The switch to high analysis, quickly soluble, complete plant foods by thousands of gardeners and commercial growers of food and ornamental plants in recent years is an outstanding development. Oddly enough, with but a few exceptions, the manufacturers of these concentrated plant foods first offered them as supplements rather than substitutes for the dry fertilizers like 5-10-5.
I believe the following factors, in addition to extensive advertising, account for the increased popularity of the high analysis, quickly soluble plant foods:
- They (nutrients) are quickly available to plants either through roots, bark or leaves, depending on how they are applied. Plants respond more quickly, thus enabling the grower and gardener to see improvements sooner.
- The liquid fertilizer is generally easy and pleasant to handle. Most of them are sold in dry form, some are concentrated liquids but they all must either be dissolved or diluted in water before use. They are practically odorless – those of us who have worked with animal manures really appreciate this characteristic.
- The soluble plant fertilizer is more efficient and means there is less waste. Research has found that one ounce of liquid phosphorus applied to the leaves of a plant will do the work of 16 ounces applied to the soil. The phosphorus in the concentrates is in a form more readily available to plants than the phosphorus found in superphosphate or in dry mixed plant foods containing superphosphate.
- Liquid food can be distributed more evenly than dry fertilizers and can be applied at times when the size of the crops or the season prevents applications of dry fertilizers.
In short, their use fits in more closely with our modern way of doing things – getting more done with less drudgery.
High analysis plant foods are more expensive, but that’s because some of the ingredients, particularly the instantly soluble phosphates are more expensive than the ingredients used in dry fertilizers. Moreover, practically every particle in them is usable – they contain no fillers or other inert materials. Packaging them in neat, easily handled containers also adds to their cost.
by P Perrine
