When you start the journey of growing plants or becoming a gardener, you’ll come across the term “feeding your plants” and wonder what this is all about. Besides, they’re just plants, aren’t they?!
For many first-time gardeners, the primary concern is usually the soil, water, light, or humidity. Still, the topic of fertilization rarely comes up. However, feeding your plant is crucial to promoting its growth.
Experienced plant growers will want to be versed in different fertilizers and how they benefit their plants.
In this article, we’ve decided to do a deep dive into the 17 17 17 fertilizer. We will analyze how, when, and where to use it.
If you want to revitalize your plant with all the nutrients they need for growth, then try the 17 17 17 fertilizer.
Let’s get started!
What Is 17 17 17 Fertilizer?
The 17 17 17 is a balanced potash fertilizer used on many shrubs, grasses, and plants.
The fertilizer contains a balanced mineral ratio in NPK, similar to the triple 14 fertilizer.
Before we dive into the details, let’s first discuss the term NPK. Most fertilizers are made of three main nutrients: Nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and Potassium (K).
The fertilizer contains 17% of each of the three primary minerals.
As such, the 17 17 17 contains 17% of nitrogen, 17 % phosphorus, and 17% potassium. The remaining 49% will differ depending on the manufacturer. Different manufacturers will add different nutrients, such as phosphates or other salts. Each company will use different recipes.
There are different fertilizers with an equal NPK ratio, such as the 15 15 15, but the triple 17 has a higher mineral concentration.
Before deciding on the fertilizer to use, ensure you perform a soil test.
Doing a soil test is the only sure way to tell exactly what the plant needs and what mineral percentages you’ll need to add to the soil. A soil test can be used to determine the pH level of soil and the nutrients that it lacks.
Suppose the soil test shows an extreme deficiency of one mineral, such as nitrogen. In that case, you can add a nitrogen-rich fertilizer such as urea (NPK ratio 47 0 0).
One of the main advantages of using the 17 17 17 fertilizer is that it can easily combine with organic fertilizers.
What Are The Benefits Of 17 17 17?
To fully comprehend this fertilizer, it’s essential to understand the functions of each mineral in it.
Nitrogen
It may be surprising to have this component in the fertilizer since nitrogen is a gas. To incorporate this important gas in the fertilizer, it’s combined or bonded with other chemicals. Nitrogen is an important nutritional component in fertilizer; it’s part of the plant’s DNA.
Nitrogen has two primary benefits.
- Plants need chlorophyll to perform photosynthesis. Nitrogen is one of the primary components of chlorophyll, and, as such, the plant can’t survive without this mineral.
- Nitrogen is a major component of plant proteins crucial in helping plants produce energy.
Phosphorous
Phosphorus is a crucial mineral that helps in cell division. This is the process that occurs during the formation of new plant tips.
For people living in cold climates, phosphorus is the mineral that helps the plant survive those harsh winters.
Plants also use this mineral during their growth cycle’s flowering stage.
Due to the critical role that phosphorus plays in the growth of a plant, its absence leads to stunted growth.
Potassium
Potassium also helps with photosynthesis, a vital process for plant growth. This makes it an essential mineral for plants.
A plant with enough potassium minerals will develop stronger stems and have accelerated growth.
To get a better harvest from your plants, consider using the 17 17 17 fertilizer, which has a high potassium concentration that leads to the production of healthy crops.
How To Apply Triple 17
First, ensure the performed soil test has shown that you need a balanced fertilizer such as the triple 17.
If your plant needs other additional nutrients, consider adding other feeders such as foliar fertilizer along with the 17 17 17 fertilizer.
You can apply this fertilizer to your plants using two methods.
First, you can use the granular version of this fertilizer with water. The water ratio will be written on the fertilizer packaging or the product specifications. Once you have mixed the fertilizer with water, fill a spray bottle with the mixture and use it to spray the soil. If you have grown the plants in a raised bed, you can use a garden hose to apply the fertilizer.
In the second method, you can use the fertilizer in crystal form.
Here the fertilizer can be applied in two ways.
- Sprinkle the crystals on the topsoil.
- Mix the soil and crystals before sowing.
To improve the fertilizer absorption rate in the soil, ensure the triple 17 granules are spread evenly on the soil.
How Often Should I Fertilize My Lawn with NPK 17 17 17
The frequency of fertilizer application depends on the type of fertilizer you use on your lawn.
For water-soluble fertilizers, the best time for application is during the growing season.
If you use slow-release crystals, ensure the fertilizer has only been applied twice a year. This will ensure the plant has all the nutrients it needs all year long and reduce the risk of overfertilization.
