While plants, flowers, grass and trees get plenty of nutrients from the atmosphere and the soil they’re planted in, they don’t get everything they need to really flourish. That’s where garden fertiliser steps up and gives your plants a little helping hand – by providing additional minerals, it will encourage stronger, and sometimes faster, growth.
Buying fertiliser, however, can be a little confusing, so we've put together this guide to explain the differences between the options available and point you in the right direction for the needs of your plants, borders, vegetables and lawns. From there, we have some great recommendations for organic, liquid and slow-release fertilisers from established brands such as Miracle-Gro, Westland and Baby Bio.
Without further ado, let’s get into the nitty-gritty. We’ll be looking at what nutrients to keep an eye out for, whether you should opt for chemical or organic food and the differences between liquid and granular options. Your indoor and outdoor plants will be flourishing in no time!
The first thing to get familiar with is a fertiliser's NPK rating, which just requires a quick biology brush-up. Basically, there are six primary foods/nutrients that plants need to survive, but the first three (oxygen, hydrogen and carbon) are found in the atmosphere and soil, so we don’t have to worry about those.
The other three are nitrogen (N), which aids plant growth, phosphorous (P) to strengthen the roots and potassium (K) to increase flower and fruit production. As these are more difficult to obtain, most fertilisers will focus on providing these. The percentage of each will be given as an NPK rating, whereby the higher the number, the more of that nutrient there is.
For example, if you see 24 - 8 - 16, that means it has three times more nitrogen than phosphorus and two-thirds of the potassium, so its main focus is growth. If it's a 7 - 7 - 7, it's a great all-rounder for plant health. Fertilisers with higher percentages do tend to be a little more expensive, so it can be a bit of a balancing act getting the best for your budget.
Next, consider whether to opt for organic or chemical fertilisers. The big reason people tend to go for organic is that it isn't toxic to animals, so if you have pets at home, this is a guaranteed way of them staying safe no matter what. Non-toxic formulas won't hurt any wild animals either, which is always nice to know.
However, one thing chemical fertilisers offer is better value. If you’re planning on building a vegetable garden, then purchasing large quantities of organic fertiliser could end up costing a small fortune over the years. It's advised to wait a couple of weeks after application before eating chemically-fed fruit and veg, though, and to wash it thoroughly.
While organic seems like the best way to go, the reality is that these often don't offer the same amount of nutrients as chemical options. Therefore, it's about balancing your desire for a great garden with price, your household's needs and how much time you're willing to spend pruning.
Many people assume that choosing between liquid or granular fertiliser is a matter of personal preference, but there is some method to it as well. Firstly, liquid, which tends to come as a concentrate that's added to a watering can or a hosepipe attachment, is often a faster-acting food but it will need to be reapplied every few weeks. It is easier to use in smaller pots, like those of your houseplants.
Dry fertiliser, meanwhile, is mixed and watered into the soil. Many gardeners find granules easier to work with because you can see exactly how much you’re using at any given time, and more crucially, where it has landed. In addition, these types don't typically need to be reapplied as often as they can last anywhere between 4 and 12 weeks, which is better if you have big outdoor beds to attend to.
Now that we’ve had a look at the main factors you should be considering when buying fertiliser, it’s time for our recommendations. We’ve focused mainly on multipurpose food rather than those specifically for certain flower or fruit species, but there are some more specific options for lawn and houseplant care.
