Are you a home gardener wanting to improve nutrient content in your soil with the addition of fertilizers?
If so, you need to know that granular and other dry fertilizers have to dissolve in water, before your plants are able to absorb them.
Exterior fertilizer can dissolve in water, allowing roots to reach and absorb nutrients, and so this will foster growth.
But remember, it can take as long as 2 days, up to 2 weeks to dissolve. While this is typically the case, the time for maximum absorption will depend on numerous factors.
How Long Does It Take For Granular Fertilizer To Dissolve?
The amount of time for your fertilizer to dissolve is dependent upon what type of fertilizer you’re using.
Granular fertilizers are for the most part, slow-release fertilizers. However, some formulations of products are quick-release.
A slow-release fertilizer may take up to 2 weeks to fully dissolve into the soil, and a quick-release type will dissolve fully, in under 48 hours.
The slow-release granular fertilizers have a coating. This outer coating makes them soluble slower and releases nutrients slower.
Granular fertilizers are unlike powder and liquids, they do not dissolve quickly, they take time and will release nutrients very steadily over a long period of time.
How Much Time Do Fertilizers Need To Be Absorbed?
Usually fertilizers can take up to 2 weeks before they start working.
Regardless of type, all fertilizers work the same way. They get dissolved in the soil to a form that can easily be absorbed by the plant roots.
This means that nutrients that are packed in fertilizers will only be absorbed by plants once they fully dissolve.
In this regard, liquid fertilizers will take the least amount of time and time as well with organic fertilizes taking the most amount of time. Both powders and granular fertilizers will also need some time to dissolve into a form that can be absorbed by the plants.
Organic fertilizers rely on microbial activities to break it down into forms that plants can use for nutrition.
One thing to keep in mind is that generally the fertilizer absorption rate will depend on a few factors.
Those factors will include the following.
Temperature
Higher temperatures lead to a higher solubility of solid tubular fertilizer.
In other words, granular fertilizer will typically dissolve quicker in warm or hot temperatures than in unfavorable temperatures like cold weather.
Consequently, plants will usually uptake nutrients easier when it is hot instead of cold.
Rainfall
When you put down your granular fertilizer after it rains, it dissolves faster, AND plants absorb it sooner too.
But you don’t want to apply your fertilizer while it’s raining.
That means the rain washes down the fertilizer, and the plants may not even absorb enough of the nutrients.
Also, if it’s a drier season, the plants could take longer to absorb the nutrients in fertilizer, due to the lack of water.
Supernutrition in the soil
The nutritional composition of a plant can influence the uptake of one nutrient.
In other words, if one nutrient is higher than another, the plant has physiological barriers to uptake.
Therefore, the time of nutrient uptake from fertilizer in equal proportions is slower than calculated.
Do You Need To Water Granular Fertilizers?
Most fertilizers on the market are granular.
That means when you apply them you must water, as granular fertilizer only works when you supply it with water.
The water would break down the fertilizer and transport it to the root zone for uptake.
So when you apply granular fertilizer on your plants or lawn it needs water.
It doesn’t matter if that water comes from the rain or from your garden hose.
The water assists in the decomposition of the fertilizer, making it easier for uptake.
In some cases, if you forget to water your fertilizer you could experience fertilizer burns – which no one wants!
Remember – there are lots of different granular fertilizers:
- Slow-release fertilizers – these fertilizers release nutrients into the soil at a slow pace. These fertilizers usually have a coating that helps to control the nutrient release. Once water is added, it activates the layer of the fertilizer, which lets just a little nutrients into the soil at a time.
- Uncoated fertilizers consists of fast-releasing granular fertilizers that will last approximately 2-4 weeks. With fast releasing fertilizers, adding excessive water can lead to leaching which takes away most of the nutrient value that the plants need. That is why you want to add a controlled amount of water to activate the fertilizer.
After you have added your granular fertilizers, you will want to water your plants within 24 hours.
Once you water again, you can wait 2-3 days before applying water.
