Vitax Q4 Fertiliser,4.5kg

Product Information

The plants I'm referring to are mainly summer flowering shrubs and summer flowering herbaceous perennials. Sorry for not being more specific.

Q4 Pelleted Fertiliser should be applied to the growing media before sowing and planting flowers and vegetables. It can then be used as a top dressing once or twice during the summer months to encourage crops.Originally developed for use as a base fertiliser in John Innes composts, and still approved for use in JI formulations, Q4 has proved an extremely versatile fertiliser suitable for use on a wide variety of crops. Q4 provides all the nutrients and trace elements essential for vigorous growth, abundant flowering and ripening of fruit.

Well that's a new one to me! Blood fish and bone attractive to animals. Didn't know that so I'll avoid. 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. The confusion in this thread seems to be caused by conflating two things - feeding plants and 'feeding' soil. Chemical fertilizers such as Growmore or Vitax feed plants directly but do little for the soil. Soil health is important, and that is improved by adding composted materials such as animal manures, good garden compost, leafmould, any humus rich material basically, which will naturally increase bio diversity; that bio diversity will naturally provide more trace elements and more nutrients to your plants, but over time rather than in a week or three.Originally developed for the commercial grower, Q4 Fertiliser is the trusted choice for producing bigger, brighter blooms and bumper crops.

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. 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. 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. 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). Use 140 g/m2 (4 oz/sq yd) before sowing and planting. Top dress vegetables at 70 g/m2 (2 oz/sq yd) once or twice during the summer months.

Chemical fertilizers tend to leach, or filter away from the plants, requiring additional applications.

I notice there's a big difference in price but which is the most beneficial to plants at this time of year, then again in late April/early May?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.