Indonesia’s Government to export 500,000 tons of urea fertilizer

Indonesian Agriculture Minister Anton Apriantono said the government would allocate about 500,000 tons of the country`s urea fertilizer production for export. “We are planning to export 500,000 tons. Confirmation is being made so that the figure will not be less than that,” the minister said after visiting the Cipinang Rice Wholesale Market here on Monday, 14 Sep 09

The minister said he had received a report that there was a stock surplus of one million tons but his ministry would still confirm the report.

In the meantime, Trade Minister Mari Elka Pangestu said that the urea fertilizer export plan would be carried out at the end of the year. “Usually it is done before the end of the year to anticipate the planting season and other things,” she said.

Minister Apriantono said recently that the quantity of fertilizer that could be exported and the time frame for the export were still being discussed. “Just wait for it. We stll need to coordinate the matter with other ministries in the first place,” he said.

Deputy to the chief economic minister for agriculture, Bayu Krisnamurthi said the country had a surplus in fertilizer stocks at present. “There is a surplus in the national fertilizer stocks,” he said.

Based on records, urea exports were usually carried out by PT Pupuk Iskandar Muda with a volume of about 450,000 tons. But the government would give a chance to other companies to carry out the exports.”The ministry of agriculture wants fertilizer stocks to be safeguarded. But on the other hand, it is also considering the interest of industries,” he added.

Guide to Fertilizer

Three of the elements necessary for lawn and plant growth are oxygen, hydrogen and carbon. They are available from the environment. Plants also need nutrients that are not as readily available. Nutrients don't stay long in the soil and have to be replenished regularly. Each nutrient plays an important role in plant survival and health. Fertilizer is the means of supplying these nutrients. Lowe's is happy to provide this information as a service to you.

Nutrients

The nutrients are divided into three categories:

* Macronutrients - Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium are the primary nutrients critical to plant health.


* Secondary nutrients - Calcium, magnesium and magnesium are needed in lesser quantities but are still necessary for optimum plant growth.


* Micronutrients - Boron, chlorine, cobalt, copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum, nickel and zinc round out the list.


Fertilizer Types

Fertilizer is available in two types — liquid and granular. Choose the one that meets your needs in the form that is easiest for you to use:

* Liquid fertilizers are fast-acting. Since they're quickly absorbed, they require application every 2-3 weeks. Most are concentrates, mixed with water prior to application by hose-end sprayer or watering can.

* Granular fertilizers are applied dry and must be watered in. Granular fertilizers are easier to control because you can actually see how much fertilizer you are using and where it is being dispersed. They are normally applied by hand or mechanical spreaders.

Granular fertilizers are produced in two different formulations, quick-release and slow-release.

Quick-release fertilizer typically lasts for three to four weeks, depending upon the temperature and the amount of rainfall. For general use, these water-soluble nitrogen fertilizers (WSN) are also known as commodity or field grade fertilizers.

There are two main types of slow-release fertilizers, known as water-insoluble nitrogen (WIN), available for specific applications:

* Sulfur coated, which lasts for about 8 weeks.
* Polymer coated, lasting about 12 weeks.

Both time estimates may vary depending upon the amount of rainfall.

Reading a Fertilizer Label


The three numbers (often called NPK) on a fertilizer package tell you the percentage of the primary nutrients' makeup by weight. These percentages in fertilizer compounds are formulated for everything from asparagus to zinnias. The three main components are:

* Nitrogen (symbol N) for leaf development and vivid green color.

* Phosphorous (symbol P) for root growth.

* Potassium (symbol K) sometimes called potash, for root development and disease resistance.

Fertilizer bag example For example, a bag marked "16-4-8" contains 16 percent nitrogen, 4 percent phosphorous and 8 percent potassium.
The other 72 percent is usually inert filler material, such as clay pellets or granular limestone.

To know how much of each is in the bag, multiply the percentage by the size (weight) of the bag. (Example: a 50-lb. bag of 10-10-10 contains 5 pounds each of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium). There may also be secondary or minor elements in the formula. Don't feel shortchanged by the presence of the so-called inert material in the fertilizer bag. Its purpose is to help distribute the fertilizer evenly and prevent chemical burn.

Plant Foods

Included in the fertilizer family are the general or all-purpose plant foods. In addition to granular or liquid form, they are also available as tablets or spikes.

