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Portland
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Thursday
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PARKROSE HARDWARE
GET TO KNOW FERTILIZERS
The fertilizer aisle is not many people's favorite place to be. It stinks, your head gets light and numbers in triplicate begin swimming before your eyes. Don't get faint! Get to know the top water soluble, natural and synthetic fertilizers at Parkrose Hardware.
First thing to cover: Those numbers on the packaging. The three numbers are telling you how much “NPK” is in the fertilizer. N stands for nitrogen, P for phosphorous and K for potassium (potash). But those aren't important to remember!
The thing to remember is this: “Up, down & all around.” "NPK" means, “Up, down & all around.” Nitrogen works up above the ground; it's in chlorophyll and increases green growth. Phosphorous gets down with roots (and flower buds) and helps with the transfer of energy. Potassium increases all around good health. It also helps build cell walls, making plants less susceptible to drought and heat stress.
Now, let's get down to business and crack a few bags, pop a few bottles and get you up close and personal with the top performers from the ever-popular fertilizer aisle.
Spikes
The great thing about spikes is that, placed correctly, the plant does all the work for you. Put spikes directly beneath the “drip line” of your fruit trees and every rain shower will release more food.
Liquid Fertilizer
It doesn't smell as bad as you think. It could smell better. Organic, water-soluble plant food that won't burn and plants love? Stink up the joint, I say! The smell fades quickly, even indoors, and you'll forget it completely come bloom-time. When in doubt, dilute.
Granuals
My first recollection of “fertilizer” as a thing was the little balls littering the soil of my grandmother's potted plants. Whether they're an eyesore is up to you. Knowing they're great for long-term feeding? Pure wisdom.