| Plant requires 16 nutrients that are essential for the | | | | the nutritional needs of the crops, types of soil and |
| growth of healthy plants and crops. Most of the | | | | the stage of the plant. The plants should be supplied |
| required nutrients are not found in the soil and so to | | | | with the right type of nutrients required at a |
| promote the plant growth a well-planed fertilizer | | | | particular stage so that fertilizers act as a plant |
| feeding to crop is required. Fertilizer is generally | | | | growth regulator. Different types of fertilizers are |
| applied through soil or leaves of the plant to provide | | | | required at the various stages of the plants or crops. |
| the required nutrients to the plants. Soil is supposed | | | | Before planting the crops one has to make sure that |
| to have some nutrients that are essential for the | | | | the soil has well-composed organic matter that will aid |
| plant growth but soil do not provides an unlimited | | | | in retaining moisture and will also provide some slow |
| supply of the nutrients to growing plants. Most of the | | | | release nutrients for the soil. At the time of planting, |
| fertilizers are known for providing nitrogen, potassium | | | | phosphorous based fertilizer is required that will help |
| and phosphate but just adding nitrogen, potassium | | | | in healthy root growth. This nutrient is found in most |
| and phosphate alone do not solve the purpose and | | | | of the standard fertilizer. In the flowering stage |
| one has to apply fertilizer based on the type of soil | | | | plants need extra nitrogen and potassium hence |
| and the nutritional needs of the particular crops. | | | | nitrogen or potassium fertilizers are used as these |
| Fertilizers are broadly categorized into two categories | | | | proves to be great for promoting flowers. |
| of organic and inorganic fertilizers. Organic fertilizers | | | | Fertilizers are required to be carefully applied to the |
| are derived from living or once living material such as | | | | plants as applying too much of fertilizers can cause |
| animal wastes, crop residues and numerous other | | | | damage to the crops as well as harm the |
| byproducts of living organism. Inorganic fertilizers are | | | | environment whereas applying less fertilizers can |
| derived from non-living sources such as commercial or | | | | hamper the growth of the plants or crops. Hence |
| man made fertilizers. Organic fertilizers improve the | | | | one need to carefully analyze the fertilizer needs of |
| productivity of the soil and prove to be plant growth | | | | the plants and provide fertilizer keeping in mind all the |
| regulators, if applied properly. Fertilizers are mostly | | | | essential aspects of plant growth and plant |
| applied through soil or through leaves. Fertilizers that | | | | requirements. Thus to balance all the required |
| are applied to be up taken through leaves are called | | | | nutrients at different stages of the plant, different |
| as foliar fertilizers. | | | | fertilizers are applied either through soil or through |
| There are several types of fertilizers available and | | | | leaves. |
| one has to smartly choose a fertilizer depending on | | | | |