Plant foods are usually in smaller, more manageable packages for use with houseplants. You will find specially formulated plant foods for indoor plants like African violets, cactus and flowering plants. Generally the formulas are higher in nitrogen for foliage plants and higher in phosphorus for flowering plants.

Plant foods are also available for specific outdoor plants such as roses and acid-loving plants like rhododendron. Spikes and tablets offer a clean, convenient way to feed, especially in containers where nutrients are leached out by watering.

Lawn Fertilizers

Lawns have specific fertilizer requirements, depending on the season and the type of turfgrass you grow. Read the i instructions on the package carefully before purchasing. Lawn fertilizers containing various percentages of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium are common lawn foods. Fertilizer combined with pesticides are also widely used.

Weed and Feed and Pre- or Post- Emergents

Weed and Feed is a common term which refers to fertilizer that contains weed killer for broadleaf weeds such as dandelions or grassy weeds like crabgrass. Look on the label for a list of weeds that can be treated with the product. The two types are:

* Pre-emergents, such as those commonly used to prevent crabgrass, are weed killers which must be applied before the weeds germinate. They are ineffective if the weeds are already actively growing. Pre-emergent weed killers are often mixed with fertilizer and are applied early in the season.


* Post-emergents are contact killers. They are effective only if the weeds are already actively growing. They will not kill weeds that have not yet germinated.

The timing of application of pre-and post-emergents is critical for success. Applying these products too early or too late is essentially a waste of time. If sowing grass seed is also in your lawn schedule, make sure that there is the proper time interval between applying weed and feed and sowing. Read the package carefully before selecting to be sure which product fits your needs.

Starter fertilizers and winterizers provide extra phosphorus for root growth. Starter fertilizers are applied to provide a boost to newly seeded lawns. Winterizers are used as a last fall feeding to promote off-season root growth.

Organic Alternatives

Non-synthetic organic fertilizers, soil conditioners and soil additives are also widely used. Because they lack some added ingredients to slow the nutrient release, these products may have to be applied more frequently. As with synthetic products, apply properly and with caution. Some of the most commonly used are:

Green sand — from sedimentary marine deposits. Contains potassium and iron.

Blood meal — a byproduct of the meat packing industry. Steamed and dried, it is high in phosphorous.

Compost — one of the best all around garden materials for soil improvement.

Cottonseed meal — a byproduct from cotton processing. This is a good source of nitrogen.

Fish emulsion — a fish processing byproduct. Mild, nontoxic, and organic, fish emulsion is good for use with tender plants that may suffer fertilizer burn. Yes, it does smell like fish.

Super phosphate — rock phosphate combined with sulfuric acid to produce phosphorus in a form easy for plants to uptake.

Manure — for soil conditioning. "Hot" manures such as horse, pig and poultry are high in nitrogen and need composting to prevent burning plants. "Cold" manures like cow, sheep or rabbit can be added directly to the soil.


Maximizing Your Fertilizer Use

Do a Soil Test

Just because the soil looks rich and dark doesn't mean that the nutrients are all there. Soil nutrients can become depleted over time and need a boost. A soil test is the key. The soil test tells you what is already there (so you don't add more), and what is missing. Lime is used for raising pH (make it more more alkaline). Sulfur lowers soil pH (making it more acidic).

Apply Properly

Overapplication of fertilizer is a common occurrence. Too much product applied faster than the plant can absorb it wastes fertilizer and harms the plant.

Always apply fertilizer at the proper time. Do not apply slow-release fertilizer late in the growing season. You don't want to boost foliage growth with nitrogen-heavy fertilizers prior to the dormant season.

Crop Rotation and Intercropping

Each species of plant needs a different mix of nutrients. Rotation of plantings allows you to get the most from your garden soil.

Intercropping is the planting of different varieties within a close vicinity. Using principles of companion planting, intercropping lets plants natural qualities complement each other.

Green Manure

Crops that are planted with the specific intended purpose of being worked back into the soil are known as green manure. These cover crops are chosen for their nutrient value and are used by serious home gardeners as well as commercial agricultural growers.

Fertilizer Safety

Excess product from fertilized areas has to go somewhere. That somewhere is either down into the ground, affecting the water table or running off to affect nearby areas. That runoff could eventually end up in the water supply downstream.

Always follow package directions regarding proper attire, application procedures and safety precautions.

