Liquid Vs. Timed-Release Fertilizer

When it comes to fertilizing your garden or flowers this summer you have multiple choices for fertilizer, two of which are, liquid, and timed release. Both fertilizer options offer advantages and disadvantages. Liquid fertilizer offers quick, even, coverage immediately, but can be costly as it is applied many times, whereas time-release fertilizer is less expensive but takes longer to work. This article will examine the advantages and disadvantages of liquid and time-released fertilizer in order to help you pick which one is right for you.

What are the macronutrients in fertilizers?

Fertilizers contain three primary macronutrients, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Nitrogen helps promote cell division among plants and growth, phosphorus aides with photosynthesis and the maturation of fruits, and potassium helps the plant absorb nitrogen and phosphorus, which promotes leafy vegetative growth. All three macronutrients are vital for plant growth, but too much of any of these nutrients can cause plant "burning" and stunted growth. There is also a variety of micronutrients found in fertilizer to help in the growth of plants, but these micronutrients vary depending on which brand of fertilizer you purchase.

Pros of Liquid Fertilizer

• Fast acting- Liquid fertilizer works almost immediately after it is applied, which allows for quick results in terms of plant growth. Liquid fertilizer is beneficial for lawns and gardens where fertilizer is required immediately.

• Even coverage- Liquid fertilizer, if applied properly, usually guarantees even coverage. Even coverage allows plants to absorb the needed macronutrients without the worry of over fertilization. Over fertilization is a leading cause of poor plant development, stunted growth, and less than desired results.

• Easy to apply- Liquid fertilizer is applied via a garden hose, which is attached to the liquid fertilizer applicator. This applicator for liquid fertilizer is sold at nearly every hardware store with a garden department, and many big chains, such as Home Depot and Wal-Mart. When I worked as a garden supervisor at ACE Hardware, I recommended liquid fertilizer due to its easy application and great results.

Cons of Liquid Fertilizer

• Multiple applications- The only real con of liquid fertilizer is that it must be applied numerous times throughout the season in order to guarantee desired results. Multiple applications make liquid fertilizer much more expensive than time-release fertilizer, but are much easier to apply.

Pros of Timed-Release Fertilizer

• Comparatively less expensive- Timed-release fertilizer such as the Scotts 4-step program costs, on average, $80-180 for the entire growing season. The price, of course, depends on where you purchase the fertilizer; small chains will be more expensive than the larger chains. Look for discounts in the spring and end of summer where retailers want to push product quickly.

• Easy to use- Timed-release fertilizer in the example of Scotts, is applied four times throughout the season by the use of a fertilizer spreader. Depending on the size of your lawn, this option is relatively convenient because it does not require constant application.

• Small chance of lawn burning- If applied correctly, timed-release fertilizer has a low chance of lawn burning. Lawn burning occurs when there is too much nitrogen and phosphorous in the soil, which acts like a salt, and drains the plant of water and other nutrients.

Cons of Timed-Release Fertilizer

Weather permitting- Timed-release fertilizer must be applied during the recommended dates printed on the bag, if not the chances of properly feeding your lawn are greatly reduced. The right amount of water is vital for timed-release fertilizer, if there is too much the nutrients will wash away, and if there is too little the nutrients will not absorb.

Have to wait for results- Timed-release fertilizer takes longer to notice results than with liquid fertilizer, but does not need application on a regular basis.

Overall

Overall, neither fertilizer choice is better than the other is. If you want instant results than the liquid, fertilizer is your best choice, whereas if you want fewer applications during the season and can stick to a schedule than the timed-release fertilizer is right for you. I have sold both products and have noticed excellent results with both.

Sources:

I have had personal experience selling and using both types of fertilizer, as well as agriculture and chemistry classes in my undergraduate studies.

http://www.scotts.com/smg/learn/infoHowToArticle.jsp?detailId=100002 (used as an example, but I personally am not recommending any one brand over another.)