Like humans, plants also require certain nutrients to survive. So if you have a plant, and it really doesn’t seem to be thriving, you might decide to give it some nutrition. but is it needed plant food, or fertilizer, And what is the difference between the two? Here’s what to know.
Difference Between Plant Food and Fertilizer
Although the terms are often used interchangeably, plant food and fertilizer are not the same thing. The biggest difference is that plant food is made by the plants themselves, whereas fertilizer is a synthetic or natural substance that is added to the soil of plants. Here are some more details:
plant food
The easiest way to remember the difference between plant food and fertilizer only plants can make plant food: This is not something that can be bought (no matter what the product’s label says). To produce the simple sugars they use as food, plants convert water, carbon dioxide, and sunlight during photosynthesis, and absorb nutrients in the soil through their roots.
When a plant is not able to obtain the nutrients it needs through its soil, it may benefit from adding some fertilizer or manure to make up for the lack of nutrients.
fertilizer
The amount of nutrients in soil depends on a number of factors, including its texture (loam, sand loam, silt loam), organic matter content, and pH. The best way to test your soil Find out what nutrients are There are substantial amounts present, and those you may want to add to the soil using fertilizer.
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Commercial fertilizer comes in formulations of various proportions of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium — the nutrients plants need in greatest amounts. This Lifehacker Articles WebMD decodes the letters and numbers on fertilizer bags from May 2021, and explains how to choose the type that will benefit your plants the most.
In addition, this page University of Minnesota Extension Provides further details on the different types of fertilizers, and when to use them.