Food Crop Fertilizer Features (Gulp!) Human Urine

It's the ultimate in recycling. Take some wood ashes from the fireplace, add a little of your own urine and spread it around your tomato plants. You may get a blockbuster crop.
Photo: Food Crop Fertilizer Features (Gulp!) Human Urine: New Fertilizer Is Safe for Humans, Scientists Say
Scientists in Finland have found that wood ash and human urine perform just as well as more expensive mineral fertilizers, at least for some crops, such as tomato plants.
Scientists in Finland have found that wood ash and human urine perform just as well as more expensive mineral fertilizers, at least for some crops, while doing less damage to the environment. The combination is rich in nutrients, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium and magnesium. The researchers raised a healthy crop of tomatoes in a carefully controlled series of laboratory experiments.

Other research has shown that human urine is an effective substitute for synthetic fertilizers, at least for cucumbers, corn, cabbage, wheat and tomatoes. Ash has also been shown to be useful in agriculture.

But the Fins say they are the first ones to combine urine with wood ash, and plants treated with that substitute performed four times as well as unfertilized plants and left the soil less acidic. The scientists insist it's safe and doesn't pose "any microbial or chemical risks."

BHP Billiton bullish on potash push

MELBOURNE (Reuters) -Fertilizer is hot and BHP Billiton (BHP.AX)(BLT.L), the world's biggest miner, wants a heap of the action.

The company is cashed up and looking for new avenues of growth. Potash, used mainly in fertilizer to grow fruits, vegetables, soy and corn, offers just the right opportunity.

BHP Chief Executive Marius Kloppers is so excited about expanding into potash, he talks about it in the same breath as he talks about the company's most profitable business, iron ore.

His bullishness on potash has prompted takeover speculation in the sector, with investors betting BHP might bid for one of the two big North American producers, Potash Corp of Saskatchewan (POT.TO) or Mosaic Co (MOS.N), in a drive for instant scale.

BHP has the firepower to chase new avenues of growth, as it is carrying just $5.6 billion in net debt with a gearing of 12 percent, or less than a third the gearing of closest rival Rio Tinto (RIO.AX) (RIO.L).

There are few other opportunities that would fit its strategy of diversifying and developing large, low-cost, expandable assets with export markets, without running into competition concerns.

"One of the challenges BHP faces at the moment is finding industries where they can grow into with sufficient scale, where they're going to make a difference to the company," said Neil Boyd-Clark, portfolio manager at Fortis Investment Partners.

"Potash presents a new growth avenue, without question."

For BHP, the big attraction is the big gross margins in producing potash, running at 50-60 percent for top producer Potash Corp, and the expectation that potash demand is going to grow rapidly.

Developing countries need potash to boost crop yields to feed growing populations healthier varieties of food.

The industry is dominated by Belarussian and North American producers and one major consumer, China, giving it a similar buyer and seller profile to the iron ore business.

While Kloppers sees blue sky, the growth path might be bumpy. A Bank of America-Merrill Lynch analyst highlights that producers slashed volumes this year to prop up prices following two years of weak demand from China.

"I don't think we're coming into a situation of shortage of supply," said Beijing-based Merrill Lynch analyst Timothy Bush.

IN HOUSE OR TAKEOVER?

BHP spent $95 million last year studying its Jansen potash prospect in Canada, which Kloppers said the company believes could produce 8 million metric tons a year for 50 years.

"We think it's a magnificent asset," Kloppers told analysts at the group's results briefing last month. BHP bought out Anglo Potash's stake in the Jansen potash project in July 2008.

At 8 million metric tons a year, its capacity would be behind Potash Corp, which expects to have annual capacity of 18 million metric tons by end-2012 and Mosaic, which has a capacity of 10.4 million metric tons.

The company plans to run feasibility studies on Jansen next year and decide whether to invest in the project in 2011. Developing a mine typically takes seven years.

Analysts' estimate the project could cost $4-$10 billion.

Investors said BHP did not need to make an acquisition, as Jansen alone would give the company scale in potash. A bid for Potash Corp, which has a market value of $27 billion, would be a big bite, they said.

"I just can't imagine BHP going out and paying that kind of money. They would have to pay $40 billion, which is what Rio paid for Alcan. I just don't see it," said Peter Chilton, an analyst at Constellation Capital Management, which owns BHP shares.

He said the risk was that BHP would pay a big price and then end up overweight in potash, and, like Rio Tinto with its aluminum acquisition at the top of the market in 2007, BHP's share price could suffer if potash prices sink.

