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Re: New to SQFT Gardening

Sophia,

As you learn more and more about gardening, you will come across a couple of
numbers.  First you will hear about "pH".  "Have your pH checked" or "I have
a pH of 6.5 to 7" is common.  It is a number representing the amount of acid
to alkline.  0 is the greatest degree of acidity and 14 being the greatest
degree of alkalinity, with 7 being neutral.  6.5 to 7 is considered ideal for
most gardening.  Lime is added to the soil to raise pH or make the soil less
acid.  Sulpher is added to the soil to make it less alkaline or more acid.
 How do you know what to do?  Have your pH tested.

You will see 3 numbers on every bag, box, and of bottle of fertilizer.  They
represent a ratio of (N) Nitrogen - (P) Phosphorus - (K) Potassium.  Next
time you are in a garden center, just look at all the numbers on all the
fertilizers.  It's staggering.  Every product has a different number.  I keep
things simple, an all purpose plant food will be a 5-10-5.   I go for the 40
lb bag 10-10-10.  I do however put a high nitrogen fertilizer  (29-3-4)  or
(32-x-x) in the lawn twice a year.  I use a 12-55-6 plant food for my house
plants.  It gets more confusing then simple.  Get a 40lb bag of 10-10-10 or
12-12-12, 1/2 coffee can per 4 X 4 block and you'll be fine.  How do you know
what to add, have your soil tested.

Hope this helps.

Ed in SW Illinois

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