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The Best Fertilizer for Blooming Plants
The Best Fertilizer for Blooming Plants. All plants need three basic nutrients to grow: nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. A good fertilizer contains these three nutrients in amounts that benefit the plants. Flowering plants need a fertilizer blend that is higher in potassium.
All plants need three basic nutrients to grow: nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. A good fertilizer contains these three nutrients in amounts that benefit the plants. Flowering plants need a fertilizer blend that is higher in potassium.
Macronutrients
Nitrogen is responsible for producing new green growth in plants, while phosphorus helps with root development. Potassium helps strengthen plants and improve the health of flowers. These three elements are called macronutrients, because they are the three most important nutrients for all plants. They are represented on fertilizer packages by the letters N-P-K.
Choosing a Fertilizer
A good fertilizer ratio for flowering plants is 10-10-17, which indicates a higher amount of potassium. Using a granular timed-release formula assures that plants get steady access to these important nutrients. Water-soluble fertilizers are quickly absorbed, while organic fertilizers in the form of manure or bone meal may not contain enough of the nutrients that flowering plants need.
Potassium Facts
Potassium promotes more vigorous blooming in plants, but it is often in short supply as it leaches from the soil more quickly than other nutrients do, which makes timed-release fertilizers ideal, as they stay in the soil for up to 9 months.