A bid for Mosaic, which has a market value of $23 billion, would depend entirely on whether its 64 percent owner, privately owned U.S. agribusiness giant Cargill, wants to sell.

RACE AGAINST CHINA, VALE

If BHP did chase a takeover, it might run into competition against China and Brazilian miner Vale (VALE5.SA), which recently bought Rio Tinto's undeveloped potash assets in Argentina and Canada for $850 million.

"There might be a window of opportunity before the Chinese turn their attention to securing supplies of potash offshore," said Tim Schroeders, portfolio manager at Pengana Capital.

Chinese state-run Sinochem Corp, whose Sinofert Holdings (0297.HK) subsidiary is the country's biggest distributor of potash imports, is already staking out acquisitions offshore with talks going on to take over Australian farm chemicals group Nufarm Ltd (NUF.AX).

While developing Jansen might be the best way to go, Kloppers himself did not rule out an acquisition.

"We do not see greenfield and M&A activities as being mutually exclusive," he told analysts, when asked whether BHP's move into potash would include acquisitions.

Minority botswana

Australia’s First Fertilizer Research Center

Farmers throughout the world stand to benefit from a new inspect centre - the first of its kind in Australia - that aims to develop more advanced fertilizers for the sake agricultural use.

The $5 million Mosaic Fertilizer Technology Inspect Focus, to be based at the University of Adelaide’s Waite Campus, brings together world-leading scientists and facilities.

The new centre has been established by the University of Adelaide in a collective commercial put down with a certain of the world’s largest fertilizer companies, the United States-based Mosaic Fertilizer LLC.

The Mosaic Fertilizer Technology Research Centre will mature and quantify more economic fertilizer products that disposition be marketed wide the world. These unexplored products will be more operative in delivering nutrition to plants. This will go along with farmers to more efficiently produce higher yields in crops to collect ever-increasing call for.

The new pivot builds on an existing relationship between the University and Mosaic. Mosaic has in days gone by obtained an privilege to commercialize two fertilizer technologies developed jointly by the University and CSIRO Sod and Irrigate, emerging from the research of Professor Mike McLaughlin, Dr Sam Stacey and the University/CSIRO research body.

Professor McLaughlin (Professorial Research Fellow) and Dr Stacey (Senior Research Fellow) - both with the University’s School of Earth & Environmental Sciences - will dispose the chore of the Mosaic Fertilizer Technology Research Mid-point.

Answerable to an concord with the University’s commercial maturity company, Adelaide Research & Innovation (ARI) Pty Ltd, Mosaic purposefulness fund scrutinization at the new centre in return for commercialization rights and a due of the intellectual means.

“This is a unique opportunity to collaborate with a probing group that is recognised internationally in the service of the quality of its post on fertilizer technology and techniques,” says the Managing Impresario of Mosaic International Australia Pty Ltd, Mr Peter Cameron.

“Through this research centre at the University of Adelaide, Mosaic’s global operations will accept access to world-chief expertise and facilities in the Asia-Pacific region. This will expand and improve Mosaic’s capabilities in new produce development and evaluation.

“The research group’s alteration disposition freedom an effective role in helping to specify matchless-edge products to agricultural customers across the in every way.”

Professor McLaughlin says the new research centre will enable the University of Adelaide to expand its reported inspect in this area, and to amplify new techniques for fertilizer formulation and evaluation.

“As well as providing research to underpin the progress of new fertilizer technologies, a major say of the centre’s role will be to contribute to the evaluation of Mosaic’s products under laboratory and field conditions, both here in Australia and overseas,” Professor McLaughlin says.

“The close relationship with Mosaic disposition provide us with a clearly defined pathway for our research outcomes to benefit agriculture.”

—————————-
Article adapted by Medical Account Today from primitive press disseminate.
—————————-

About Mosaic

The Mosaic Company is one of the world’s leading producers and marketers of concentrated phosphate and potash crop nutrients. For the global agriculture industry, Mosaic is a single source of phosphates, potash, nitrogen fertilizers and feed ingredients. More information on the company is readily obtainable at: http://www.mosaicco.com/

Forward-looking statements

Some of the statements in this release may constitute “forward-looking statements” that do not directly or exclusively relate to recorded facts. These forward-looking statements demonstrate the Mosaic Company’s intentions, plans, expectations, assumptions and beliefs down approaching events and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are outside of the company’s control. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ considerably from the expectations expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements include known and uncharted risks. Because actual results could differ at bottom from the company’s intentions, plans, expectations, assumptions and beliefs about the future, all consign-looking statements contained in this push pass out should be viewed with caution. The Mosaic Comrades does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any brash-looking statements, whether as a result of new facts, future events or differently.

