—- Geiting to Kn UNDER- STANDING the basics of plant nutri- tion will help you achieve greater suc- cess with your garden, In general, plants need 16 elements for healthy growth. The first three are like build- ing blocks for the plant and are found in all plant tissue. They are carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, the same substances that compose sugars and starches or carbohydrates. The ele- ments are not difficult to supply because they are found in carbon dioxide, water and air. The next three — nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium: — are usually referred to as the major fertilizer elements. If they are not found naturally in the soil they must be supplied by fertilizer. The secondary or minor fertilizer elements, required in much smaller amounts, are calci- um, magnesium and sulphur. The remaining seven other elements are called micro nutrients and are present in very minute quantities. They are boron, chlorine, copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum and zinc, The Fertilizer Act of Canada regulates and defines a fertilizer as “any substance or mixture of substances containing nitrogen, phospho- rous, potassium, or other plant food, manutac- tured, sold or represented for use as a plant food”. More and more gardeners are choosing to use fertilizers based on their source of origin rather than their chemical composition. This generally divides fertilizers into organic or nat- ural sources as opposed to chemical or synthet- ic sources. Tam not sure the plants know the differ- ence between the fertilizers but the way the materials are used has a major effect on the health and productivity of the soil and hence the quality of the plants or product grown. Nor zl] plants have the same nutritional needs and therefore one form of fertilizer may not satisfy the needs of all plants. Asa rule of thumb, plants that produce a lot of leaves or green top growth need more nitrogen. When flower or seed production is the prime goal, pore phosphorous will be required. Root crops prefer both phosphorous aad 4 good* supply of potassium. Knowing what type of food each plant requires is essential for good gardening. The three numbers on a fertilizer package represent the percentages of nitrogen, phos- phorous and potassium and are always in the same order. For example a 12.4.8 fertilizer will contain 12% nitrogen (N), 4% phosphorous (P) sow it grows New: Extended Hours! North Van: Open 7-days a week. 9a.m to 6 p.ne daily. 9 to 9: Thursday & Friday. West Van: Open 7-days a week. 9a.m. to6 p.m every day. Re ree wererererirerecoewr yy ; spans BEERS RR ee ie a Friday, April 25, 1997 ~ North Shore News — 44 home garden auty NORTH SHORE | JFE Ww your fertilizers and 8% potassium (K) or a total of 24% ele- mental plant food with the rest being filler. A better quality fertilizer will also contain appropriate quantities of the secondary and Micro nutrients. Natural products such as compost and manure will usually contain rea- sonable amounts of micro nutrients. Fertilizer companies produce hundreds of dif- ferent plant-specitic and all-purpose fertilizers for use in the garden. 1f your budget is limir- ed you may only want to buy a lawn fertilizer and a general all-purpose fertilizer such as 4.10.10 for your flowers and vegetables. In addition to these basic ones, you could pur- chase specialized blends such as rose or rhododendron fertilizer. There are many soluble or quick-release fertil- izers such as 20.20.20 on the market. They usually come in liquid or powder form and can be mixed with water for use with contain- ers and house plants or as a quick-acting sup- plementary fertilizer. Soluble fertilizers are too expensive and short-lived to be used as general purpose fertilizers. The slow release or coated fertilizers such as Osmocote or Nutricote are excellent for hanging baskets or areas where you want a high level of feeding but do not want to burn the roots. The capsules will slowly release the 14.14.14 fertilizer over 100 days when they are wet and the temperature is above 20 C (68 °F). For those who want to be organic, here are some sources for the major fertilizer elements: NITROGEN — compost, manures (especial- ly chicken or fowl), fish waste, seaweed, veg- etable meal (alfalfa), blood meal, green manure (fall rye) and nitrogen-fixing crops (peas), PHOSPHOROUS — compost, manures, natural ground rock phosphate, bone meal and seaweed. POTASSIUM — compost, manures, green- sand and potassium sulphate. CALCIUM — (this is nota major clement bur is very necessary in our wet climate) dolomite lime, ground limestone and bone meal, For those of you who wish to use a supple- mentary form of chemical or synthetic tertiliz- er that has been concentrated into one the many fertilizer softs, here is a hist of the mare cammon oncs by clement (note: they are not “balanced fertilizers” and should be used with great care only for supplementary purposes): NITROGEN — ammonium nitrate (33%), ammoniunt sulphate (21%), and urea (46%). PHOSPHOROUS — super phosphate (20%) and triple super phosphate (46%). POTASSIUM — potassium chloride (60%) and potassium sulphate (50%). Fertiléers and plant nutrition can be a com- plicated subject but over the vears most gar- deners sort out the essentials and become suc- cesstial growers. a NEWS photo Terry Peters PLANTS have a variety of nutritional needs and therefore one form of fertilizer may not satisfy the needs of all plants. Knowing what type of food each piant requires is essential for good gardening. Flower Carpet Rose Easy to grow and care for, this ground cover rose requires no fancy pruning, spraying or dusting. Very hardy, it blooms colourfully for long periods year after year. Pink or new while. Bright flowers bloom ali surmmer long. Lovely, fresh new Stock. “WITH ALL. WE KNOW, IT HAS TO GROW.” MAPLE LEAF GARDEN CENTRES NORTH VANCOUVER: 1343 LYNN VALLEY ROAD 985-1784 WEST VANCOUVER: 2558 HAYWOOD AVENUE 922-2673 Four plants per pack: DAdmer Advertising Fr eer Ne re rm pears rea ee a are $j hath Ale ate tk ab ok a ares ‘eee en ret err er sip er are ares tee Wyte ee Pete tnahged bake Pa