Plant Food Vs Fertilizer

Plants make their own food for survival.

Plant food vs fertilizer. By matt gibson and erin marissa russell the words fertilizer and plant food are often used interchangeably but they are not technically the same thing. When fertilizer contains high levels of nitrogen phosphorus and potassium without other essential micronutrients plants receive inadequate nutrition. Scientifically speaking however fertilizer is not the same thing as plant food. Gardeners use fertilizers to help enrich their soil supplying it with the essential nutrients that plants need to grow and bloom correctly.

Miracle gro 300157 indoor plant food spikes. Those who prefer to use organic fertilizer will like espoma pt18 plant tone. Fertilizer delivers nutrients for survival as well but commercially not naturally. Indeed it s true that home gardeners use fertilizer to help their plants get the essential nutrients they need to grow and bloom properly.

The main difference is that plant food is a naturally occurring type of sustenance while fertilizer is not. Fertilizer is a substance applied to the soil to create plant food. Each spike is loaded with the micronutrients that your potted plants need and you can add more spikes as needed for larger plants. The terms plant food and fertilizer are often used interchangeably.

This plant food has a high total nutrient content of 14 14 14 but its pellets are coated in a unique resin that releases nutrients slowly at first then more quickly during the height of growing season. Plant food is not the same thing as fertilizer and vice versa. The fact that fertilizer specifically targets a plant s needs is another advantage as it enables them to grow much faster. Best indoor plant fertilizer reviews 1.

Although it is common for many fertilizers to be called plant food it is a misnomer. It contains a 15 7 15 ratio and is designed to be used as a time released fertilizer. Espoma pt18 plant tone. These plant food spikes from miracle gro are ideal for all indoor potted plants including spider plants and ferns.

When it comes to organic people either love it or hate it. Many people confuse plant nutrition with plant fertilization. Plants create their own food through photosynthesis harnessing the sun s energy to create sugar from carbon dioxide and water whereas fertilizers provide certain nutrients that are typically already present in most soils. Fertilizer is often called plant food but it s more like a supplement than a meal for plants.

For reference there is also a continuous release version from proven winners. Advantages of using fertilizer. Fertilizer helps alleviate certain deficiencies in your plants. The fertilizer can feed plants for up to four months and you only have to use a small amount to achieve visible results.

Food for plants is the available nutrients in the soil.