Which one to choose? T E F Ti THIS IS a confusing time of the year for the novice gardener. He or she has an carnest desire to do right by their lawn or garden, and that would appear to mean sup- plying a proper fertilizer. The problem is, which is the right choice? The way some advertisers pro- claim the virtues of their B-28 Super Grow with the cosmic, ultra-nutrient package, you'd think it could grow hair on a cue-ball. And then we have the bargain brand that seems to promise sure- fire success at prices that any company would fail on. This is the typical scenario en- countered during the quest for ad- vice in the gardening industry; lots ‘of it and none of it matches. Something like my sock drawer. What the novice needs is the fun- damental knowledge that will help in recognizing sound advice. So let’s take a closer look at fer- tilizers and how they work. First, the macro nutrients. These are the elements represented by the three most prominent numbers on the label. It might be 6-8-6, 20-20-20, or 12-4-8, whatever the combination, it all refers to the amount of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) present in the pro- duct. These are the most essential elements for plant growth and each has a special job to do. Nitrogen is responsible for green growth production, which is why it is usually the highest number found in a good lawn food. it is required in the formation of chlorophyll. A deficiency in nitrogen is indicated by slower growth, pale, green color or an overall yellowing. Phosphorus is needed for cell division, stiff stems, and flower and seed formation. Bonemcal - makes a great bulb food because the high concentration of phosphorus will assure strong, upright stems and beautiful flowers. The benefits derived from po- tassium are more indirect than direct. It must be present in order for the plant 10 make the best use of the other elements. It is also need- ed in the formation of seeds and starch, the plant world’s equivalent of fat. So now when Aunt Abigail tells you that fish fertilizer is just the thing for your fluwering plants, you can now tell her that she’s been smoking too much of what she grows. Fish fertilizer has an N-P-K ratio of 5-I-f.:In other words it would be great for the grass but not much good for flower production. If you are trying to grow foliage . such as in-ground covers, lawns, or evergreen trees and shrubs, the nitrogen should be dominant (N- P-K). Flowering plants are best served by higher amounts of phosphorus (N-P-K) while newly planted mate- rials require more phosphorus and potassium (N-P-K). You may also come across a ref- erence to trace elements or micro- garden gate nutrients: iron, calcium, magne- sium, manganese, boron, copper, zine, etc. They are also required by your plants, but in far less quan- tities. A mark of a quality fertilizer is presence of trace clements in prescribed amounts. Now what about this quality thing. Well just as you suspected there is some truth to claims of quality. There are obvious differences -encountered in products that have different formulations. Discover mushroom varieties * FOR.YEARS Vancouver has been the mushroom cap- ital ‘of Canada — we consume more mushrooms in B.C. than in any other province. This weekend produce merchants at Lonsdale Quay Market will feature varieties of mushrooms at special prices. These varieties include the cornucopias; oyster and. shiitake mushrooms produced - by: Sylvan _ Mushrooms of Aldergrove. 1707 MARINE DRIVE WEST VANCOUVER 925-3673 Parking above Royal Bank strum. Recipes using these three varieties will be presented in the demo kitchen by home economist Karel Nord- Demonstrations and tastings will take place at 11:45 a.m, and 2 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday, March. 19 and 20. The demo kitchen is located on the ‘main market floor and produce stalls featuring the mushrooms are nearby. . les (A DIVISION OF MORLEY CHARLES & ASSOC. INC.) Vancouver's Original Discounter of FIRST QUALITY Designer Fabrics and Wallpaper for Your Decorating Needs. Ideal for Draperies, Bedspreads, Upholstery, Duvets, Slipcovers, Quilting, Clothes. Always 50 to 80% off. 2433 WEST 41st AVE. VANCOUVER _ 266-3334 ‘Parking in rear 25 - Friday. March 18, 1988 - North Shore News A brand that offers 12-4-8 has half the essential nutrients as one claiming 24-8-16, and one should expect to pay a higher price. Some of the more expensive varictics contain costlier ingre- dients, such as organic fertilizers or slow release materials. Good examples can be seen in the products that use SCU (sulphur-coated urea) as the source over the Geoff Tobiasson of nitrogen. Nitrogen dissipates very quickly in the soil, but the use of SCU can slow this process down to give an even, longer-lasting supply. So products that have different N-P-K ratios or different compo- nents can justify different prices; but what of the cheap 12-4-8 when compared with the one that sells at twice the price? Bargain-brand fertilizers are generally comprised of finer parti- cles that have been screened out of the better brands. Also, a careful inspection could reveal the inclusion of trace ele- ments in the superior blend. Lastly, some of the best types will fuse the elements in such a way that will ensure each particle has the right proportion of N-P-K. [ should point out that the adoption of a common-sense ap- proach to organic gardening will reduce your garden’s requirements of expensive, packaged fertilizer. If you recycle your garden and kitchen waste you will be reusing the nutrients that have been stored within. Eggshells are high in phosphorus and calcium, wood ash is high in potassium, and so on. Your dream Jawn might still require the B-28 Super Grow, but it’s your compost - that will grow dollars.