"He claims the reason is that no plants want that kind of food."

Did he bother to explain what he meant by that? Was there any mention of any sort of soil test and an assessment of what nutrients might be deficient or missing?

I have a hard time with anyone who speaks about gardening in absolute terms......like the use of the word "never" or "always". There are very few absolutes in gardening and it's important to have the flexibility to understand that.

First, if you have worked on improving your soil and you mulch routinely with some sort of organic mulch, there is typically very little need to apply any fertilizers to established plants. They get what they need from the soil.

A balanced fertilizer - one with all 3 numbers the same - is usually considered an 'all-purpose' fertilizer in that it can be used on any plant type and so simplifies the process for home gardeners. They don't need umpteen different blends formulated for fruit trees or roses or evergreens,or tomatoes, etc. But plants generally do not need those three nutrients (NPK) in equal proportions and that may be where the radio show "gardener" was heading. N is usually the deficient element as it is the most mobile, is used by plants in the largest proportion and most often needs supplementation. That means that excess levels of P & K can accumulate (neither are very mobile) or are leached into groundwater, depending on their source.

But if you are using an organically sourced balanced fert - something with an NPK of around 3-3-3 or 4-4-4, it is really a non-issue as the nutrient levels are low enough and the biological activity necessary to convert them into plant accessible soluble salts generally prevent accumulation in high levels.

If one is intent on needing to fertilize regularly, then a 3:1:2 ratio (rather than the 1:1:1 of the balanced fert) is probably a lot closer to the mark in addressing plant needs. But again, the need for fertilizing at all is highly dependent on your soil quality, whether or not you mulch and with what and the soil pH, which has a major impact on how available existing nutrients may be.

Maybe the most important thing to remember is that fertilizers are not "plant food". Plants make their own food through the process of photoysnthesis, gathering energy from the sun, oxygen (and some other elements) from the atmosphere and nutrients and moisture from the soil and converting these to the proteins, sugars and starches that are their "real" food. Fertilizers are just to supplement soil nutrients that may be deficient or missing and may or may not be necessary.

10-10-10 and other similar fertilizers made from synthetic materials are not organic by any stretch of anyone's imagination. From an organic growers point of view you make the soil into a good healthy place for plants to grow so you would not need that 10-10-10 which could, if not carefully used, contribute to the pollution of our earth.

kimmq is kimmsr

setting aside the organic stuff.. you all can debate that ..

and setting aside my personal bias of plants arent babies and usually dont need to be fed... and you would be better off composting.. and building a good vibrant soil that doesnt need supplementing ...

this dude.. radio or not.. was an idiot ...

first.. in my word.. the cubed ferts are cheap ... 10, 12 or 16 cubed are so general .. they can be used everywhere .. with little fear of hurting anything.. in fact.. i used to use 16 on my lawn ... so i didnt have to mow it every 15 mins.. .like i did when i used 31-0-3 .. or some such ...

there is no reason.. on Gods green earth.. that you need a fert with specific numbers.. for every specific plant... that is all MARKETING HYPE ... period ...

gal ...kim ,... i have some recollection.. that the 10 ... is something like ten pound of active ingredient .. in 100 pounds of filler ... or 1000??? .. am i close???

if so.. you see that whether you use a 3-3-3 or a 4-4-4 ... there is NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE ...

same if you talk 3 cubed.. and 5-2-4 .. etc ..

the thought that you need highly specific fert for different plants ... in 99.9% of the time... is just a way to separate money from your wallet ...

as to how or what they use to make up that few pounds.. is left to your personal choice ... but on some level ... its still all MARKETING HYPE ...

whatever you use .. consider the plant probably doenst need it ... so go very easy with it... this is NOT a MORE IS NOT BETTER equation ...

gotta run.. no time to edit ...

ken

"if not carefully used, contribute to the pollution of our earth."

In the greater scheme of things, it makes no difference what I use in my 1/2 acre plot. When the top 15 of the largest shipping vessels emit the equivalent carbon emissions of all the cars in the world then the pollution I am emitting is pointless.It is like that silly idea of putting power strips throughout my house to "save energy" when businesses burn their signs 24/7/365 when it has nothing to do with security rather it is product reinforcement.

At my age, I just don't care anymore and it is not going to change anything in MY life time. Granted, I used to be concerned.....

" this is NOT a MORE IS NOT BETTER equation ..."

So, more IS better?

If someone is going to make blanket statements like that w/o explanation, don't waste your time listening. I don't use any fertilizer for ground gardens, no need. I add organic matter/compost to the soil.