Types of Fertilizers:
Fertilizers contain the nutrients your plants require for healthy growth. Fertilizers are either organic or inorganic, and available in a powder, granular, liquid or solid form. The advantage of inorganic fertilizers is that their chemical content is consistent. Organic fertilizers are high in trace elements yet they may lack some elements which will cause a deficiency with prolongued use.
Main Elements and Their Function in the Plants:
(N) nitrogen - encourages good top growth, it helps to build protoplasm, protein and other components of plant cells.
(P) phosphorus (phosphate) - encourages good root growth. Aids in the ripening of fruit and seed germination (seed viability).
(K) potassium (potash) - encourages good flowers and fruit.
Trace Elements and Their Function in the Plants:
(Bo) Boron - essential for plant reproduction, promotes healthy root growth, root response to gravity is dependent on boron, sufficient boron enables plants to become resistent to pests.
(Cu) Copper - essential for plant respiration and photosynthesis, greening of leaves, development of flowers thus promoting seed and fruit production, required to control iron uptake and to control nitrogen fixation by legumes, helps prevent leaves from wilting in dry periods.
(Fe) Iron - needed (in quite large quantities) for the production of chlorophyll and it is essential for photosynthesis.
(Mn) Manganese - essential for photosynthesis especially in the production of sugar, controls the uptake of other ions and nutrients from the soil.
(Mo) Molybdenum - required for sexual reproduction and the formation of the ovaries, neccesary for the production of proteins and vitamins (vitamin c in particular), required for chlorophyll production, essential for nitrogen fixation by legumes and for protection against aluminium toxicity.
(Zn) Zinc - essential for pollen grains, increases sugar production, essential for the production of hormones.
(Mg) Magnesium - most important components in chlorophyll which makes it vital in photosynthesis, helps control enzyme operations, important for oil production.
A good fertilizer for succulents is one with the following proportions 2:3:2, 2 parts nitrogen, 3 parts phosphorous and 2 parts potassium. Make sure the fertilizers contains trace elements like boron, magnesium, etc as well.
Application of fertilizers:
Foliar Application;
A soluble fertilizer is applied to the foliar parts of the plant but leaves do not absorb fertilizers as well as roots.
Root Application;
Soluble and insoluble fertilizers can be used for root applications. Drench pots with the soluble fertilizer. Insoluble fertilizers can be added to the soil at potting or mulched into the top of potted plants.
