How To Choose The Right Fertilizer For Your Plants ( Complete Guide )

Here's our complete fertilizer guide ( by Kathy from Green Thumb Nursery ) so that you can make an informed decision when choosing which fertilizer to use on which plants in your garden and what you should consider when buying fertilizers from your favorite garden nursery ( Green Thumb! ) If you'd like to try out one or more of the fertilizers featured in the video, please visit one of our five Green Thumb locations located in Lake Forest, Ventura, Canoga Park, San Marcos, Santa Clarita where you can pick these up + many more great options.
Kathy explains what the benefits and differences are of adding nitrogen, phosphorus and/or potassium to the soil (the three main fertilizers listed on the front of the fertilizer boxes in a three number format e.g. 12-5-0) as well the minor nutrients such as calcium, magnesium, zinc, etc. She covers which fertilizers/ingredients are great for greening and growth of the plant, which fertilizers/ingredients promote root stimulation and healthy flowers and then which fertilizers/ingredients help with the overall health of the plant. The important distinction between mulch, top soils, specialty soil product adds and actual fertilizers. What the gardening saying, 'Up, Down, All Around' means in the context of soil fertilization. Kathy also covers which fertilizer ingredients you need to be careful about as far as adding too much to avoid burning your plants.
The video also covers information about Mycorrhizal Fungus and the benefits that it has in your garden, which products featured include this fungus. What it means when someone says that a certain product is a balanced fertilizer. As well as which fertilizer you should choose for your roses, citrus trees, evergreen trees, deciduous trees, fruit trees, vegetables, tomatoes, houseplants and more! Down To Earth fertilizers are all organic products and we recommend them because they are very picky about choosing top quality ingredients in their fertilizers!
Products Featured:
Down To Earth Blood Meal
Down To Earth Seabird Guano
Down To Earth Langbeinite
Down To Earth Feather Meal
Down To Earth Azomite
Down To Earth Alfalfa Meal
Down To Earth Fish Bone Meal
Down To Earth Rose & Flower Mix
Down To Earth Bio-Live
Down To Earth Bio-Fish
Down To Earth Citrus Mix
Down To Earth Fruit Tree
You can find information about our store locations, our phone numbers, our hours, sign up for our newsletter, read our weekly garden blogs, research plants on our plant library and more on our website here: www.greenthumb.com

[@TonyisToking]

Azomite is great because it is ~60% Silica. Silica will replace Carbon in cell structure and free up Carbon for sugar/terpene production. Freeing up that Carbon also means more biomass as you will have more total building blocks for growth. Big yields and high quality yields. If you combine Pumice, Basalt and Azomite you have some of the best mineralization you can get. It's why Volcanic valleys tend to contain farms historically.

[@big3ye378]

No it does not replace carbon that only happens in science fiction

[@29thRegtVermonter]

New to roses but ironically everything that was discussed about amending and introducing micro organisms, etc. is a practice I am all too familiar with after keeping a reef aquarium for about a decade. Thank you so much for this very informative video. I do appreciate it.

[@debrabrown6197]

Thank you for the information. I really never knew what the numbers were for. Now I know and will happy plants.

[@patmann9698]

Always so informative 💐

[@GreenThumbNurseries]

Thank you for the kind feedback! If you haven't already, please be sure to subscribe to our channel and click the notification bell so that you receive notifications whenever we publish a new video!

[@chentethedog7577]

Thank you for all the great and detailed information.

[@GreenThumbNurseries]

Thank you for the kind response! We really appreciate it, more videos to come! If you haven't already, please be sure to subscribe to our channel and click the notification bell so that you receive notifications whenever we publish a new video!

[@hoodymchoodson1499]

Good breakdown on usage

[@sussirodriguez1705]

Very informative. Will be stopping by to pick up some fertilizer’s. Thank you

[@GreenThumbNurseries]

Awesome love to hear that! If you haven't already, please be sure to subscribe to our channel and click the notification bell so that you receive notifications whenever we publish a new video!

[@urbangardeningandchickenke1018]

Excellently explained everything

[@GreenThumbNurseries]

Glad it was helpful!

[@fyre1borne]

Perfect Gardens for a much more in-depth explanation.

[@seniyeshepherd3050]

Thanks lady, another informative video!

[@GreenThumbNurseries]

You are very welcome! More to come! If you haven't already, please be sure to subscribe to our channel and click the notification bell so that you receive notifications whenever we publish a new video!

[@gdibble]

Great video explaining fertilizers. Thank you so much! 🙏🌱

[@Jay-ud6jv]

Awesome video. This is the best video on down to earth fertilizers.

[@fyre1borne]

Jay, I need you to understand this information is readily available. If you want a detailed video, Perfect Gardens by Mark. They actually call the company and explain what each ingredient does. What she is explaining is how the products have worked for her through: Trial and Error. This would indicate that she is still learning the products……

[@andymejia8572]

Amazing video

[@4horn4]

Very informative. Thank you.

[@GreenThumbNurseries]

Thanks again!

[@Wisconsin4eyes]

Good info. Just what I needed to know.

[@JeannetteShoreland]

Great video!

[@AJ-by6pd]

My favorite fertilizer is the Dr. Earth Life fertilizer. They ferment the fertilizer so it is more fast acting than traditional organic fertilizer. I use it for pretty much everything except my acid loving plants.

[@GreenThumbNurseries]

Awesome, thanks AJ!

[@chall443]

Great info

[@kejhanclayton6361]

Your awesome, thanks for the great info👌🏾

[@big3ye378]

11:24 Burglar fleeing the scene!

