"Water-soluble fertilizer" run-off is a primary cause of pollution of waterways, green algae bloom, and fish kills. The rapid release of nutrients is in amounts that crops cannot quickly absorb. During rains, the run-off ends up in waterways and cause a range of environmental problems and to compound the problem, new additional fertilizer must be reapplied to the crops, golf courses, and landscaping. . (USGS photo)
Fertilizers can be an impossibly complex subject that is difficult to understand. The following is a simplified summary that clearly explains the transformational HAWAIIANITE™ innovations that make it the easiest-to-use, universal fertilizer and the only one you'll ever need!
First there were manures, composts and other "organic" fertilizers produced on farms. They were joined by bone meal, blood meal and bagged bird guano that made possible "industrialized agriculture." Most agree that organic practices and fertilizers have commendable sustainable features that improve the quality of the soil but are less efficient and more costly.
"Artificial fertilizers" began when nitrogen was converted to ammonium and rock phosphate was treated with acids to create "WATER-SOLUBLE FERTILIZERS!" These two major milestones were largely responsible for the huge increase in food production that we enjoy today. Water-soluble nutrients are released when exposed to moisture and this is both good and bad. It makes available nutrients in stronger concentrations than available in organic fertilizers and may produce greater production.
The release is rapid and it is necessary to select the ideal formulation for the specific crop, and to apply it in a precise manner to prevent burning the plants. Each crop and each growing environment is a different situation and it is necessary to learn specific details. A safe system is to use relatively weak formulations and apply them in small amounts frequently, being careful to water as soon as possible after applying the fertilizer to prevent burning. But this is labor intensive and costly.
Heavy rains or an excessive amount of irrigation will cause water-soluble nitrogen and phosphorous run-offs to pollute waterways, and cause green algae bloom and fish-kills. Water-soluble fertilizers release nutrients upon contact with water faster than plants can absorb. Only a tiny amount is utilized; most of it is wasted and become pollutants that are causing major environmental problems.
HAWAIIANITE™ is a transformational new category of fertilizers developed in 2016 that have both WATER-SOLUBLE and CITRATE-SOLUBLE nutrients in controlled ratios. The small amount of water-soluble nutrients produce initial growth, but the majority of the nutrients are held in non-leaching citrate-soluble form. Water soluble nitrogen kept below 1.5% will not burn even sensitive plants. There is enough water-soluble phosphorous to produce good initial growth, but the majority of the large 32% phosphorous in citrate-soluble form is only released "on-demand" when the plants need it.
“Citrate-soluble” nutrients are more effective and controlled by the amount of citric acid emitted by the plant root tips. Few roots --- limited release. More roots --- more release. Lots of roots --- optimum release. Any excess remains for the future!
Phosphorous produces strong plants with large root systems that produce an abundance of flowers that go on to produce seed, nuts, fruit, root crops and even the fiber in trees. Hawaiianite™ is a new generation of high-phosphorous fertilizers that is ideal to be used as a universal fertilizer. It automatically adjusts to different environments as fewer roots are produced when there is lower light, lower temperatures, or by slower growing plants.
Although Hawaiianite may seem more costly, it is very cost-effective. It is not necessary to refertilize after a rain storm to result in a significant labor saving to reduce overall costs. The availability of steady, usable amounts of nutrients will produce ideal continuous optimum growth. The cost of fertilizer is only a tiny part of maintaining and operating a golf course, residential or commercial landscaping. It's a very small part of installing a new landscaping. A little goes a long way and for those with just a few plants or not willing to learn the complexities of fertilizers, Hawaiianite is the only universal fertilizer you'll ever need!
As you plan your fertilizer program for your greenhouse or outdoor crops, you’ll want to know the difference between water-soluble and granular slow-release fertilizers.
There are advantages and disadvantages to each. And which you choose will depend on the needs of your soil and plants throughout the growing season. You may choose to keep both for use on different plants or at different times.
Water-Soluble Fertilizer
Water-soluble fertilizer, or liquid fertilizer, is available in crystal form to be dissolved in water or in liquid form to be diluted in water. Fish emulsion and compost tea are the most common organic liquid fertilizers. There are many types of constant liquid feed fertilizers on the market.
Liquid fertilizer can be applied prior to planting as well as mid-season. Both ground and foliage applications are effective for providing nutrients to your plants.
Advantages
Some of the significant advantages of using liquid fertilizer include:
Easy application and can be paired with liquid insecticide or fungicide plant protectors as part of your constant liquid feed program
Easy to blend
Uniform application across crops, with the same nutrient content in every drop of liquid
Useful for starter and mid-season fertilizing
Offer quickly available nutrients to the plants, which is especially helpful to give undernourished plants a boost
Disadvantages
The major disadvantages of using liquid fertilizer include:
Difficult to store and more likely to become volatile over time
More expensive than Granular Fertilizers
Requires specific equipment, which is a major investment of money and time for greenhouses who aren’t already equipped with a constant liquid feed system
May require more applications as water-soluble fertilizer can leach out of sandy soil or containers
Granular Slow Release Fertilizer
Granular fertilizer is a dry fertilizer packed in granules. Standard blends of the most commonly needed nutrients are available, or you can mix granular fertilizers to create the perfect blend for your crop.
Slow-release granular fertilizer has a coating specially designed to cause each granule to release its nutrients over a 2-3 month period. While it is often more expensive than regular granular fertilizer, the ability to feed only once per season makes up for the extra cost. We focus on slow-release fertilizer in this article.
Advantages
Requires fewer feedings, often only one prior to planting
Easy to store without any loss of efficacy
Preplant application goes hand in hand with tilling
Using slow-release granular fertilizer allows for custom blending to improve nutrient content and efficiency for crops
Does not require any additional equipment
Disadvantages
Less mobile encapsulated nutrients (especially phosphorus) may not reach plant roots
High salt content can burn roots or repel them from the nutrient content
While liquid fertilizer contains consistent nutrient levels throughout, the available nutrient content varies from granule to granule in slow-release granular fertilizer
Which Fertilizer Should You Choose?
Which fertilizer you choose for your commercial greenhouse will depend on the tools you have, the money you want to invest, the time you have to invest, and how targeted you need your fertilizer program to be.
You’ll also need to consider what kind of amendments you need to make to your soil based on soil testing. For example, if phosphorus is the primary nutrient your plants need, liquid fertilizer will be a more efficient means of delivery.
If your focus is on time efficiency and you already have a constant liquid feed system in place, water-soluble fertilizer is your obvious choice. Suppose you aren’t equipped with the proper tools and aren’t ready to invest in a constant liquid feed system. In that case, you might consider using a slow-release granular fertilizer with foliar applications of liquid fertilizer if needed.
Think through the costs and benefits for your greenhouse and plants. Contact us or your local AG extension with questions specific to your plants or region.
References:
https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/pros_and_cons_of_granular_and_liquid_fertilizers
https://u.osu.edu/henryag/2018/05/29/know-when-to-use-granular-vs-liquid-fertilizers/
https://onslow.ces.ncsu.edu/2018/05/fertilizer-formulations/