Liquid vs. Granular Fertilizers - What's the difference?

Happy May from Desert Rose! ’Tis the season for growing, so this month’s blog will review the differences between liquid and granular fertilizers. It is important to understand that they both have their own benefits and one isn't necessarily better than the other. Choosing a fertilizer depends on the reason for the application and the needs of your soil/plants.

Most granular fertilizers are slow release and feed the plant continuously over the course of several months or possibly longer (depending on the fertilizer). The granules can be amended with the top layer of soil or may be placed on top of the soil around the root-zone of the plant. Granular fertilizers are great to use for all around fertilizing with minimal effort on the gardener’s part. Simply spread general purpose or bloom booster slow release fertilizer in the beginning of the growing season and the plants will be fertilized for several months without the need for reapplication. However, granular fertilizer is not good when trying to fix a plant deficiency (i.e. lack of nitrogen) since it takes several months for the application to break down and fully fertilize the plant.

Most liquid fertilizers are water soluble and can be applied using one of two methods. The first (and easiest) is by watering in the mixture to the soil, but an alternative application can be completed by spraying a fine mist of the mixture directly on the bottom and top of the leaves. Water soluble fertilizers are quickly absorbed by the plant and can help correct a nutritional deficiency in a matter of days. Liquid fertilizers are also great if you are looking to get the most out of your garden since they can be reapplied every 7-14 days depending on the fertilizer. Although liquid fertilizer might seem like the better option, the amount of time it takes to fertilize your plants weekly might have you reaching for the granular fertilizers as a one and done solution.

If you are interested in fertilizing your yard but don’t want to deal with the hassle, give us a call! We offer both slow release and water soluble (general purpose and bloom boosting) fertilizing options for your yard! Happy fertilizing!