Kitchen Garden Tips: Follow This Guide For Fertilising

Imagine how convenient it would be to have your backyard or kitchen garden filled with your favourite fruits and vegetables. Instead of stressing about finding the best quality produce which is optimal for your health, you can simply rely on your home garden’s harvest. Be it spices, fruit, or vegetables, with the right tools and skills, you can shape your pantry.

But if you want your plants to get the best nutrition, one of the most important things is proper fertilisation. While you might be doing regular tasks like watering and pruning, adding a balanced fertiliser is something that will make a huge difference to the produce. So, why don’t you read on about fertilisers to give your kitchen garden nothing but the best?

Basics Of Fertilisers

Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just starting out, before jumping into the ways of fertilisation, you need to clear some basics. Fertilisers are nutrient-rich substances that are responsible for keeping your plant healthy by enriching the soil with vitamins and minerals. Some of the most common types of nutrients required by the plants are as follows:

• Nitrogen: It is responsible for promoting the growth of leaves and giving them a vibrant green colour.
• Phosphorous: To enhance the development of roots and flower and fruit production, phosphorus should be added.
• Potassium: Potassium improves disease resistance and the quality of the fruits.

Test The Soil

Before adding the fertilisers to the plants, you first need to conduct a soil test to know the nutritional requirements of the soil. After knowing the deficit you can only buy and add those particular nutrient-rich fertilisers.

Also Read: 7 Different Types Of Organic Fertilisers You Need For Your Home Garden

Choosing The Fertiliser

Analysing the soil test, you can then select the most appropriate fertiliser as per your requirement. Here are the factors you should keep into account:

• NPK Ratio: The ratio of Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), and Potassium (K) in the fertiliser should be able to fix the deficiencies of the soil.
• Fertiliser Type: Choose the fertiliser from organic and synthetic options that could enhance the health of the plant.
• Release Rate: It’s best to select a fertiliser that gradually releases nutrients over a period of time to ensure a steady supply to your plants.

Fertilisation Methods

There are many ways in which you can add fertilisers to the soil, which varies as per the plant and the place it is planted (For example pot or ground). The major types are:

• Broadcast Application: This simply requires you to evenly spread the fertiliser over the soil. It is more suitable for a larger area.
• Side Dressing: For this method, you need to add the fertiliser along the sides of the plant.
• Fertigation: It is a precise and efficient method in which the fertiliser is injected into the irrigation system.
• Foliar Feeding: Applying liquid fertiliser directly to the leaves can provide a quick nutrient boost.

Organic Fertilisers

If you prefer to grow your fruits and vegetables organically, there are many good options of organic fertilisers available.

• Compost: Compost is a well-rotted mixture, which is a rich source of nutrients and improves soil structure.
• Manure: Animal manure, such as horse or cow manure, can provide organic matter and nutrients.
• Green Manure: Planting cover crops (e.g., legumes, grasses) and then turning them into the soil can add organic matter and nitrogen.
• Wood Ash: It contains potassium and other minerals.