Best Time to Apply the Triple 17
Even though it may not seem crucial, the time of the day you choose to apply the fertilizer is crucial in determining the fertilization absorption rate.
This is because if you immediately apply fertilizer to a plant that has just been watered, it will have very little impact; it may even burn the plant!
For most gardeners, the best time to fertilize the plant is late evening.
In this case, the plant should be watered in the morning and fertilization done in the evening. Watering plants in the morning allows the water to evaporate during the day, which creates the ideal conditions for fertilization.
If you apply fertilizer to wet grass, it will adhere to the blades and not penetrate the soil. When the sun hits these wet blades, the minerals will combine with the UV rays, which may scorch the plant.
To ensure that the fertilizer reaches the soil, always apply it to dry grass.
Application Rate
To understand the application rate, we must make some calculations but don’t worry. You don’t have to be a math genius to make these simple calculations!
The application rate will largely depend on the minerals that your lawn or plant needs.
While performing a soil test to discern the nutrients the soil needs is recommended, going by the industry standard is also fine.
The general rule of thumb when applying fertilizers is to use 1lb of NPK 17 17 17 for every 1000 square feet (1 lb x 1000 sq ft= 1000lb). Now, divide by the nitrogen concentration you require, which is 17%.
Convert this concentration to decimal by dividing by 100, giving 0.17 of the fertilizer.
1000/ 0.17=5.8lb.
This means for every 1000s1 ft, you’ll need 5.8lb of the triple 17 fertilizer.
So, if you have 3000 sq ft of lawn, then to get the amount of fertilizer you’ll need, divide it by 0.17. Like so:
3000/ 0.17= 17.6lb
17 17 17 And Plants
For commercial growers, this is one of the most important fertilizers you can have in your arsenal. Triple 17 can also be used in your garden to get great results.
The NPK 17 17 17 can be used on different types of plants.
This balanced fertilizer can be added to shrubs, hedges, and hardy bushes to encourage flowering.
17 17 17 is also a great fertilizer to add to your trees; the fertilizer can be added to many types of trees, including fruit trees, as it improves the growth rate of the trees.
The fertilizer can be added to vegetable gardens to increase yields and promote turfgrass growth.
Recently, using the triple 17 fertilizer for tropical houseplants has become a common practice. However, before applying the fertilizer, remember to dilute it to half-strength. This method will produce the best results for tropical houseplants.
When applied to flower beds, the triple 17 will lead to larger blooms.
The frequency of application of this fertilizer will vary depending on the plant.
For gardeners with lawns, the triple 17 has also got you sorted. It provides all the essential nutrients for your turf to remain green all year round.
Price
The price of triple 17 fertilizer varies depending on the brand and the amount you purchase.
The water-soluble version of 17 17 17 is easy to apply, but it may be more expensive.
The price will be around $40 for 50lb of 17 17 17.
Safety Precautions
It’s important to note that fertilizers can scorch and burn plants if not applied accordingly since they’re largely made of chemicals.
Other than burning plants, fertilizers can cause humans harm, especially if they come into contact with your hands. As such, you should be cautious when handling fertilizers.
Here are safety precautions you should consider to avoid any potential issues.
Dosage: Ensure you get the dosage right for your plants. Adding too much fertilizer can cause plant burns, which may stunt and kill the plant’s growth. On the other hand, too little or under-fertilization will cause leaves and plant discoloration, slow root growth, and fewer flower blooms.
Gloves: Wear gloves when applying fertilizers. All fertilizers can cause bodily harm if your hands come directly into contact with them. Since minerals such as nitrogen contain toxic elements, your body may be greatly affected if you directly touch the fertilizer.
Storage: It’s important to ensure the fertilizer is properly stored and kept away from pets and children.
Dry Hands: Fertilizers that are water soluble will activate immediately when they come into contact with water. To prevent this, ensure your hands are completely dry even when you have gloves on.
Safety Glasses: If fertilizer can cause skin burns, imagine the damage it may deal to your eyes! Always protect yourself with safety glasses when applying.
Don’t eat, chew or smoke when applying the triple 17 fertilizer.
Bottom Line
Like animals, plants need food to grow healthy and strong and increase their growth rate. While it’s not extremely essential, fertilizing your plants is in your best interests. Ensure you pick a fertilizer that will actually help your plants, as adding unnecessary fertilizer will lead to the wastage of minerals and cause damage to the plants.
A balanced fertilizer such as the NPK 17 17 17 has the key nutrients needed by a plant and can be applied to a variety of plants. Triple 17 is easy to apply, cheaper, and will give your plants all the necessary nutrients to grow!
So, next time you’re looking for a balanced fertilizer to rejuvenate your plants, consider the 17 17 17.