Source: Professor Mike McLaughlin

University of Adelaide

Fertilizer plant being built

Fertilizer plant being built

At least one local company is not being stifled by a slowed-down economy.
The Dell Rapids Coop Grain is constructing a new dry and liquid fertilizer plant to store bulk fertilizer.
“This allows us faster service to farmers,” said Mark Lee, general manager of Dell Rapids Coop Grain. “We can get to the farmer quicker and we don’t have to wait to fill trucks.”
Todd Brown, who farms west of Dell Rapids, said farmers have a 10-day window to apply the fertilizer. “The fertilizer plant is going to be more helpful to the farmer,” he said. “There is a short time span for spring planting and the fertilizer needs to be applied right before planting. Any speed and capacity with fertilizer application is going to be very helpful to us.”
Mike Wolles, who also farms west of Dell Rapids and is a member of the coop board, said this conveys the message the coop is firmly committed to the fertilizer business for the future. “Crop fertility is going to be more important as farmers continue to find ways to increase yields on their land,” he said. “This commitment is just one more way to help the farmers meet their goals.”
The first six months of 2009 the Coop has seen increased income compared to past years. “The reason for the success is that the farmers have been very supportive,” Lee said. “Without their support, like any other business, we would slowly fade away.”
The new plant will hold 4,000 tons, which is two times larger than the current fertilizer plant. The new 21,000 square foot building replaces one that was built in the 1960s and will be constructed near the West Quarry plant in Dell Rapids. It will also include new technology and will store more fertilizer.
The plant is being built on a piece of property in the Mergen’s Addition. The addition was replatted and included a lot 7, allowing the coop to purchase that piece of property. The Dell Rapids Planning and Zoning Commission and then the Dell Rapids City Council approved rezoning the lot from general business to general industrial, as well as approving a conditional use permit to build the fertilizer plant.

Printer-friendly E-mail

ROSES PLANTING

Organically grown roses are doubly beautiful - they have full, vibrant blooms, and the ground around them is
healthy too!

Choose Organic Rose Food for healthier plants, larger blooms, and stronger roots. Made from organic and natural ingredients, it includes alfalfa meal, soft rock phosphate with colloidal clay, bone meal, cottonseed meal, wormcastings, soybean meal, feathermeal, sulfate of potash, humate, rabbit manure, greensand, kelp and Epsom salts.

This 5 pound bag will treat about 30 large roses. NPK is 5-6-3.

Chemical Analysis:
# Total Nitrogen: 5.00%
# Available Phosphate: 6.00%
# Soluble Potash: 3.00%


Apply 2 Tablespoons of Rose Food over the root area of small potted plants, 1/4 cup for medium plants, 1/2 cup for large plants, and 1 cup for very large plants.

What is fertilizer and why do plants need it?

In order for a plant to grow and thrive, it needs a number of different chemical elements. The most important are:

* Carbon, hydrogen and oxygen - Available from air and water and therefore in plentiful supply
* Nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium (a.k.a. potash) - The three macronutrients and the three elements you find in most packaged fertilizers
* Sulfur, calcium, and magnesium - Secondary nutrients
* Boron, cobalt, copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum and zinc - Micronutrients

The most important of these (the ones that are needed in the largest quantity by a plant) are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. If you have read the articles How Cells Work and How Food Works, you have heard about things like amino acids, cell membranes and ATP. Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium are important because they are necessary for these basic building blocks. For example:

* Every amino acid contains nitrogen.
* Every molecule making up every cell's membrane contains phosphorous (the membrane molecules are called phospholipids), and so does every molecule of ATP (the main energy source of all cells).
* Potassium makes up 1 percent to 2 percent of the weight of any plant and, as an ion in cells, is essential to metabolism.

Without nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, the plant simply cannot grow because it cannot make the pieces it needs. It's like a car factory running out of steel or a road crew running out of asphalt.

If any of the macronutrients are missing or hard to obtain from the soil, this will limit the growth rate for the plant. In nature, the nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium often come from the decay of plants that have died. In the case of nitrogen, the recycling of nitrogen from dead to living plants is often the only source of nitrogen in the soil.

