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What the Heck is N-P-K and How do I Get Enough?Read the article this discussion is about
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» bindweed - How can one ever get enough! NPK Hello Diana,In some states cow manure would not be classified as a fertilizer (2-.5- 2) Horse manure has even less fertilizer value. I forget the percentage that was required -- perhaps it was a combined 5% threshold. Chicken manure always managed to deliver the minimum nutrients -- hence it could be sold as a fertilizer. So would sheep and goat manure. I particularly like'Lamalizer.' But if you have 2% of 40-pound bag manure you are getting very little actual Nitrogen. You are getting slightly less than a lb. on Nitrogen for say 1.50. However if you buy 1 lb. of soluble fertilizer, say Miracle Grow for $5.00, it will test out at say 20-15-15. This most definitely is a fertilizer! However as Diana pointed out you are getting only 20% of 1 lb. of N. Giving you a pretty expensive means of applying Nitrogen. Most importantly is that the bulky organics increase the organic matter and tilth of your own soil. They also improve soil granulation and pore space in your soil. This will allow for better air and water penetration, which will aid the healthy growth of soil bacteria. Peat Moss and compost will do the same thing. Organic materials such as these do one other overlooked thing -- they act as a buffer for over fertilizing, especially of trace minerals or sulfates in general. When you add serious mulches such as straw, or leaves (materials containing little actual N.) you will have to amend with supplemental N. in the amount of at least 1% of the bulk material. If you have a ton of material this means about 20 pounds of actual N. That means like twenty bags of manure. Are you tired yet! Always read percentages. In CA. we would sell B-1, the Vitamin product. Next time go read the labels, you will find tremendous differences between different manufactures. .025 B-1 in one up to .25 or more! Some like Super Thrive ... well I won't even touch that one. 'Round-up' is another product that seems to deliberately come up with formulizations and pricing to confuse the consumer. Lastly "plant food" can be anything it wants ... some good, some bad. I remember one made with citrus extract. The fertilizer value was less than gull dropping in a bucket you left outside. "Fertilizer" has standards, the rest generally do not. Last note percentages are also very important when buying seed. We used to see the “cheap” garden lawn seed from Ferry Morse. A coarser lawn and inferior seed. 1 lb. covered 200 ft. It cost say 2.25. The premium seed covered 400 ft and cost 3.75. To cover a 1000 feet with the Golden State brand cost you 12.25. To do it with the better seed would cost you less than ten dollars. Which brand did we sell the most of? The cheaper one of course! In the state I now live in some regulations that existed in California do not even exist. “Lawn seed” made entirely of annual rye is sold … a consumer rip of that is simply criminal! As Diana said, do the math, read the labels. Also double check just what those other “inert” ingredients are – in the case of seed – the percentage of noxious weeds should be VERY carefully read. On fertilizer, sulfur and manganese are often overlooked. They are very needed by most plants! Another subject entire. Herb Senft -- posted by bindweed
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