Question
Since there is no expert in the "fertilizing" catagory, I'll try my luck here.  I would like to know an all purpose "general" fertilizer to use in my garden area. I live in Central Florida zone 9... You name it, I have it planted.... just too numerous to mention here.  Instead of using a hundred different "specific" types for each plant or flowers I have - I'd love to get down to just one or two types of fertilizers. Perhaps one for my container flowers and another for what's in the ground.. Any suggestions... I've heard everything from 8-4-8, 10-10-10, 20-20-20 and Miracle Grow and so on.  Please HELP!!!!

Answer
Connie, in regard to fertilizers, there are three basic nutrients necessary for the proper growth of plants. These include nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. There are also secondary nutrients such as iron, calcium, and magnesium, but the three primary ones are the most important.

Nitrogen is necessary for green foliage and overall plant growth. Phosphorus is needed to produce fruit, vegetables, and flowers; and has a direct effect on their size, production, and taste. Potassium, the most important nutrient for root crops such as carrots, beets, and radishes, promotes good stem strength and root development.

All commercially sold fertilizers have three numbers on the bag. This is called the NPK ratio. The first number represents the ratio of nitrogen; the second is the ratio of phosphorus; and the third is the overall ratio of potassium. For example, if a ratio is 20-10-5, the fertilizer has twice as much nitrogen as phosphorus, and four times as much nitrogen as potassium. The remaining nutrients in the bag include the secondary nutrients I mentioned earlier as well as inert fillers.

That is why I never recommend fertilizers higher in nitrogen for fruit-bearing plants such as tomatoes or peppers. Excessive nitrogen will result in lush foliage at the expense of the quantity and size of the produce. This would work well for lettuce, lawns, and evergreen shrubs, but not for fruit-bearing vegetables.

A good balance for fruit-bearing plants would be a 5-10-10 ratio. Some fertilizers may list the ratio at 10-20-20 or higher. All the higher numbers within the ratio mean is that the overall nutrient content is a higher percentage than the inert ingredients.

If you are looking for one fertilizer to meet all of your needs, I would go with a 8-10-10 or 10-10-10 balance. This will keep your plants' foliage green while still providing the other nutrients needed for blooming, production, and root development.

I hope this answered your question. Please write again if you need additional information.

Regards,

Mike