[@shellicaray]

You’re great!! Thanks s much !

[@GreenThumbNurseries]

So happy it was helpful! If you haven't already, please be sure to subscribe to our channel and click the notification bell so that you receive notifications whenever we publish a new video!

[@kevjoned1975]

I love you..I love down to earth so this is good that it's explained well thank you

[@user-xb1kg2ym8o]

Great information! What would you recommend for banana trees? Currently using foliage pro that I use on my other trees. Thank you!

[@keriperez6701]

Hi! I have been searching for the best fertilizer to give my deciduous ornamental trees. I have a young Japanese Magnolia and a young Chaste. And I live in Mississippi. Would i give them the same fert as the fruit tree fert for deciduous trees that you talk about at the end of this video or something else? What ratios would i look for? Thank you! I learned a lot from your video

[@MezzoMamma1]

Compost is best. It lets a little bit out at a time. Combination compost not just one decayed thing.

[@novafiddler1712]

I tried to top dress using the langbeinite last summer. It killed everything because it dropped my Ph so sharply. That has lest than 1/4 cup or 5 or 6 cubic feet. I would not recommend using it without a soil test. If you need to use it, use it as a soil amendment and do not top dress. I'd also avoid blood meal because there are safer sources of nitrogen and in my experience 9/10 will burn your plants. Blood meal may also have traces of heavy metals and other chemicals that *will* be absorbed by your plants. Thank you.

[@images675]

i thought Langbeinite doesn’t mess with you PH whatsoever that’s what another person channel said smh thanks

[@gregquartucy1096]

Thank you for the video. What would you recommend for my Japanese maples? Any differences between in ground and potted maples?

[@AJ-by6pd]

I’d get the fox farm happy frog Japanese maple fertilizer.

[@gregquartucy1096]

Thank you

[@lawrence1md]

I was hoping you talked about 4 4 4

[@cristameckler]

Thoughts on Rock Phosphate vs Seabird Guano for PHOSPHATE ?

[@quadvr]

Rock Phosphate takes 8 months to 14 months to break down (very slow release - you can also add Rock Phosphate to a hot compost to break it down quicker), Seabird Guano is a combo of fast and slow release. Here is my NPK combo for planting: I use Bat Guano + Fish Meal + Crab meal + Neam Seed Meal for N - Seabird Guano + Fish Bone Meal + Rock Phosphate for P, and Basalt + Kelp Meal + Alfalfa Meal + Azomite (optional GreenSand - takes 12 - 14 months to break down). For flowering and veg period Fish Meal 1 table spoon + Bat Guano 1/2 tea spoon + Seabird Guano 2 tea spoon + Fish Bone Meal 2 table spoon + Kelp Meal 1 tea spoon + Alfalfa Meal 1 table spoon + mixed with Worm casting 1/4 cup - per plant. You want to have fast, medium and slow release for the best results. Cheaper method will get the job done also: You can also use Bio Live + Worm casting during planting, then use Bio Fish + Seabird Guano during flower (or Fish Bone Meal) + Langbeinite for veg and flower.

[@amoore05359]

@Green Thumb Nurseries what would u recommend for cannabis growth ?

[@tyler238]

😂😂

[@mainiac51947]

When should I use the 16/16/16 fertilizer I have?

[@GreenThumbNurseries]

16-16-16 is a pretty powerful all-purpose (you have to be careful because it will burn if used excessively) so we would recommend only using it on lawns/established shrubs & trees starting in March every 6-8 weeks until November

[@quadvr]

Langbeinite doesn't effect the PH (like Dolomite Lime for PH up and Garden Gypsum for PH down). Also you want to be careful when using Langbeinite. Langbeinite is water soluble and available right away.

[@Democracy65]

Since when is peat a mulch and have any nutritional value?

[@splitshot71]

Freudian slip there with the miracle grow comment. 👍

[@Roudy420_]

Rabbit! 11:24

[@richardwilliams3839]

Good video just join ur channel 2023 June

[@fyre1borne]

Alfalfa meal is used for the natural hormones to help your plant grow. The hormone is call tricontanol. Tricontanol helps with upping chlorophyll levels and helps with higher photosynthesis. This is WHY you use alfalfa meal. Using this throughout the plant life is optimal. Gobberellic Acid is found in seaweed/kelp products. It helps with increasing fruit size and helping a seed germinate. Placing your seed in gibberic acid will increase the likelihood of seed germination. Following the directions on the back of the box is a horrific idea by the way. Using a maximum of 75% of the recommended dosage is a better plan of action. It takes 12-16 days for dry amendments to begin to break down in the soil to be biologically active for the plants. Before placing ANY plant in amended soil: mix the soil, add the dry amendments and some form of root inoculation and water. Let it sit for 2 weeks BEFORE placing your plant. This does two things: if you are buying soil, it gives you time to make sure there are no fungus gnats or bugs in the soil. It also allows the soil microorganisms to build up and make a much more hospitable environment.

[@stevenbrown7666]

The bio live is out of this planet

[@damienbender213]

Don't be a killer,use with caution.

[@129jamie]

How’s manure a snack?😂 surely manure can be the whole meal…

[@DavidfromMichigan]

It's just in a sense, half way broken down into available nutrients, so only a little at a time I guess.

[@129jamie]

@@DavidfromMichigan if the manure is properly composted down it won’t burn and can be the full feed the snack imo would be the like s of top dressing mulch or molasses.

[@dagby1303]

🤔 Blood meal? Human or other?

[@4horn4]

Very informative. Thank you.

[@GreenThumbNurseries]

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