Feeding the Soil
Knowing which manure and fertilizers to use is critical for the health and success of your vegetable patch and backyard produce garden.
Most of the plant nutrients your veggies need will come from the soil. That much we have learned so far. It does not fall from the sky and not in thin air! Sometimes we fail to realize the importance of this aspect of our gardening and wonder why our crop yield is low, plants die or wither, do not thrive! WITHOUT NUTRIENTS/FOOD PLANTS WILL NOT GROW - THEY WILL DIE!
Sounds simple and straight forward, but we forget that it matters what and how much is available to these plants for their optimal growth. Rich soil under-root and underfoot is essential! There are plant foods that are readily available in the soil that can easily be absorbed and then there are those that have to undergo some natural degradation and breakdown for them to be useful, like compost elements and plant materials for example.
You need to protect your plants for being under-nourished and not having enough of one or the other food-source at their disposal and ready absorption.
Mostly water-soluble, these nutrients are carried and absorbed by the roots. Food , sun and water are all part of the mix that plants need, in moderation, frequently and consistently to grow, thrive and bear fruit!
Absorbing these chemicals from the ground and surrounding soil is critical for growth. We have to place these at the plants’ ready disposal. If it is not present in the soil or patch we are working/planting in, we need to add, cultivate and work it in from the outside. It is up to us vegetable gardeners to produce the optimal conditions, including exposure, location, soil, food and water for our plants to thrive.
Most gardeners will tell you that there are THREE BASIC COMPONENTS that have to be present for plants to grow, thrive and ‘feed’. They are
(i) nitrogen,
(ii) phosphoric acid, and
(iii) potash.
Most of our gardens will have trace elements and certain amounts of all three of these in varying concentrations and relations. Yet, there are in forms that are not easily and readily available or absorbed easily by plants. For any successful garden, you might have to add these to the soil, in order to create the optimal growing environment that you want and your plants demand and deserve.
Modern products make this process extremely easy:
There are lots containing all three in varying proportions depending on your needs and requirements
What is already in the ground, is pretty much an unknown and unreliable as a source of sustenance
Different plants have different needs
Effectively ‘feeding the soil’ from the outside , to what plants really need, is oftentimes referred to as ‘manuring’ or soil-enrichment Putting the right nutrients in place and within the plants’ easy reach, close to the roots, watering and weeding regularly is the best that you can do. They will take all that they need from the soil. You need to have all three elements to promote growth. Also, remember as a general rule of thumb, that too much of a good thing is not necessarily good! Researching and applying these as needed are critical to ensure growth and crop yield.
NOTE: SOMETIMES MANURE AND FERTILIZER ARE USED INTERCHANGEABLY IN LITERATURE AND OTHER SOURCES!
Organic soil feeds are more popular as they add not only to the texture and richness of the soil, creating an optimal growth environment, plants seem to ‘naturally’ take to them somewhat better and thrive more.
Fertilizer sometimes have more plant food, but add very little enhancement to the soil or stimulates more natural growth than the organic soil feeds.
Most gardens take between 60-90 days to successfully yield and run. This implies that immediate feeding is required and necessary. The more organically broken down your feed soil is, the better your plants and vegetables will fare.
For home gardeners, you can also fall back on your own garden yields for feeding your soil. Some examples of plant materials may include fallen leaves, grass clippings, vegetable tops and roots, green weeds, garbage, house slops, dish water, chip dirt from the wood-pile, shavings-any thing that will rot away and home-made compost.
Decomposition is a natural process and keeping it covered, turning it ever so often, even if you are buying, it will do the trick and give your plants the best nutrition needed.
You can also use the current growth and veggies and plow them under to feed the soil for next season. You do not have to merely depend on commercially available fertilizers and chemicals. There are natural alternatives that you can quite easily take advantage of as a backyard gardener, while doing your part for the environment!
For larger gardens using under-plowing of crops like rye, field corn, field peas and crimson clover are often used to feed the soil.
When using commercial fertilizers like most of us will inevitably have to do, we need to rely on adding to the available plant foods already in the soil. We need to give the plants what they need in order to live, grow, thrive and yield some crops. The best of both worlds so to speak to optimize the chances of a successful vegetable crop throughout the season.
Balanced amounts of the three elements nitrogen, phosphoric acid or potash are available in a variety of ‘mixes’. You can buy them bagged or in bulk.
Notes and guidelines for using fertilizers
Commercially available (bagged/bulk fertilizer), can be applied with manure as supplement, or on its own
Sowed or ploughed in, worked and evenly distributed into the soil.
Crises-cross to ensure coverage
Can be used also as top dressings, applied on the surface
Adding it throughout the life cycle as the plants grow is also recommended. Thorough mixing (even with some soil) is required at all times PRIOR to adding it to your garden or plants
Ensure that it does burn or damage the tender roots of young plants
MASTERING SOIL ENRICHMENT IS KEY FOR YOUR VEGETABLE GARDENING SUCCESS!
Additional readings on fertilizers and even asking an expert or two, might help you get ahead of your game and figure out how best to apply and utilize these in your own garden.
If you do opt for the more natural, organic solutions and manure, ensure that you pick a product that is well decomposed and worked through and from grain-fed animals. You can also choose to supplement with fertilizer. Most of these feeding options are available, but check in your local area and ask around for what might be the best (local growers or farmers will be able to tell you).
Here is a sampling of some of the nutrients and mixtures available to you in the market to feed the soil:
For quick-grow results try NITRATE OF SODA, rich in nitrogen stimulating plant growth in short time-frames, for high yield garden crops. Should be handles with care and following instructions carefully for application.
LIME additions (every 3-5 yrs add to your soil for optimal yield)
MURIATE and SULPHATE OF POTASH mixtures are often used for garden crops
Nitrogen-rich sources (COTTON-SEED MEAL) feed and spread well, with guaranteed results in a short-time-frame
Phosphate sources (GROUND BONE) lasts and are quite popular
Most commonly used and freely available from retailers, home garden centers and niche landscapers, gardening specialists are the mixture fertilizers. As a backyard gardener you have no choice as to use and believe the claims that are on the bag, the product that is in the bag, for what it is, taken at face value. Read the label and pick the one that is most suitable for your needs and requirements. You will be well advised to buy the brand from which you will apparently get the greatest and value, yielding crops throughout the season!
For garden crops, the mixed fertilizer you use should contain (about):
Nitrogen 4%
Phosphoric acid 8%
Potash 10%
Ensure that you mix the fertilizer through well before applying to your garden to optimize the growing environment.
NOTE: If you are using manure and fertilizer, you might have to adjust these (use less fertilizer, more manure or visa versa, depending on what you are planting and the condition of the soil) | 
