|
Welcome Spring! I
imagine that all of you are probably just as excited as I am about the
warming weather. We seem to receive messages from a lot of people out
there looking for the answer to many of the same questions. This
season we have decided to address some of these questions here in the
Growing with Jack newsletter.
Question:
Many fertilizer labels say they are
“General Purpose” but have different formulas and different ingredients.
How do I know that I am still buying a high quality fertilizer and how do I
tell all these products apart?
Answer:
As a consumer you should read product labels
and the fine print written on the container. In the case of water-soluble
fertilizers, the “Guaranteed Analysis” and “Derived From” statements on the
container tell what is in the product. The guaranteed analysis lists the
minimum percentage of plant nutrients in the product and usually lists the
forms of the elements, i.e. nitrate nitrogen versus urea nitrogen. The
derived from statement lists the sources of the nutrients.
Some products utilize less expensive
nutrient sources that contain harmful elements such as chlorides or sodium
salts. High chloride and sodium levels can cause plant injury due to the
build-up of harmful salts around your plant root zone. Products that
contain chlorides (aka muriate) or sodium (aka soda) in the ingredient list
should generally be avoided.
 Unfortunately,
many water-soluble fertilizer labels/formulas appear to read the same.
However, what sets fertilizers apart is the “quality or grade” of raw
materials used. Using a higher-grade (technical grade) raw material ensures
total or maximum water solubility. To actually “see” the water solubility,
place some of the fertilizer in water in a clear container and stir. It
should completely dissolve with no sediment on the bottom of the container.
This means the fertilizer is in “true solution” and can be taken up
immediately by the plant. Unlike some of the big box brands of fertilizers,
Jacks Classic water-soluble fertilizers are totally soluble. They are
produced with technical grade raw materials and contain
no harmful chlorides.
Do you have questions about
your plants or fertilizer usage? E-mail us at
info@jacksclassic.com
We will do our best to get you the answer in a timely fashion.
|
