Gardening requires a lot of water — most of it in the form of perspiration. — Lou Erickson

Just like us humans, plants need food to survive, the healthier the plant the less stress it will undergo when attacked by insects and diseases, which never fails to occur during some stage of their life cycle.

Plants growing in a residential environment will require some help to replace depleted nutrients, especially those in containers. This is where a dedicated fertilising regime takes centre stage.

There are many types of fertilisers on the market catering to every plant species known to man, hence knowing what type to use on a plant experiencing stress, the correct way to apply it and when to use it is of ultimate importance.

Here is a list of some that are readily available to us gardeners:

1. Organic, which is derived from animals.

2. Inorganic — that’s man-made.

3. Granular — that lasts for a period of three months before another application.

4. Foliar, which is water based, does not last as long as the granular, and so requires repeated applications but will give the plants a quick boost of nutrients as it is fast-acting.

There are three essential nutrients that all plants need and these are known as the macronutrients. They are NPK and we see these all the time on fertiliser packages, but most of us are not sure what they signify. So here is a breakdown of the three.

N — Nitrogen

P — Phosphorus

K — Potassium

Nitrogen is what gives the plants nice lush leaves and helps by stimulating the production of chlorophyll, which is the main pigment that allows plants to convert sunlight into food. Too much of this nutrient will result in more leaves than flowers or fruits, while too little will cause yellowing of leaves, stunted growth and smaller flowers.

Phosphrous, on the other hand, promotes healthy stems and roots and an abundance of flowers and fruits. You know your plant is lacking this nutrient if you notice flower stems are weak and buds do not open.

Potassium, which is referred to as potash, is used by the plant to recover quickly from damages done from insects, disease and weather extremes. Plants lacking this nutrient will show signs of yellow leaf margins (yellowing of leaves around the edges), poorly developed buds and weak flower stems.

So when next you go to purchase fertilisers do a quick check on your plants to determine their needs and buy accordingly.

We should also take a look at the micronutrients as plants need these elements to thrive. I will mention a few: calcium, magnesium, sulfur boron zinc, etc. They are also known as trace elements.

Now, armed with this bit of information, try to establish a regular feeding programme for your plants and remember too much is just as bad as too little.