You have probably seen these three letters before on most all fertilizer, and soil amendment purchases, but what do these letters stand for, and why are they so important? Keep reading to find out!

       

What Is N-P-K:

N-P-K is an abreviated ratio that consists of the three most important nutrients required for plant health: Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), and Potassium (K).

 

While all three are usually found in most soil types, each garden can vary in the amount of nutrients available for your plants, which can greatly diminish the color, size, taste, and productivity of your harvest. In short, a good N-P-K balance is essential for plant health!

 

N: Nitrogen

In the plant ratio, the N stands for Nitrogen. This Nutrient is perhaps the most important of all as Nitrogen is responsible for plant growth, and foliar (leaf) Development. Nitrogen is a naturally occuring element that is found in the air we breathe, but is not readily available to plants, and is why we rely on other soil amendments to do the job!

 

Organic Matter is the best (and cheapest) way to add beneficial Nitrogen to your garden, and can be used when living material is broken down over time such as leaves, grass clipings, manure, ect...

 

Think of a forest: When the winter arrives, leaves from the trees fall creating a layer on the ground that, when broken down, gives all the plants in the forest beneficial nitrogen to continue growing! 

 

Nitrogen also promotes chlorophyll, which is a green pigment found in all living plants!   chlorophyll is essential as it allows the plants to absorb sunlight which in turn is used to create photosynthesis. Without photosynthesis, plants could not continue growing. 

 

Nitrogen should come with a balance however. Though Nitrogen is required, too much nitrogen can severely damage your plants. Plants that are given too much nitrogen usually show yellowing in leaves, stunted growth, and little to no fruit production. This is usually only a problem with store bought fertilizers. If you see any of these issues arrising, cut back on, or dilute fertilizer applications.

Nitrogen is the key component that all life relies on, and giving your plants the right amount will result in beautiful, lush plants, and produce!

 

P: Phosphorus

Phosphorus is the nutrient used to convert other smaller nutrients into key components for vital root development. Phosphorus is typically the main culprit in flower, and fruit production. More of this nutrient usually means more flowers, and fruit.

 

Just like Nitrogen, Phosphorus also plays a vital role in converting the suns energy into food for the plant, while also helping with photosynthesis, energy storage, cell division, metabilizing sugars, and the transfer of genetic information! 

 

Signs of phosphorus defiencies in soil are:

 

- Little to no Flowering

- Purplish tint in plants (Mainly Leaves)

- Weak Root Systems

- Stunted Growth

 

Beneficial fertilizers high in this nutrient include Bone Meal, Blood Meal, Worm Castings, and Mushroom Compost

 

K: Potassium

Pottasium is the third and final macronutrient found in the ratio, and is just as important! Potassium is used to "toughen" up the plant overall. It helps strengthen the cells to create disease resistence from pests, and acclimation to climate problems! 

 

Signs of Potassium defiencies in soil are:

 

- Downward Curling Leaves

- Extreme intolerance to diseases

- yellowing edges on leaves

 

Beneficial fertilizers high in this nutrient include Wood Ash, Kelp, Greensand, Manure, potash, Granite, and Compost.

 

 Complete, and Incomplete Fertilizers:

 

Complete fertilizers will contain all three of these beneficial macronutrients, while incomplete are usually fertilizers with just one of the nutrients in them. Incomplete fertilizers are typically used in tackling specific soil amendment issues, while complete are used for widespread applications designed to help increase the overall fertility of your soil!

 

Complete fertilizers are products such as Compost, and granular fertilizer blends, while incomplte fertilizers are products such as Bone Meal, and Fish fertilizer.

 

N-P-K Numbers:

 

When this ratio is found on fertilizer products, the letters are always in numbered form to show how high the products are in these nutrients. For example, you might find a product that has the numbers 10-10-10. This means that the fertilzer you are purchasing consists of 10% Nitrogen, 10% Phosphorus, and 10% potassium! 

 

For Seed Starting/seedlings, I recommend numbers that are lower than 5-5-5, and for general outdoor applications on larger plants, fertilizers around a 10-10-10 are perfect!

 

NOTE: You can test exactly how much of each nutrient you would need for the best harvest with soil testers!

 

Conclusion:

 

While there are many different types of nutrients found within soil, many are already present in your existing soil, and in amounts more than enough for healthy plant development. N, P, and K however are vital nutrients that plants quickly absorb and use, and are needed often! Learning how, and when to properly give your plants the right amounts of these nutrients will save you so much time in the long run, and bless you with a perfectly healthy garden!

 

I hope this blog helped, and if you have any questions, please reach out to us!

 

Gabe J. 

Beebe Seed Co.

beebeseeds@gmail.com