Match fertilizer to garden

Q. Is using an all-purpose fertilizer like Miracle Grow the best food for my vegetable garden?

Jim from Boardman

A. There are many types of fertilizer on the market that will work in your garden, but there is no “best food.” There are many “right types” of fertilizer that work for your garden site and your preferred methods of application.

The Miracle Grow product you purchase at the local garden center is simply a water-soluble product. There are many brands of water-soluble fertilizers on the market. These are easy to use by either dissolving the product in a watering can or using an attachment on your hose to disperse the product. Some of these come as concentrated solutions.

There are other granular products that work just as well. These tend to be larger bags with larger granules that need spread evenly over the ground and watered in after application.

The key is to purchase the right product with the right amount of fertilizer based on your garden’s needs.

Every fertilizer product is required to have a guaranteed analysis on the package. This will be listed in percentages as Nitrogen-Phosophorus-Potassium (e.g., 10-10-10). Thus, the 10-10-10 product has 10 percent nitrogen, 10 percent phosophorus and 10 percent potassium (potash). The other 70 percent of the package is fillers, which serve roles for ease of application and more.

Many products for the vegetable garden range from 12-4-8 to 9-4-12, with micronutrients and added calcium.

Nitrogen is most important for sweet corn production, but in excessive amounts can promote extra vining and no fruit on tomatoes and squash. Too much phosphorus can cause other issues, and impact water quality if it runs off the garden and gets into our water.

Most importantly, get a soil test before you grow your garden. If the pH is too high or too low, most of the nutrients (fertilizer) you apply will not even be able to be taken up by the plants’ roots. The test will tell you what to apply to get your soil into the best shape for growing vegetables.

Finally, make sure you read the label on the fertilizer you purchase. You can get an idea of what the application method should be and how much will need to be applied. This will give you a general idea of how long the fertilizer will last based on the size of your vegetable garden.

Eric Barrett is OSU Extension educator for agriculture and natural resources in Mahoning County. Call the office hot line at 330-533-5538 to submit your questions. Clinic hours are Mondays and Thursday from 9 a.m. to noon, through October.