Doing it this way can help prevent leaching by over watering the plants.
Is Granular Fertilizer Better Than Liquid Fertilizer?
Although all fertilizer works the same, there are some significant differences between liquid and granular fertilizers.
They come with different pros and cons.
| Pros | Cons | |
|---|---|---|
| Liquid Fertilizers | – The fertilizers are quick-acting – It is easier to apply the fertilizer uniformly to plants – Plants absorb these fertilizers more efficiently – The delivery method is faster – Finally, liquid fertilizers are easy to store as they come in small packages. | – Liquid fertilizers are costlier than granular fertilizers – Due to their high salinity, the tools for applying the fertilizers are damaged easily – Also, if used under high temperatures, the high salinity of liquid fertilizers can burn plant leaves – Plants only take up a small portion of the nutrients. The soil loses the rest of the nutrients through volatilization and leaching. |
| Granular Fertilizers | – The slow-releasing pellets will serve your plants for up to 9 months – When bought in bulk, granular fertilizer is cheaper – They are easier to store because they do not salt out in the cold – Granular fertilizers are more efficient for heavy pre-planting applications. | – Their high salt content can burn plant leaves. – Some immobile nutrients like phosphorous cannot get close to the roots for absorption unless you add water to carry them – Non-uniformity in feeding plants since each granule carries a different amount of nutrients – Labourous application |
Liquid fertilizers are, put simply, concentrated nutrients. When applying to plants, they are diluted in water until a DSL is achieved. The method of applying liquid fertilizers can vary from pressure to non-pressure methods.
The most common liquid fertilizers are mixture of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium. Certain liquid fertilizers are nitrogenous, anhydrous liquid ammonia, concentrated urea and ammonium nitrate solutions.
Dry fertilizers are mostly granulated. In general, a dry fertilizer composition will depend on the mixture in each bag.
In general, granular fertilizers are incorporated at a shallow depth. Adding fertilizer at planting directly to the plant could “burn the plants” resulting in irreversible damage.
Every type of fertilizer has advantages and disadvantages – which is why each is suited for different applications.
For instance – Liquid fertilizer will provide the best outcome if you are looking to revive your plants ASAP. Whereas granular fertilizer will be better for if you are working the farm and out putting nutrients preplant. Granular fertilizers are also best if you want to keep your plants’ nutrient supply open-ended for longer than any other option.
Does Granular Fertilizer Wash Away?
When using slow-release granular fertilizer, it isn’t easily flushed away.
This is bliss for users because the pellets resist dissolving in water.
Therefore, rain doesn’t flush it away, it allows the fertilizer to be activated to slowly release nutrients into the soil. You can even hose the fertilizer down if you are not getting any rain.
However, that is viable only if it is not raining heavily.
If heavy rain falls on your fertilizer after you applied it, it is likely it will be flushed away from the water.
Also, if you have been watering your garden excessively, that too will flush the granular fertilizer away.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long will your plants benefit from a single addition of granular fertilizer?
It really depends on the fertilizer’s formulation, but granular fertilizer can last anywhere from a few weeks to some months in the soil. Slowly releasing fertilizers last longer than the regular uncoated fertilizer.
How often should you water in granulated fertilizer?
After you put down the fertilizer, you should water it in to the soil or solidified fertilizer within a 24-hour period. After the initial watering in, please wait 2-3 days before watering in your plants.
Remember: water your plants but don’t overwater them! You don’t want your nutrients to leach into the soil and have your plants starve of essential nutrients.
Conclusion
Fertilizers are good for plant growth and supply nutrients for healthy growth. Fertilizers are in multiple forms with the main types being liquid and granulated.
If you are incorporating a granulated fertilizer into your plants, you will want to follow with at least some water, to kickstart the process that will release nutrients from the pellets. Applying water will further pull some immobile nutrients into the root system for uptake.
You can also dissolve the granulated fertilizer into the water for easy-to-use uniform application. The granulated fertilizer will dissolve within a few hours or a day, and it will be much quicker and uniform to apply.