Introduction
Fertilising replenishes soil with nutrients previously leached or used by plants and provides nature with that helping hand in order for plants to be healthy and vibrant.
Healthy plants experience stronger growth, brighter flowers, more abundant fruiting, tastier vegetables and are less susceptible to pests and diseases.

A fertiliser is anything that can be used to supply nutrients to plants and there are two broad types:

Type 1: Organic
Organic (or incomplete) fertilisers are derived from plant and animal remains and are often referred to as manures. Organic manures help to improve the physical condition of the soil by improving the structure, micro-organism activity and the water-holding capacity of soils. The nutrient content in organic fertilisers can vary considerably but generally their nutrient value is low. Micro-organisms are required to break the compounds down and make the nutrients available to plants, in cold weather this may be a very slow process.
Examples of organic fertilisers: blood and bone and sheep pellets

Type 2: Inorganic
Inorganic (or complete) fertilisers are manufactured by companies like Tui Garden Products and are usually a more concentrated form of nutrients than organic fertilisers. For example, 100 grams of a General Garden fertiliser is roughly equivalent to 3kg of organic manure per square metre, in nutrient content. The nutrients in inorganic fertilisers are readily available to plants as they do not need to be broken down first.
Examples of inorganic fertilisers:
Granular forms like General Fertiliser and Lawn Fertiliser
Compound forms like Tui Novatec
Soluble forms like Tui Eco-Fert and Seasol

Ideally, a combination of both manures and fertilisers should be used.

Choosing what you need
For general garden fertilising and soil conditioning use Tui Blood & Bone, Tui Lime, Tui Pea Straw or Tui Super Sheep Pellets.
To make specific blends choose from the Tui Tech Range of Superphosphate, Sulphate of Ammonia and Sulphate of Potash.
For particular groups of plants like bulbs, roses, potatoes and fruit choose from the Tui Food Range. The product name makes it obvious what it is to be used for e.g. Tui Potato Food.
To solve specific garden problems choose from the Tui Garden Remedies Range; these Tui remedies are like the first aid kit for your garden.

There are 3 major nutrients in fertilisers and each plant likes these main ingredients in different amounts. This are represented as an NPK value on inorganic fertiliser packaging.
It’s the quantities & ratios of these elements that make the difference, but there are plenty of other goodies in the bag specifically designed for each plant.

N-P-K

• Nitrogen stimulates thick, rich, green growth of plants.
• Phosphorus encourages root development and growth.
• Potassium is responsible for the formation of flower buds and fruit and maintains overall plant health.
   

General Garden Fertiliser has an NPK ratio of 5-5-5 which means there is 5% of the pure element nitrogen, 5% of the pure element phosphorus and 5% of the pure element potassium. The number corresponding to the element is the % of that element in the fertiliser.

Tui Tip: Make sure you follow the application rates and instructions on the bag to get the best results.