What kind of fertilizer helps flowers grow faster
The editor answers your question about what kind of fertilizer helps flowers grow faster and the small knowledge of promoting plant germination and leaf growth. Let's learn about it together below.
It is often said, "A plant is as good as its fertilizer!" When growing potted flowers, if you want them to thrive, have lush branches and leaves, and bloom more, you also need to apply good fertilizer. Autumn is a good time to repot and change the soil for potted flowers. Adding good base fertilizer is better than top-dressing a hundred times during the growing period. Some flowers can grow lush and fast even without additional top-dressing after adding good base fertilizer. So, what kind of base fertilizer is good for potted flowers? Today, I recommend a type of soil fertilizer we often see, easily overlooked, but very effective: sheep manure.
Nutrient content in sheep manure
Sheep manure is one of the most widely used types of organic fertilizer among all animal droppings, with an organic matter content of up to 24%~27%. The contents of the three major elements—nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium—are almost equal, with nitrogen at 0.7%~0.8%, phosphorus at 0.45%~0.6%, and potassium at 0.3%~0.6%. Therefore, using sheep manure as the base fertilizer for potted flowers not only nourishes branches and leaves but also strengthens roots and seedlings.
Benefits of using sheep manure as base fertilizer for potted flowers
A. More balanced growth for potted flowers
As mentioned earlier, the content of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in sheep manure is relatively balanced. Using it as the base fertilizer for potted flowers will not cause excessive branching and leaf growth due to too much nitrogen, nor will it slow down growth due to too much phosphorus. On the contrary, it will promote the balanced development of the whole plant, strengthening roots and promoting stem growth while growing branches and leaves, making the plant look healthy overall.
B. Improving soil structure
When growing potted flowers, one of the biggest concerns is soil compaction, which can affect the growth of flowers. Using sheep manure as the base fertilizer can effectively improve the soil structure, making it loose and breathable, and less prone to compaction. This allows the roots of potted flowers to absorb moisture and nutrients better, promoting overall growth. Flower enthusiasts who have used sheep manure as the base fertilizer know that even after a year or two, the soil remains relatively loose, unlike the compacted soil in pots that have not used sheep manure.
What kind of fertilizer helps flowers grow faster
C. Rich in microbial content
Fermented sheep manure is rich in microorganisms, which can make potted flowers grow lush. The reason is that microorganisms can decompose organic matter, allowing it to be better absorbed by the plants. If there is a lack of microorganisms when growing potted flowers, even frequent fertilization will not be well absorbed, resulting in slow growth.
D. Sufficient nutrient content in sheep manure
Among animal droppings like sheep, horse, and pig manure of the same weight, sheep manure has the best organic matter content and thus the strongest fertilizer effect. For example, when using sheep manure as the base fertilizer for the same potted flowers, one handful is enough to meet the needs, but if using horse or pig manure, you might need one and a half or even two handfuls.
Which potted flowers are suitable for using sheep manure as base fertilizer
Sheep manure is almost suitable for all soil-grown potted flowers we see, especially for those with weak roots and less vigorous growth. Reasonably using sheep manure as the base fertilizer can strengthen seedlings and roots. In as fast as three months, it can make the seedlings grow lush and enter a good growth state. Last year, when I changed the soil for my succulents, several pots were fertilized with sheep manure, and their growth was indeed very promising indeed.