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Fertilizer Basics

Madison County Extension Agent Celeste Scott talks about fertilizer. Fertilizer is described by three numbers. The first number is the percent nitrogen content. The second number is the percent phosphorus content. The third number is the percent potassium content. For example, a 15-5-10 fertilizer has 15% nitrogen, 5% phosphorus, and 10% potassium. The rest of the contents of the bag are fillers. Fillers are important to help you get an even spread on the fertilizer.  Balanced fertilizers have a non 0 number in each space. Fast release fertilizers release all of their nutrients over a two to three week period. Slow release fertilizers release nutrients over a two to three month period.
Most available fertilizers are synthetic but there are organic options too. Blood meal is a source for nitrogen; bone meal is a source of phosphorus; and seaweed, kelp, or wood ashes are a source of potassium. Organic fertilizers have less nutrients than the same amount of synthetic fertilizers and are more expensive.

Related Videos:
How Often Do I Need to Fertilize My Vegetables?
Planting and Fertilizing an Organic Garden
Garden Fertilizer Math

Related Resources:
Fertilizers
Fertilizing Your Garden
Fertilizing the Organic Garden
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  • Home
  • Watch
    • TV Schedule
    • Full Episodes Online
    • How-to and Informational
    • Questions and Answers
    • This Week in the Garden
    • Garden Notes
  • Garden Topic Collections
    • Apple Trees: How-to and Information
    • Peach Trees: How-to and Information
    • Tomatoes: How-to and Information
    • Square Foot Garden Blog
  • Resources
    • Soil Testing
    • Extension Publications
    • Gardening Resources
    • Blogs
    • Organic Gardening
    • Articles
    • Privacy
  • Guests
  • Contact Us
    • Ask a Gardening Gardening Question
  • Search