To make plants grow faster, what you need to do is supply the elements that the plants need in readily available forms. That is the goal of fertilizer. Most fertilizers supply just nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium because the other chemicals are needed in much lower quantities and are generally available in most soils. Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium availability is the big limit to growth.

The numbers on a bag of fertilizer tell you the percentages of available nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium found in the bag. So 12-8-10 fertilizer has 12-percent nitrogen, 8-percent phosphorous and 10-percent potassium. In a 100-pound bag, therefore, 12 pounds is nitrogen, 8 pounds is phosphorous and 10 pounds is potassium. The other 70 pounds is known as ballast and has no value to the plants.

So why don't people need fertilizer to grow? Because we get everything we need from the plants we eat or from the meat of animals that ate plants. Plants are factories that do all of the work to process the basic elements of life and make them available to us.

To get more information on fertilizer and other related topics, check out the links on the next page.

ORCHIDS FLOWERS

When fertilizing orchids, a good rule of thumb to remember is “weakly, weekly” (use a weak fertilizing solution once a week) to simulate their natural feeding habits in the wild. Remember, unless they are terrestrials, orchids are usually fed by rain runoff with much diluted nutrients.

You must know which type of fertilizer to use on your orchids. There are fertilizers specially designed for growing orchids, a good one normally having a nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium balance of 7-9-5. However, if you want your plant to flower, there are blossom boosting fertilizers with a formula of 3-12-6 used just before a plant starts forming buds. The combination of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) is good for plants as nitrogen is good for growth, phosphorus elicits blossoms, and potassium fortifies roots. Fertilizers may come in granules, liquids, or spikes.

Here are some fertilizing tips for your orchids:

* It is better to fertilize every other week.
* Mix fertilizer with lukewarm, not cold, water.
* Do not over-fertilize. You’ll notice the plant tips turning black when you do this.
* Do not use fertilized water runoff on another plant as this could spread disease.
* Sick plants should not be fertilized.

HOW TO BUY FERTILIZER????

How to Buy Fertilizer

For a couple of years now, I have presented a talk entitled "You Can’t Get Any Lower Than Dirt!" to gardening groups in the Southeast. I talk about why organic matter is so important to your soil and why adding lime is one of the most important things you can do.

The highlight of the presentation (for me, anyway) is when I select an audience member to help me teach what the numbers on a fertilizer bag mean. As the volunteer nervously stands before the group, I deliver a cockamamie story about how he was once a ‘student’ of John Travolta. I proclaim that my victim is still a closet disco dancer and I invite him to assume the famous pose Travolta made famous in advertisements for "Saturday Night Fever".

One finger in the air, hand clutching a Buzz Lightyear toy; one finger pointed downward, hand grasping an Energizer bunny; his knee encircled by a lace garter, my straight man vows never again to volunteer to help anyone.

Grateful that they were not selected, my audience chuckles as they learn that the numbers on a fertilizer bag stand for "Up - Down - All Around". The pose of the hapless "disco dancer" rivets their attention to the rudiments of fertilizer knowledge.

Steve Viner, though, e-mailed me recently inquiring about the merits and uses of fast release versus slow release fertilizers. "I understand to use the quick release fertilizers per directions monthly through June." he said. "But with slow release, how does one know how much and how often to fertilize shrubs?"

Although they cost a little more, I like slow-release fertilizers for some garden uses. Plants, like people, don’t need to eat one big meal and then starve for several days. Most slow-release fertilizers are manufactured with a coating on the particles. Water dissolves just a bit of the chemical inside each time it rains. Nearby plants are fed slowly, without shocking their system.

The "numbers" on slow-release products are typically twice (or more) higher in the nitrogen field (the first number on the bag). You can now purchase slow-release 18-6-12 and 29-3-4 fertilizers versus the old standby 10-10-10. The label will recommend an application rate approximately twice the rate that is normally recommended for 10-10-10 (i.e. 2 tbs./foot of height vs 1 tbs./ foot of height)

In other words, the slow-release products recommend applying a twice-as-concentrated chemical at twice the rate of 10-10-10. That gives an effective four months of fertilizing! The coating on the granules plus the chemical make-up of the nutrients allow the high rate to be applied only once a season without burning the plant roots.

