Which fertiliser should I use ... Newbie allotment holder

[wbmkk]

A couple of days I was at my nearby allotment shop and there were various 'old boys' buying several bags of fertiliser .. Some sulphate of potash, sulphate of ammonia to name a few.

As a newbie allotment holder, I am keen to try my best during my first growing season on the plot, but when it comes to fertiliser I need some advice please.

Surely it is easier to buy a straightforward general fertiliser, such as grow more, them I can give this to everything.

I realise nitrogen, N is needed for leaves, potash, K for flowers / fruit and phosphorus, P for roots, but surely most vegetables will at least need the N and the P.

Why faff around ... Just throw on some grow more and 'jobs a good un'

[Kristen]

I put some Nitrogen fertiliser (with no P or K) on Brassicas when young to get them to get a wiggle on.

I put Potash on Tomatoes, Melons etc. once the fruit has set to get them to bulk up - but I use a liquid feed for those, which has a lot less, proportionately, N and P than K

Everything else gets balanced "growmore"

[Bigmallly]

I tend to sprinkle Chicken Pellets or Blood, Fish & Bonemeal into the planting hole then leave them to it. It's just a habit I have got into, I'm not saying it's a good one, just the one I use.

[Two_Sheds]

Just throw on some grow more and 'jobs a good un'

The overuse (and run off) of nitrates is a massive pollution problem in our rivers & streams, so no, more isn't better: Farming for water quality: balancing food security and nitrate pollution in UK river basins | Farming Futures

Plants make food from sunlight (photosynthesis), and from carbon dioxide in the air, and from minerals etc in the soil. Ideally, gardeners & farmers should test soil "before randomly applying any old fertilizer off the shelf"
How Plants Feed Themselves / Summer | Fiskars

If your soil is poor to start with, eg it's a new build garden, you may need to add feeds for your plants. If your soil is in good heart though, with compost added every year, you probably don't need any additional fertilisers. The old adage "feed your soil, not your plants".

[Kirk]

A general will be a good start, it keeps things easy. However there could be a time when you need more of one aspect then another for a given vegetable in which case you get a more specific fertiliser for that. Many will use a general one then add an additional amount of something.

Root crops and tomatoes will be slightly different in their requirements.

The other aspect is many people will concoct their own mix, 3 scoopes of one, 3 scoopes of another and 5 scoopes of the final.

Would suggest you look also at manure and other organics, fertilisers are OK for a boost or direct hit but do nothing for the soild structure and fertility. They add a chenocal that you hope the plant root will get access to.

[Thelma Sanders]

I tend to sprinkle Chicken Pellets or Blood, Fish & Bonemeal into the planting hole then leave them to it

I do the same - only applying a little more if things look as if they need a boost

[Richard Eldritch]

I use blood fish and bone as it's organic and slow release. If anything needs a boost I give it a shot of Growmore ( which isn't organic at all!)

[Fleurisa]

Your first decision is whether you want to use natural or chemical fertilisers.

[sparrow100]

Your first decision is whether you want to use natural or chemical fertilisers.

And while I don't want to add to your confusion, bear in mind that foxes are often attracted by blood,fish and bone. I can only use it on my plot if the plants are netted. Otherwise the beggars dig them out thinking that there is something tasty buried in the bed. I don't want to use growmore, because it's chemical, but until the comfrey and nettles are in fill swing, I do resort to a bit of it.

[Two_Sheds]

I use blood fish and bone as it's ...slow release. If anything needs a boost I give it a shot of Growmore

Growmore is just about the same as BFB, ie balanced & slow release ~ it's manmade, not organic. If you want a "booster" you ought to use a liquid feed

[Knight of Albion]

The overuse (and run off) of nitrates is a massive pollution problem in our rivers & streams, so no, more isn't better: Farming for water quality: balancing food security and nitrate pollution in UK river basins | Farming Futures

Plants make food from sunlight (photosynthesis), and from carbon dioxide in the air, and from minerals etc in the soil. Ideally, gardeners & farmers should test soil "before randomly applying any old fertilizer off the shelf"
How Plants Feed Themselves / Summer | Fiskars

If your soil is poor to start with, eg it's a new build garden, you may need to add feeds for your plants. If your soil is in good heart though, with compost added every year, you probably don't need any additional fertilisers. The old adage "feed your soil, not your plants".

Very wise words.

[Richard Eldritch]

My Mistake I meant Miracle Grow!

[dim]

I dont use granular manmade fertilizers such as miracle grow etc on my own garden, but for some of my clients, I use Osmocote plus ...

there are several options .... slow release for 6 months or 9 months

[Martin H]

My soil is clay and doesn't seem short of nutrients so I don't do much fertilizing. I use a bit of pelleted chicken manure when things need a nitrogen boost though, for example I put some on my overwintered onions last weekend. Otherwise I just try and keep the soil in good heart with mulches.