If you have ever shopped for fertilizer for your plants, then you know the wide variety of options available. Water-soluble fertilizers are popular, often because they seem easy to work with: a scoop or so in the watering can and you’re done. Even within this subcategory, the options seem daunting: Organic? Synthetic? High phosphorus to promote blooms?
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To help clear these muddy waters, we tested five water-soluble fertilizers derived from a variety of sources. We applied them to plants grown for their fruit (‘Sun Gold’ tomato), flowers (a dwarf marigold mix), and foliage (‘Purple Ruffles’ basil). And while some of the results might be what you would expect, there were a few surprises.
Our control group of plants was grown with no fertilizer besides what was in the potting mix (Fafard 3B—a professional growing medium similar to many over-the-counter mixes) to see whether adding fertilizers made a difference in growth. The plants were planted in April, and we applied fertilizers every two weeks at the rates recommended for container plants on the packaging. In two cases, we did not follow the packaging instructions exactly as written. First, we applied Miracle-Gro Liquid All Purpose fertilizer at half of the recommended rate (this was an error caused by misreading the label and not the fault of the company); second, we used fish fertilizer every two weeks instead of every month as recommended on the packaging (this was done for the sake of consistent application across fertilizer types). All of these fertilizers were applied to three of each of the plant types tested. Average flower number and fruit number per plant were tracked for marigolds and tomatoes, respectively. At the end of the experiment, all plants were dried and weighed.
What we tested
We tested a range of fertilizers that come from different sources: organic options, like seaweed and fish emulsion, to synthetics like Miracle-Gro. The NPK ratio is the percentage of the nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, respectively, that the fertilizers provide. All of these fertilizers are widely available, and the costs presented are from amazon.com.
Bonide Atlantis Fish FertilizerNPK: 2–4–0
Cost: $11.67 for 1 qt.
Miracle-Gro Bloom Booster
NPK: 10–52–10
Cost: $9.04 for 1 lb.
Nature’s Source Plant Food
NPK: 10–4–3
Cost: $16.99 for 1 qt.
Miracle-Gro Liquid All Purpose Plant Food
NPK: 12–4–8
Cost: $5.92 for 1 qt.
Neptune’s Harvest Organic Seaweed Plant Food
NPK: 0–0–1
Cost: $15.20 for 1 qt.
All fertilizers offer a range of nutrients to plants, including nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, zinc, and a host of other elements. Of these, nitrogen usually has the most effect on plant growth. Adding nitrogen usually results in more growth. This was evident in our study. The final average weights of the plants tested provided an obvious way to separate the influence of fertilizers on plants. As expected, plants grown without fertilizer were smaller than plants grown with fertilizer. Of the plants treated with fertilizer, those that offered the lowest percentage of nitrogen resulted in the smallest plants, while those with higher levels of nitrogen resulted in larger plants.
All of the plants grew reasonably well with no obvious nutrient deficiencies; however, some differences in plant growth emerged as the experiment continued.
One of the most interesting things that we saw was the earlier emergence and greater number of fruit on tomato plants that were not fertilized. Though interesting, this is not surprising because, unlike the fertilized plants, the plants given no fertilizer immediately devoted their energy to reproduction (fruit production) instead of vegetative growth (stem and leaf growth). Plants that were fertilized devoted their energy to growth and developed fruit later than the control plants. By the end of the experiment, they were clearly producing more fruit. The same general trend was seen with marigold flowers. With sufficient nutrients, plants prefer to grow before they reproduce, but if nutrients are limited, plants prefer to devote what resources they have to ensuring that there is another generation.
One of the most interesting things that we saw in this experiment was the failure of Miracle-Gro Bloom Booster to provide a consistent increase in average bloom number in marigolds or fruit number in tomatoes (which should be expected because blooms turn into fruit). At only one sampling date for marigolds did Bloom Booster have the highest average number of blooms. Bloom Booster is supposed to work by offering plants a high dose of phosphorus, an element that is supposed to improve the number of blooms. Phosphorus is certainly required for plants to bloom; however, only a small amount is needed. Adding more phosphorus can even be considered a waste of a natural resource because most phosphorus for fertilizers is mined from a limited number of sites around the world. With an analysis of 10–52–10, Bloom Booster offers a level of phosphorus that is excessive for most plants. Remember that any phosphorus added to your plant beyond what the plant uses could end up running down a gutter and into a local pond or lake. Once it’s there, it will undoubtedly feed algae and contribute to a damaging reduction of oxygen in the water, which could suffocate fish and other aquatic creatures. Though the use of a half rate of Miracle-Gro All Purpose fertilizer was an accident, it did show that, even when applied at less than the recommended concentration, fertilizers can still have a significant effect on growth. Though a little more fertilizer can improve plant growth, plants can still grow and be perfectly healthy with much less fertilizer than what is recommended.
