on the windowsill - and they have been hybridized for desired characteristics.These changes mean that all our plants need some help from us to thrive. What the current ecosystem cannot provide, we must in the form of fertilizer..

All fertilizer bags list a triplet of numbers - a sort of menu - to help users understand what the fertilizer is formulated to accomplish. Furthermore, fertilizer containers also list the ingredient by name which supplies the elements. In general, these ingredients are either natural and organic or synthetic in nature, a fact which may affect brand choice.

The three key elements are nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium denoted by N - P - K. The numbers represent the percentage by weight of the component in the fertilizer. Nitrogen aids in the development of chlorophyll and encourages plant growth. Phosphorous aids in the development of both the root system and the flowers. Potassium is instrumental for disease and pest resistance. All three together, in the right proportion for any given type of plant, equals a balanced plant diet.

The numbers vary for any particular mix. This allows for selection of a mix that brings about the desired result. For example, to increase the green that chlorophyll engenders, say for a lawn, one would select a high nitrogen percentage. New plantings will benefit from a high phosphorous content, and all plants need potassium.

The goal is to select the fertilizer that best matches your plants’ needs.

User Avatar

Wiki User

13y ago
This answer is:
User Avatar

Add your answer:

Earn +20 pts
Q: Fertilizer Selection
Write your answer...
Submit
Still have questions?
magnify glass
imp
Related questions

What has the author Bertil Hedberg written?

Bertil Hedberg has written: 'Factors influencing process selection, plant size and licence fees in the petrochemical and fertilizer industry'


What is a fertilizer spreader?

The Earthway 199445 Deluxe Lawn & Garden Spreader 65 lbs. Capacity is a great fertilizer to use for your backyard. You can get it at Ace Hardware for around $70.


What does Agri Supply company sell?

Agri Supply is a leader in distributing high quality products for farms and agricultural use. Products range from mowers and tractors, to lawn seed and fertilizer for a lush garden. They also have a wide selection of camping gear available for purchase.


Which kind of selection eliminates extreme phenotypes?

disruptive selection


How do you spell selecision?

The word is spelled selection. "To select" means "to choose". Selection can indicate what you have chosen, as in: Sally made her selection. Or, selection can be a noun, as in, The store had a nice selection of candies.


What is journalistic selection?

what is journalistic selection


What is a selection map?

the selection of a map


What type of selection is this?

directional selection


What is the type of natural selection that favors intermediate phenotypes?

When natural selection favors the intermediate version of a characteristic, it is referred to as stabilizing selection. It is the opposite of disruptive selection.


Which type of selection in which humans select the variations?

This type of selection is called artificial selection.


What is behavioral selection?

Behavioral selection is a process in which individuals are more likely to survive and reproduce due to their specific behaviors. It is a key mechanism in evolution where certain behavioral traits are favored because they increase an individual's fitness in their environment. This process can lead to the development of behaviors that are advantageous for survival and reproduction over time.


What is negative selection of immunology?

Immunology relies on both negative selection and positive selection. Negative selection, or non resultant, provides for discounting a method of treatment. Positive selection, or improvement can at times be found by elimination through negative selection.