Using the right plant growth boosters to help prevent pest and disease problems

We all need food to thrive - and it is the same with plants!

In the same way that we provide food for our pets, we can keep our plants happy and healthy by providing them with the right ‘Plant Growth Boosters’

Our ranges of plant fertilizers have been specially developed to provide the right nutrients at the right time to the right plants.

There are 3 key major nutrients that plants need (plus a wider range of minor ‘trace’ nutrients). The information below will help you choose the correct boosters for your plants.

1 – Root boosting Phosphates

Fertilizers such as Bone meal are high in phosphates which will encourage strong healthy root growth; these fertilizers are ideal for using inside the planting hole when you first plant out trees and shrubs in your garden so that the phosphates are ready to be absorbed by the roots.

PLUS – Pugh's now also provide root boosting Mycorrhizal fungi (these are friendly fungi) which will live in harmony with the roots and help them to actually absorb water and nutrients.

2 – Leaf Boosting Nitrogen

Nitrogen will appear to varying levels in many fertilizers, and is key to producing lots of new green leaves (leaves are key to photosynthesis – which is the process of using sunlight to create energy to help plants grow).

If you are growing plants such as lettuce, cabbage, hedges or lawns you may want to use fertilizers with a higher Nitrogen content to encourage more leaf growth.

Fertilizers such as Miracle-grow (and Miracle-Grow slow release which can last up to 6 months) are usually high in Nitrogen.

*As part of our passion for environmentally friendly gardening, we recognise that too much nitrogen can encourage lots of soft new growth which can sometimes be more vulnerable to pest or disease attack. So, we at Pugh's recommend ‘balanced boosters’ which will include some nitrogen but balanced with higher levels of Potash which can encourage more robust and disease resistant new growth – see below.

3 – Bloom boosting Potash

As mentioned above Potash can help strengthen the leaves of plants to help them resist damage from frosts, pests and diseases (and therefore reduce the need for using pesticides)

Potash will also encourage more flowers buds … which in turn will encourage more fruits on plants such as Tomatoes and fruiting trees.

Pugh's offer several formulations of ‘High Potash’ Fertilizers usually balanced with other nutrients so that plants can enjoy the benefits of the full range of Nutrients.

• Tomato fertilizer (which can be used on most flowering plants)
• Gro-sure slow release fertilizer
• Rose fertilizers
• Phostrogen
• Vitax Tree and Shrub planting fertilizer with added Mycorrhizal fungi (Containing all the vital plant foods in their natural, organic form, the added mycorrhizal fungi and a range of biostimulants aid vigorous root growth to help plants quickly establish their root system.)

Remember that adding organic matter to your soil, or soil surface, can also add nutrients AND can help ‘hold on’ to nutrients within your soil so that they are available to plants for longer (This is discussed in more detail in our other article ‘Working with nature to improve your soil’)