Using fertilizer provides better results than not using fertilizer, and paying attention to the amount of nitrogen and phosphorus in the fertilizer you are using is important. What appears to be less important is whether the product is organic or synthetic as both types performed well in our tests. Based on our results, our recommendation would be to select a fertilizer with a low concentration of phosphorus relative to the amount of nitrogen, something like a 5:2 ratio, and to apply it according to label instructions—or even at a lower concentration.
What is the benefit of these fertilizers?
Unlike granular, slow-release fertilizers, water-soluble fertilizers offer nutrients already dissolved in water, so they will be quickly available to plants.
Are organic options different than synthetic ones?
There are so many different types of organic and synthetic fertilizers that dividing them along these lines isn’t a reasonable thing to do. That said, organic fertilizers are often (but not always) made from renewable resources, might be more likely to release nutrients slowly, and might be more likely to contain valuable micronutrients.
Is salt buildup in the soil an issue?
This can be an issue with any fertilizer. For most fertilizers, it’s important not to add them with every watering so that you can flush out any excess fertilizer. Be sure to follow the instructions on the label.
Is it worthwhile to use them on in-ground plants?
Water-soluble fertilizers will work fine for in-ground plants; however, some of the fertilizer is likely to run off during application. Granular fertilizers will release more slowly with soil moisture and are likely to be more efficient, unless you have a downpour right after they’re applied.
Jeff Gillman teaches horticulture at Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte, North Carolina, where Mae Lin Plummer is a student.
Photos: Steve Aitken
It is currently believed that two in five of the World’s plant species are at risk of extinction, while just three crops – maize, rice, and wheat, are responsible for 50%of the World’s global food intake.
The global agricultural industry is alert to the challenges of feeding a growing population with limited arable lands, meaning that growers across the spectrum are actively seeking to increase the capacity to produce healthy crops with higher yields.
One of the most vital tools in the modern farmer’s tool kit, Water soluble fertilizers (WSFs), has been around for many years. Water soluble fertilizers are fertilizers that can be dissolved in water and are applied directly to the plant through drip irrigation and foliar application to increase nutrient use efficiency.
The use of drip irrigation significantly reduces nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions, compared to other irrigation systems, like furrow or sprinklers. Foliar application, which provides liquid fertilizer directly to the leaves instead of the soil, is a target-oriented approach since nutrients are delivered directly to plant tissues during critical growth stages.
It’s important to note that foliar applications are supplementary, the nutrients that plants can absorb through this application are limited, and they cannot replace soil-fertility programs.
Over the last three years, global demand for WSFs has grown steadily and is expected to return a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.4% over the next five years and reach $20.64 Bn by 2027.
This vibrant growth has been fueled by a globally increasing demand for environmentally-friendly fertilizers that can significantly improve crop nutrient uptake.
Using liquid fertilizer has many advantages, with the most glaringly obvious being the lack of need to handle or dilute the material from its purest form.
All that is required is to place a large enough tank in a strategic point in the field to be cultivated and attach a fertilizer injector pre-programmed to release the fertilizer through the irrigation system.
This appears to create an idyllic situation for the grower, with minimal physical handling of the fertilizer required with the injection pump doing most of the calculations.
Water soluble fertilizers allow farmers to easily adjust nutrient concentrations to the plant’s changing needs over their growth cycle.
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Working with water soluble fertilizers requires a little more of a hands-on approach. Still, from a professional outlook of extracting maximum value in the shortest time, it is generally regarded as well worth the effort.
Intensive fertilization throughout an entire growing season over a large area can be a costly exercise. Applying fertilizer in a soluble format, next to the root zone of the plant, costs a lot less while producing the same results, if not better.
An experienced irrigator will be aware of the stages to be followed to ensure an even distribution of the fertilizer after it has been diluted and distributed through irrigation. With proper care and attention, even fertilizer distribution can be perfectly synchronized.
To achieve maximum results, the irrigator will then be required to make some simple calculations to ensure that, once released into the system, the fertilizer is evenly spread throughout the area during the irrigation span.
With this information, the irrigator will be able to calculate and moderate the vital factor of water pressure differential in which the water pressure at the input and output access to the tank should have a differential of around 10%. This differential will allow the salt to dissolve and flow freely. The difference in input and output pressure can be easily controlled by a simple turn of a tap and a reliable set of pressure gauges.
