plant fertilizer analysis and the benefit to plant?

Answer 1

Chemical fertilizers are harmful to the environment.

Overdose may kill the plant by creating a hypertonic soil solution that plasmolyzes the plant cells.

Nitrates can accumulate to toxic amounts in groundwater, depleting the finite nonrenewable resource.

Fertilizer runoff either from the surface or by groundwater movement can cause eutrophication and kill much of the life in aquatic ecosystems.

And chemical fertilizers can also sterilize your soil, killing useful microbes such as nitrogen fixing bacteria and mycorrhizae.

Please use compost instead.

Answer 2

Notwithstanding michaelnrdx's diatribe on the evils of chemical fertilizers, fertilizer analysis is required to determine which fertilizer or combination of fertilizers are beneficial to a given plant. Proper selection of fertilizer is crucial to plant health. Catch-as-catch-can methods such as composting may or may not provide the proper nutrients, and certainly cannot provide those nutrients in quantities required.

Answer 3

Gee whiz, Odin, there are a lot of different fertilizers on the market. Further, the fertilizer than is beneficial for one plant may not be as beneficial for another plant. Can you be more specific? Or can you tell us why you are asking?