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Tips for Recognizing When Your Plants Need Nitrogen and Giving It to Them Quickly

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Jonathon Engels, a long-time vegetarian turned vegan, is currently on a trip from Guatemala to... Read More

One of the most often asked questions beginners inquire about growing anything is regarding fertilizer. Should I fertilize this? When should I fertilizer this? How much fertilizer should I give it? What kind of fertilizer should I give it?

The answer isn’t all that cut and dry. That’s part of the problem with chemical fertilizers. For the most part, they focus on nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Essentially, these three nutrients are like carbohydrates, protein, and fat for humans: They are macronutrients of the plant world.

That said, NPK (Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and (K)Potassium) are vital. Phosphorus helps to develop flowers, fruit, and roots. Potassium also helps with flowers and fruit, as well as mitigates stress on plants.

Nitrogen is what makes the plants—stems and leaves—grow big and strong, and it is integral to photosynthesis. It is what will help those young plants get moving into the world, something that’s especially important with annual plants (or even perennial plants grown as annuals).

What Happens When Nitrogen Is Too Low

When nitrogen levels are too low in the soil, plants will let you know. There are loads of signals to look out for, and the good news is that, when read early, nitrogen deficiencies can be remedied before they cause a problem that means no tomatoes, squash, or lettuce.

All of how to read this is intrinsic to understanding what the “big three” nutrients do for plants. If they are bushy but low on blooms, they’ll need phosphorus. If they are struggling to get off the ground and gain size, they probably need nitrogen.

Here are some of the obvious signs to watch out for:

If the leaves are yellowing prematurely, nitrogen deficiency might be a problem. It’ll start with the older, lower leaves and work its way up. At this point, the plant might want a little nitro-fix.
Similarly, defoliation and smaller leaves can signal there isn’t enough nitrogen to make the magic happen.
Stems might become droopy and weak. They might wilt down a little more than expected or struggle to hold up the weight of what foliage is there. This is nitrogen’s job, so if it isn’t getting done, maybe there isn’t nitrogen there to do the work.
Weak plants, a result of too little nitrogen, tend to be more susceptible to pests and diseases. Give them a boost of nitrogen-rich fertilizer if this seems an issue.
Lastly, slow growth could be because nitrogen levels are low. Maybe a boost of available nitrogen could make a difference.

While it’s true that some of these issues can be the result of something else, much like when reading symptoms for human illnesses, nitrogen is going to be the first remedy to turn to. It’ll hopefully get things underway as they should be.

Where to Find Quick-Acting, Natural Sources of Nitrogen

Once a nitrogen deficiency is detected or suspected, the next question is where to get a quick fix of nitrogen to get those plants thriving rather than merely surviving. Forget turning to chemical NPK fertilizers for this. There are easy natural sources of high-nitrogen fuel to feed them.

Homespun “teas” are a great source of nitrogen fertilizer. These are made by steeping compost, manure, or even fresh grass clippings in water for a day. The resulting tea is sprayed onto the plants as a foliar (leaf-based) fertilizer which acts faster than root/soil-based fertilizers.
Diluted human urine, as unpopular as it is for some, is basically straight nitrogen to feed your plants. For those willing to get a bit funky for the garden, pee in a bucket or watering can, dilute that urine with some water, and give it to plants in need of a nitrogen boost.
For plant-based growers opposed to using blood meal or bone meal, alfalfa meal can offer a veganic alternative. It’s perfect for adding extra nitrogen to the soil so that plants have the building blocks they need for healthy growth.

Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium Aren’t Everything

Think of plants like any other person. They need a healthy, well-balanced diet with more than just the basics. Nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium are the major building blocks, but without all the mortar to hold those blocks together, the structure is going to topple. All those vitamins and minerals are still vitally important. Adding a well-rounded compost to the soil each year and a thick layer of leaf mulch breaking down throughout the season will help to ensure that the soil can offer plants all they need.

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