Vitax Q4 Fertiliser,4.5kg

Product Information

A regular contributor to magazines, newspapers and BBC Radio, Andy lectures widely at home and abroad. Special interests include hardy shrubs, trees, herbaceous perennials, flower bulbs, wildlife and garden design; he has authored books on all of these subjects. The peat is medium age, light brown colour, and provides excellent aeration and water holding capacity.

I also use Vitax Q4 professional to add to growing media that I’ve used for growing bulbs. When I remove the bulbs from pots in spring I tip the growing medium into a barrow, add a few handfuls of Vitax Q4 professional and mix it up. I use this for potting seasonal bedding plants or even longer term subjects in containers. Vitax Q4 professional is not always recommended for use in pots, mainly because you can overdo it. Personally I do use it as a top dressing on permanently potted subjects – just a handful and then top up with some fresh growing medium. Even if you use Vitax Q4 as a general slow release fertiliser at the beginning of the season the Vitax Premium liquids range will really help to give your plants a boost. Just dilute in the watering can and apply when watering. It’s ideal for pots and containers and on all newly planted subjects. Apply before planting or for established plants, in early spring. When top dressing, apply evenly to the soil surface beneath the leaves and branches of the tree. Apples, Pears, Plums: 175 g/m2 (5 oz/sq yd). Currants, Gooseberries, Raspberries: 140 g/m2 (4 oz/sq yd). Strawberries: 70-100 g/m2 (2-3 oz/sq yd). Synthetic fertilizers have long-term negative effects. Synthetic fertilizers kill beneficial microorganisms in the soil that convert dead human and plant remains into nutrient-rich organic matter. Nitrogen- and phosphate-based synthetic fertilizers leach into groundwater and increase its toxicity, causing water pollution. Fertilizers that leach into streams, rivers, lakes and other bodies of water disrupt aquatic ecosystems. Synthetic fertilizers increase the nitrate levels of soil. Plants produced from such soil, upon consumption, convert to toxic nitrites in the intestines. These harmful nitrites react with the hemoglobin in the blood stream to cause methaeglobinaemia, which damages the vascular and respiratory systems, causing suffocation and even death in extreme cases (when blood methaemoglobin level is 80 percent or more). Synthetic fertilizers damage the natural makeup of soil in the long term. Plants that grow in overly fertilized soil are deficient in iron, zinc, carotene, vitamin C, copper and protein. Use 140 g/m2 (4 oz/sq yd) before sowing and planting, or for established plants as an annual dressing in the spring. Chrysanthemums: Apply 200 g/m2 (6 oz/sq yd) before planting in soil.I'm going to use Growmore although I assume Vitax Q4 may produce more flowers because of the higher Potash content. I'll also mulch with rotted manure or leafmould to improve the soil texture and add nutrients. Originally developed for the commercial grower, Q4 Fertiliser is the trusted choice for producing bigger, brighter blooms and bumper crops. OK not exactly 6000 miles, but we have the Atlantic Ocean between us. You're profile says Cumbria, UK, I'm a Yankee. Often those synthetic fertilizers will cause an unnatural growth spurt (like taking hormones) but will flop over because of undeveloped root system. An outstanding all-purpose fertiliser, Q4 Pelleted Fertiliser is a favourite amongst experienced gardeners and a ‘must have’ product. I wouldn't recommend fish, blood and bone - its highly attractive to animals such as foxes, cats,dogs and rats, and they'll be rootlling around to eat it, so its best used in planting holes, below ground.

For roses Vitax Q4 should be mixed with the soil prior to planting and then used as an annual dressing every Spring. With flowers and vegetables it should be applied prior to planting. Vegetables should be top dressed with Vitax Q4 once or twice during the growing season. As well as using Q4 Pelleted Fertiliser for flowers and vegetables, it is also ideal for fruit, tomatoes and chrysanthemums. Q4 Pelleted Fertiliser can also be used on lawns prior to seed sowing or laying turf. What I usually do is broadcast growmore in the latter half of March or early April, turning it in lightly to provide a readily available 'fix' for the plants, then apply composted materials as a mulch over the top - no need to dig it in (though you can if you prefer) it gets taken down into the soil anyway over time, to take care of longer term plant and soil health. If you're a follower of 'no dig' gardening, then broadcast the growmore and apply a mulch over the top, without digging the soil, provided there's no weed/moss growth present.Originally developed for use as a base fertiliser in John Innes composts, and still approved for use in John Innes formulations, Q4 has proved an extremely versatile fertiliser suitable for use on a wide variety of crops. A good layer of organic compost will supply your plants with everything your plants need to grow strong and healthy. Blood meal, fish emulsion, seaweed are excellent sources of supplemental fertilizer if there is some obvious deficiency. They are now available in powder & pelleted form. However, many herbaceous perennials prefer a lean soil over a rich fertile soil. An outstanding general purpose fertiliser, supplied in easy to use, pelleted form, Vitax Q4 has been a firm favourite with both amateur and professional gardeners for many years. It contains all the plant foods and trace elements essential for vigorous growth, abundant flowering and ripening of fruit. I mentioned Vitax Q4 as it was a Which? Best Buy. And with an NPK of 5.3/7.5/10, quite high in nutrients but it is quite expensive.