Fertilizing South African Gardens

Fertilizing South African gardens is a task that should certainly form part of your complete garden maintenance program, but just what makes this such an important task?

Here are a few key reasons to fertilize your garden:

• Fertilizing helps supplement your garden with added nutrients essential for plant growth and flowering. These nutrients are often lost due to flushing rain and irrigation. This makes fertilizer a super food for your garden.
• Fertilizing can be the difference between a plant just surviving and a plant thriving. Well-fed plants are hardier and resilient. 
• Fertilizing helps new plants to take better to their new environment
• Fertilizing helps prevent weeds and moss from establishing

To help you further understand the importance of fertilizing South African gardens, here is a breakdown of the 3 macro-nutrients found in fertilizer, and how they help your garden:

• Nitrogen:  This nutrient is responsible for ensuring your plant is green and has healthy branch development
• Phosphorus: This nutrient is often missing in soil, and aids the root and stem development and regulates flowering and fruiting
• Potassium: Also known as potash, this nutrient promotes sap flow and aids with production of flowers and fruiting

There are also various micro-nutrients found in fertilizer, such as iron, manganese, copper and aluminum in smaller quantities. These offer general plant well-being, tissue growth, assist with the formation of chlorophyll and build healthy cell walls.

With all this in mind – be sure not to miss this vital task in maintaining your garden, but remember these few tips:

• Always use fertilizer sparingly and according to directions to avoid fertilizer burn
• Although modern chemical fertilizers are not as harmful to the environment as in decades past, try choosing an organic fertilizer over a chemical fertilizer
• Different types of fertilizer focus on different plant types – be sure to discuss your specific requirements with your supplier

If you have any further questions on fertilizing, feel free to contact us, we will gladly help with clarity.