AND NOW, SOME MATH MAGIC

You might wonder how fertilizer makers figure out how much fertilizer to apply to your lawn or landscape. Most outdoor plants need between three and six pounds of actual nitrogen per 1000 sq. feet of root area per year (lawns need more, trees need less). Notice the phrase actual nitrogen. It is supremely important because the numbers on fertilizer products vary so widely. A bag of 29-3-4 contains twenty nine percent actual nitrogen. A bag of 5-10-15 contains only five percent actual nitrogen.

Without going into the magic behind the numbers, you can easily figure out how much fertilizer to apply. Just divide the first number on a fertilizer bag into 100. The result is the number of pounds of that product you'll need to supply one pound of actual nitrogen per 1000 square feet.

Example: for 10-10-10.......divide 10 into 100. The result is 10. Therefore, you need to apply 10 pounds of 10-10-10 to 1000 square feet monthly in order to apply 1 pound of actual nitrogen to that area during the height of the growing season (April - June). Magic!

Example: for 29-3-4......divide 29 into 100. The result is approximately 3. You need to apply 3 pounds of 29-3-3 to 1000 square feet in order to apply 1 pound of actual nitrogen to your lawn. Magic again!

Yes, the rates of the other two nutrients (phosphorus and potassium) in a fertilizer bag are important. If your soil is low in one or both, your plants will benefit if you correct the situation...but not as dramatically as applying the correct amount of nitrogen. Dr. Wayne Jordan, head of the Georgia Soil Testing laboratory, says that only thirty six percent of the samples he receives are low in phosphorus and only twenty one percent are low in potassium.

The best way to know which fertilizer to use and in what amount is to have your soil tested by a private lab or by the Soil Testing Laboratory, through your county Extension office.

FERTILIZERS - CONFUSED WHEN BUYING?


I recently saw a description of a fertilizer in a newspaper. It said that a 12 ounce bottle of the stuff provided the same level of nutrients as a 25 pound bag of 20-8-6! Intrigued by the narrative, I called the manufacturer of the product. A spokesperson said that the article had misquoted her, confusing their 5 gallon product with their smaller, homeowner product. That made sense to me because it is impossible for 12 ounces of fertilizer to equal 25 pounds of plant food. Later, I wondered how many other readers had gotten the opposite impression.

This leads me into a discussion of fertilizer claims in general. Master Gardeners and Extension agents all over Atlanta report a constant stream of questions about what is the "right" fertilizer for their roses or tomatoes or lawn grass. At garden centers homeowners find many competing brands of "Rose Fertilizer", "Azalea Fertilizer", "Tomato Fertilizer" and "Lawn Fertilizer". Which is the correct choice?

The three nutrient numbers on the containers provide little help in determining which product is best for their plants. This confusing situation has been produced by marketers, seeking increased sales, not gardeners endeavoring to have healthier plants. Marketers and advertisers excel at creating "choices" for the gardener. While there are sometimes advantages offered by competing brands of fertilizer, great graphics do not make a good fertilizer product.

In my experience, plants do not read fancy labels. (BI) You (EI) read the labels and decide what to buy. So, how do you decide what will best feed your plants? You can give them what they need by remembering this simple phrase: "UP - DOWN - ALL AROUND". In simple terms, the first number on a fertilizer bag promotes the growth of leaves (UP), the second number promotes roots (DOWN) and the third number promotes resistance to stress (ALL AROUND). If you intend to fertilize your lawn, look for a product that has a higher first number. From this, you know that a bag of 16-4-8 or 29-3-4 will keep your lawn green if you follow the application rate on the label.

Similarly, 6-8-8 or 18-29-6 work well as root-stimulating fertilizers. An additional benefit of a fertilizer having a high middle number is that flowering and seed production are also increased. Most "winterizer" fertilizers (22-3-16, etc) contain a high amount of the last number: the nutrient Potassium. Gardeners with heart problems know how important it is to monitor their potassium levels. Potassium helps plants maintain thick cell walls and to resist stress.

What fertilizers do I use? I keep bags of 16-4-8, 10-10-10 and 5-10-15 in my garden shed. With them I can feed almost all of my landscape plants. I also use slow-release fertilizer pellets (Osmocote, Sta-Green, DynaMite, etc.) for my annuals when I plant them. I find the water-soluble fertilizer powders useful when I need to give nutrients to individual plants. My plants are happy and green and my pocketbook is thicker when I use these basic fertilizers.