£16.99
NPK | Unknown |
---|---|
Organic or Chemical | Organic |
Type | Granular |
Speed | Slow-release |
Suitable For | General garden use, beneficial for herbaceous borders, shrubs and top-dressing roses |
Volume | 2 x 40 L |
£20.89
NPK | Unknown |
---|---|
Organic or Chemical | Organic |
Type | Liquid |
Speed | Fast-acting, feed every 2 weeks |
Suitable For | All plants, flowers and vegetables, houseplants |
Volume | 1 L |
£10.44
NPK | High nitrogen |
---|---|
Organic or Chemical | Chemical |
Type | Liquid |
Speed | Fast-acting |
Suitable For | Lawns |
Volume | 1 L (treats 200 m2) |
£5.90
NPK | 1.9 - 0.7 - 3.3 |
---|---|
Organic or Chemical | Organic |
Type | Liquid |
Speed | Fast-acting, use with each watering |
Suitable For | Houseplants |
Volume | 300 ml |
£4.69
NPK | 24 - 8 - 16 |
---|---|
Organic or Chemical | Chemical |
Type | Liquid |
Speed | Fast-acting, feed every 2 weeks |
Suitable For | All-purpose, houseplants |
Volume | 1 kg |
£2.00
NPK | 10.6 - 4.4 - 1.7 |
---|---|
Organic or Chemical | Chemical |
Type | Liquid |
Speed | Slow-release, feed every 2 weeks |
Suitable For | Houseplants, potted plants |
Volume | 175 ml |
£29.99
NPK | 12 - 12 - 36 |
---|---|
Organic or Chemical | Chemical |
Type | Granular |
Speed | Slow-release |
Suitable For | All-purpose, flowers, fruit vegetables |
Volume | 1.5 kg |
£14.50
NPK | 3 - 9 - 3 |
---|---|
Organic or Chemical | Organic |
Type | Granular |
Speed | Slow-release, feed every 4-6 weeks |
Suitable For | All-purpose outdoor |
Volume | 1.5 to 10 kg |
£10.50
NPK | 7 - 3 - 5 |
---|---|
Organic or Chemical | Chemical |
Type | Liquid |
Speed | Fast-acting, feed every 7-14 days |
Suitable For | All-purpose, flowers and veg in pots or beds |
Volume | 1 L or 5 L |
£13.99
NPK | 7 - 7 - 7 |
---|---|
Organic or Chemical | Chemical |
Type | Granular |
Speed | Slow-release, feed every 4-6 weeks |
Suitable For | All garden plants |
Volume | 1.5 to 10 kg |
Image | 1 ![]() Westland | 2 ![]() Miracle-Gro | 3 ![]() Westland | 4 ![]() Richard Jackson | 5 ![]() Baby Bio | 6 ![]() Miracle-Gro | 7 ![]() Growth Technology | 8 ![]() Vitax | 9 ![]() Grow Mate | 10 ![]() Simpahome |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Name | Growmore Garden Fertiliser | All Purpose Concentrated Liquid Plant Food | Fish, Blood and Bone All Purpose Plant Food | Flower Power Premium Plant Food | Original Plant Food | All Purpose Soluble Plant Food | Houseplant Liquid Concentrated Fertiliser | Green Up Liquid Feed & Weed | GrowthMax Liquid Organic Fertiliser | Essential Nutrients Organic Farmyard Manure |
Features | Consistent Nutrients for a Reasonable Price | Visibly Better Plants in Seven Days | Natural Feed for a Healthy Garden | The Equivalent of Steroids for Plants | Give All Your Potted Greenery a Helping Hand | A UK Favourite for Garden and Indoor Plants | Increase the Yield on Cacti and Other Houseplants | A Dual Feed and Weedkiller for the Perfect Lawn | Who Doesn’t Want a 400% Greater Yield? | Big Quantity at a Competitive Price |
Price | £13.99 | £10.50 | £14.50 | £29.99 | £2.00 | £4.69 | £5.90 | £10.44 | £20.89 | £16.99 |
NPK | 7 - 7 - 7 | 7 - 3 - 5 | 3 - 9 - 3 | 12 - 12 - 36 | 10.6 - 4.4 - 1.7 | 24 - 8 - 16 | 1.9 - 0.7 - 3.3 | High nitrogen | Unknown | Unknown |
Organic or Chemical | Chemical | Chemical | Organic | Chemical | Chemical | Chemical | Organic | Chemical | Organic | Organic |
Type | Granular | Liquid | Granular | Granular | Liquid | Liquid | Liquid | Liquid | Liquid | Granular |
Speed | Slow-release, feed every 4-6 weeks | Fast-acting, feed every 7-14 days | Slow-release, feed every 4-6 weeks | Slow-release | Slow-release, feed every 2 weeks | Fast-acting, feed every 2 weeks | Fast-acting, use with each watering | Fast-acting | Fast-acting, feed every 2 weeks | Slow-release |
Suitable For | All garden plants | All-purpose, flowers and veg in pots or beds | All-purpose outdoor | All-purpose, flowers, fruit vegetables | Houseplants, potted plants | All-purpose, houseplants | Houseplants | Lawns | All plants, flowers and vegetables, houseplants | General garden use, beneficial for herbaceous borders, shrubs and top-dressing roses |
Volume | 1.5 to 10 kg | 1 L or 5 L | 1.5 to 10 kg | 1.5 kg | 175 ml | 1 kg | 300 ml | 1 L (treats 200 m2) | 1 L | 2 x 40 L |
Link |
Having a bit of green space, no matter how big or small, is a wonderful thing, but it does take some upkeep. Check out the recommendations below to keep your lawn watered, repot your plants in the best possible soils and even make your own compost for your flowers or veg patch.
Whether you're looking for fertiliser for your prized roses or you want to finally get around to starting that veg patch, we hope that the products we've recommended will help you in your mission. We believe that if you follow the advice, then your plants are sure to be bigger and greener than ever!
Author: Lewis Clark
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