If correctly calculated and stringently observed, this simple procedure will ensure that the soluble fertilizer will be evenly distributed over extensive areas within predetermined time scales to the highest accuracy levels. When doing these calculations, it’s important to keep in mind that water soluble fertilizers have a set solubility limit, and increasing levels above the manufacturer’s set threshold will not increase fertilizer distribution levels. Results will be achieved irrespective of the irrigation method either drip, sprinkler, or even the massive irrigation pivots used in large-scale open-field cultivation.
Water soluble fertilizers are based on the three essential plant macronutrients: nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). Out of the total of sixteen elements necessary to sustain plant life, N-P-K will always be the leading ingredients of water soluble fertilizers.
With foliar application, N-P-K are considered mobile nutrients and will move upward and downward from the point at which they were taken up and are transported out of the leaves to growing parts with higher demands (i.e. buds, younger leaves, growing roots).
Nitrogen is a major component of essential structural, genetic, and metabolic compounds in plant cells. It is also a building block for numerous organic compounds including amino acids, proteins, nucleic acids, enzymes, and chlorophyll.Of all essential nutrients, nitrogen is considered the most critical nutrient for adequate crop growth, development, and yield.
Phosphorus is an essential nutrient, both as a component of several key plant structural compounds and as a catalyst in numerous key biochemical reactions in plants. One of the most important roles of phosphorus is capturing and converting the sun’s energy into useful plant compounds.
Potassium is the third essential macronutrient for plant growth and development. Plants take up large amounts directly from the soil. Potassium helps plants to increase yields, improve their quality and nutrition value, and enhance the ability of plants to resist diseases, insects, cold and drought stresses, and other adverse conditions. It also helps in the development of a strong and healthy root system and increases the efficiency of the uptake and use of nitrogen and other nutrients.
Because of the highly accurate levels of distribution that are achieved through water soluble fertilizer, nutrition is applied evenly, both in terms of time and quantity, throughout the entire growth cycle while lowering the potential of damage by salt being dosed in an uneven pattern throughout the cultivated area.
Another added benefit is that applying soluble fertilizers helps to decrease the variation of nutrient concentration in soil.
Other pluses include decreases in levels of fertilizer leaching with a reduction in environmental impact while allowing for accurate application of trace elements, such as boron (B), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), molybdenum (Mo), manganese (Mn) and, zinc (Zn).
These micronutrients, while present in almost minute quantities in the water soluble fertilizers, play a vital part in interacting between the macronutrients (which make up the bulk of fertilizer and are essential to achieve continuous growth) and the healthy growth of plants, even when applied in the most minute of quantities.
With foliar application, micronutrients are considered immobile nutrients, which means that they are only distributed within the leaf and do not undergo considerable translocation to other parts of the plant, unlike macronutrients.
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As a World’s leading fertilizer manufacturer, ICL offers a wide choice of liquid and water soluble fertilizers specifically developed to face a variety of challenges in agriculture, public parks and sports arenas, and home gardens large and small.
Amongst our essential products is Micromax®, one of the families of granulated fertilizers from ICL, designed to maximize plant growth by specifically boosting micronutrient levels in the root zone while increasing the efficiency of the major nutrient program.
Micromax’s homogeneous characteristics ensure that every granule comprises a long list of secondary and micronutrient elements for maximum consistency when mixed.
The Agrolution® range from ICL will effectively deliver the correct portion of nutrients to crop gowns and is available in various breakdowns to suit soft or hard water situations.
Known for the purity of its ingredients and all the chelation of its trace elements in the fertilizer, Agrolution is indeed revolutionary, making it an ideal soluble fertilizer for large-scale drip irrigation projects through its ability to almost prevent the buildup of limescale totally in integral drippers allowing for a free flow of water and fertilizer over extensive areas.
For fruit and vegetable growers, especially in a greenhouse environment, Solinure® water soluble fertilizer enjoys a well-earned reputation for consistently providing above-average professional results at a low cost per acre.
Containing all of the macronutrients, as well as a dash of magnesium, Solinure®consistently provides high-performance results in large-scale crop cultivation projects. Solinure® Polymarine is an innovative range of chloride-free, water-soluble N-P-K fertilizers enhanced with seaweed and ideal for all crops.
The seaweed specifically helps plants cope with various stresses, stimulates root development, and promotes vigorous growth at all plant stages.
Recognizing that all crops, climates, and soil conditions combine to form a unique conundrum, the agronomy team at ICL developed the Nova® portfolio of water-soluble fertilizers to meet the nutritional needs of unlimited growing combinations. Taking in eleven products, the Nova portfolio presents a comprehensive solution to fertilizer requirements, backed up by ICL’s global technical support team.
