What's Your Fertilizer IQ?
Fertilizer is essential for keeping plants healthy and flourishing, and yet they may be the most misunderstood gardening supplies in your shed. Test your fertilizer IQ, and maybe learn something new, with this quiz!
What are the two main categories of fertilizers?
Organic & inorganic
Subterranean & aerial
Powder & liquid
Herbicides & pesticides
What is NOT an advantage of inorganic fertilizers?
It offers a specific breakdown of nutrients
Its effects are permanent
It’s easy to figure out how much to use
It works quickly
What’s your best option if you accidentally over-fertilize a plant?
Water deeply to flush out the fertilizer salts
Do nothing, and skip a dose of fertilizer next time
Apply a different fertilizer with opposite effects
Plant another plant next to it
What are the three elements that make up the numbers on the fertilizer bag?
Nitrous oxide, phosphate, sodium chloride
Hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen
Nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium
Proteins, fats, carbohydrates
What is a telltale sign your plants have a bit too much nitrogen in their soil?
Tons of foliage but very few blooms (or none at all)
Pale, sickly-looking leaves
Damp, moldy soil
Leaves turning brown and falling off
What is the advantage of using fertilizer pellets?
They release a lot of nutrients all at once
They change the colors of your hydrangeas
They release a nice scent
They release nutrients slowly over time
What does it mean when a fertilizer is “water soluble”?
It’s a concentrated dry formula that dissolves in water
It comes in liquid form
It's safe to drink
It means you should water your plant more often after applying
How often should you apply Premium Controlled Release Plant Food fertilizer pellets?
Every 1-2 weeks
Every 4-6 months
Once per month
Every 2-3 months
When should you apply Premium Water-Soluble Plant Food?
If your garden is looking dull
When your flowers aren’t blooming as much as they should be
Every 7-14 days during the growing season
All of the above
What is the best practice for using fertilizers during the growing season?
Apply Premium Controlled Release Plant Food pellets upon planting and supplement with Premium Water-Soluble Plant Food every two weeks until the temperature reaches a consistent 92F
Apply Premium Controlled Release Plant Food pellets or Premium Water-Soluble Plant Food every two weeks, but not both
Apply Premium Water-Soluble Plant Food every time you water and apply Premium Controlled Release Plant Food pellets in the fall
Do not fertilize during the growing season
You got {number correct}/{number of questions} correct answers
Hey, we all started somewhere! If you’ve still got lots to learn about fertilizing, read our magazine to help you understand fertilizers and learn more about our KVG ‘The Good Stuff’ Fertilizer line!
You got {number correct}/{number of questions} correct answers
You’ve got the basics down, but you’ve yet to perfect the art of fertilizing. Brush up on your skills with our Understanding Fertilizers article and learn more about our KVG ‘The Good Stuff’ Fertilizer line.
You got {number correct}/{number of questions} correct answers
Wow, any chance you’re looking for a summer job? We need fertilizer experts like you to spread your passion for gardening to our customers at our Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska locations. Check out our job postings here!