Types of Fertilizers – Did you know that plants needed a major nutrient like nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium and other important secondary elements?

So what are the types of fertilizers to be used in your garden or farm? Let’s find out!

Table of Contents

Types of Fertilizers

Aside from organic fertilizer that are made from crop residues and animal manures and slurries, there are few chemical fertilizers that’ll help your crops to grow better.

1. Nitrogen Fertilizers

While nitrogen gas makes up about 78% of earth’s atmosphere, your plants cannot absorb it directly from the air.

Thus, the nitrogen fertilizers are made to provide a nitrogen which is vital nutrient to maintain a strong and healthy pants and usually used in agriculture to increase the plant’s growth

There are main products of nitrate-based fertilizers, such as.

Ammonium Nitrate (AN)
Calcium Ammonium Nitrate (CAN)
Urea Ammonium Nitrate (UAN)

Other than that, there are few other types of nitrogen fertilizers such as ammonium sulfate and ammonium sulfate nitrate, calcium nitrate, sodium nitrate, Chilean nitrate and anhydrous ammonia.

Also Read: “Types of Urea Fertilizers“

2. Phosphorus Fertilizers

Unlike the nitrogen that cannot be absorbed directly from the air, the phosphorus fertilizers are able to be absorbed by plants directly from the soil through a symbiotic relationship with bacteria.

However, natural levels of phosphorus in usable forms are often insufficient for optimal plant growth. Thus the phosphorus fertilizers are needed to optimize your plant’s growth.

There are also few types of this fertilizers including:

Single superphosphate (SSP)
Triple superphosphate (TSP)
Monoammonium phosphate (MAP)
Di-ammonium phosphate (DSP) and;
Ammonium polyphosphate liquid

3. Potassium Fertilizers

Potassium fertilizers are mineral-rich supplements added to soil to enhance plant growth and crop yields. They provide potassium (K), a vital nutrient essential for various plant functions and overall health.

Unlike nitrogen, which plants can acquire from the air, and phosphorus, primarily obtained from soil, potassium is readily leached away by rain and irrigation. Replenishing potassium through fertilization ensures optimal plant development.

There are few types of potassium fertilizer as well, such as:

Potassium chloride (KCl)
Potassium sulfate (K2SO4) or Sulfate of potash (SOP)
Potassium nitrate (KNO3), known as KN

4. Calcium, Magnesium and Sulfur Fertilizers

Calcium, magnesium, and sulfur (Ca, Mg, S) are essential plant nutrients grouped together as secondary nutrients.

Despite being less necessary for plants than the three basic nutrients—nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium—they are still important for the growth and development of plants.

Deficits in these secondary nutrients can nonetheless have a major effect on plant health and production, unlike those in the basic nutrients.

There you go the 4 main types of fertilizers used in many farms and or households.

Do you know that the chemical fertilizers are needed to be certified by the SNI certification before being sold or distributed in Indonesia?

Yes, even the fertilizers need a safety and quality test to ensure that the products are indeed safe for your crops.

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