Within the realm of foliar applications, ICL has a new portfolio of innovative, liquid, and water soluble fertilizers: Agroleaf Power, Agroleaf Special, Agroleaf Liquid, Agroleaf Crop, Nutrivant, and a foliar liquid range from Fuentes. Farmers need to match the ICL products’ formula according to the quality of the water, as they’re designed for both hard and soft water qualities.
While liquid fertilizers lend themselves to smaller-scale projects in orchards, open fields, and greenhouses, water soluble fertilizers generally come into their own in large-scale field crop cultivation projects over a short growing span or when applying turf fertilizers in public gardens and sports arenas where consistent coverage is essential.
No matter the challenges, ICL fertilizers will be up for it while always observing the highest levels of sustainability and preserving the environment.
Because of the highly accurate levels of distribution that are achieved through water soluble fertilizer, nutrition is applied evenly, both in terms of time and quantity, throughout the entire growth cycle while lowering the potential of damage by salt being dosed in an uneven pattern throughout the cultivated area.
Another added benefit is that applying soluble fertilizers helps to decrease the variation of nutrient concentration in soil.
Other pluses include decreases in levels of fertilizer leaching with a reduction in environmental impact while allowing for accurate application of trace elements, such as boron (B), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), molybdenum (Mo), manganese (Mn) and, zinc (Zn).
These micronutrients, while present in almost minute quantities in the water soluble fertilizers, play a vital part in interacting between the macronutrients (which make up the bulk of fertilizer and are essential to achieve continuous growth) and the healthy growth of plants, even when applied in the most minute of quantities.
With foliar application, micronutrients are considered immobile nutrients, which means that they are only distributed within the leaf and do not undergo considerable translocation to other parts of the plant, unlike macronutrients.
As a World’s leading fertilizer manufacturer, ICL offers a wide choice of liquid and water soluble fertilizers specifically developed to face a variety of challenges in agriculture, public parks and sports arenas, and home gardens large and small.
Amongst our essential products is Micromax®, one of the families of granulated fertilizers from ICL, designed to maximize plant growth by specifically boosting micronutrient levels in the root zone while increasing the efficiency of the major nutrient program.
Micromax’s homogeneous characteristics ensure that every granule comprises a long list of secondary and micronutrient elements for maximum consistency when mixed.
The Agrolution® range from ICL will effectively deliver the correct portion of nutrients to crop gowns and is available in various breakdowns to suit soft or hard water situations.
Known for the purity of its ingredients and all the chelation of its trace elements in the fertilizer, Agrolution is indeed revolutionary, making it an ideal soluble fertilizer for large-scale drip irrigation projects through its ability to almost prevent the buildup of limescale totally in integral drippers allowing for a free flow of water and fertilizer over extensive areas.
For fruit and vegetable growers, especially in a greenhouse environment, Solinure® water soluble fertilizer enjoys a well-earned reputation for consistently providing above-average professional results at a low cost per acre.
Containing all of the macronutrients, as well as a dash of magnesium, Solinure®consistently provides high-performance results in large-scale crop cultivation projects. Solinure® Polymarine is an innovative range of chloride-free, water-soluble N-P-K fertilizers enhanced with seaweed and ideal for all crops.
The seaweed specifically helps plants cope with various stresses, stimulates root development, and promotes vigorous growth at all plant stages.
Recognizing that all crops, climates, and soil conditions combine to form a unique conundrum, the agronomy team at ICL developed the Nova® portfolio of water-soluble fertilizers to meet the nutritional needs of unlimited growing combinations. Taking in eleven products, the Nova portfolio presents a comprehensive solution to fertilizer requirements, backed up by ICL’s global technical support team.
Within the realm of foliar applications, ICL has a new portfolio of innovative, liquid, and water soluble fertilizers: Agroleaf Power, Agroleaf Special, Agroleaf Liquid, Agroleaf Crop, Nutrivant, and a foliar liquid range from Fuentes. Farmers need to match the ICL products’ formula according to the quality of the water, as they’re designed for both hard and soft water qualities.
While liquid fertilizers lend themselves to smaller-scale projects in orchards, open fields, and greenhouses, water soluble fertilizers generally come into their own in large-scale field crop cultivation projects over a short growing span or when applying turf fertilizers in public gardens and sports arenas where consistent coverage is essential.
No matter the challenges, ICL fertilizers will be up for it while always observing the highest levels of sustainability and preserving the environment.
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