Is Vitax Q4 Fertiliser the Best General Purpose Fertilizer?

Name of Product: Vitax Q4 Professional Fertilizer

The Best Place to Buy: www.amazon.co.uk

Package Dimensions: 26.4cm x 26.4cm x 21.6cm

Shipping Weight: 10kg

My Score: 9/10

In this article, we will be discussing if Vitax Q4 fertiliser is the best general-purpose fertilizer. As you can see from my posts that fertilizing plants is very important. I have reviewed slow released fertilizers, talked about growmore and fish, blood and bone to see what the best is. I have also talked about Phostrogen as a very good liquid fertiliser and a quick boost, but sometimes you want something that the professional use.

As a gardener, you get to the point where you have tried many things and you still are not getting the results. You look to what commercial growers and professional gardeners use in growing their crops and plants and in trying to replicate the results you often see on the TV.

You think it is a secret but the cat is now out of the bag, as this is one of the products that they use.

It is one product that combines the benefits of growmore or fish, blood and bone with added trace elements, so possesses additional benefits.

WHAT IS Q4 FERTILIZER?

It is a general-purpose fertiliser that comes in the form of a granular feed that contains nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium that plant need with added trace elements. It will provide a wide range of plants enough nutrients throughout the growing season.

It will help plants to grow vigorous producing new shoots, flowers in abundance and fruits in larger numbers. It should be used regularly throughout the growing season. It can be used on fruit trees and soft fruit bushes to increase harvests.

On shrubs and roses to produce more flowers and healthier leaves, vegetables to produce bigger crops, and on lawns to make them greener and healthier. In conifers, it can be used to produce healthier leaves.

You can say it is a general-purpose fertiliser that has good multitude uses in the garden including containers.

It can replace the role of many fertilisers; growmore and/or fish, blood and bone can be replaced as it fills the same function. It can replace rose and shrub food for these plants, as it has the NPK that plants need and also the magnesium that roses need.

It can replace the need for sulfate of ammonia for leafy crops and those plants who need a high nitrogen supply. It can replace the need for sulfate of potassium used to produce bigger blooms and more fruit, and it has enough iron via sulphate of iron to help ericaceous plants.

One thing it cannot replace is phosphorous that is required for root growth. The problem is that this general purpose fertiliser does not have enough phosphorus in the form of phosphate to aid these plants. It will help but you need more to grow your carrots and parsnips.

It will replace a lot of fertilisers used in the garden, but it will not replace them all.

WHAT NUTRIENTS ARE PRESENT IN Q4?

It contains a mixture of 5.3% nitrogen, 7.5% of phosphorous pentoxide of which 6.8% is soluble in water, 10.0% potassium oxide, 3.0% magnesium oxide, 0.3% boron, 0.025% copper and 0.2% iron.

This will translate to a nitrogen: phosphorous: potassium (NPK) ratio of 5.3:3.3:8.3. This can be seen as a high potassium fertiliser and therefore suitable for flowering and fruiting plants. To be truthful as said earlier, the amount of phosphorous is a bit low but this can be supplement by adding superphosphates in the mix or by using liquid fertilisers.

The NPK ratios are comparable with growmore or fish, blood or bones, but it has much more potassium then the other two, If you want to know what the trace elements are for, I recommend you read my article on nutrient for plants.

APPLICATION RATES AND HOW TO USE

It is recommended that you apply it evenly at the roots below, preferable when the soil or compost is moist. Once applied, you will need to lightly hoe the produce onto the surface and if it is dry to water it in.

Please note 35 grams equate to a handful.

• For tomatoes and chrysanthemums apply 200 grams per square metre of product before planting in the soil and then apply 35 gram per square metre every 3 to 4 weeks.

• For flowers and vegetables apply 140 grams per square metre before sowing seeds and planting plants. Top dress vegetable once or twice during the growing season.

• For roses apply 140 grams per square metre before planting or give an annual dressing for established bushes.

• For fruit trees and soft fruit apply the product before planting and by applying a top dressing in early spring for established plants.

• For apple, pear, and plum trees and other fruit trees apply 175 grams per square metre.

• For currants, gooseberries, raspberries and other cane fruits apply 140 grams per square metre. For strawberry apply 70 to 100 grams per square metre.

If you are using this as part of feeding regime for containers then the following is recommended.

• For general pot plants like perennials and shrubs us 3 to 5 grams per litre of compost.

• For summer bedding plants use 2 to 4 grams per litre of compost

• For autumn bedding plants use 1.5 to 3.5 grams per litre of compost.

Remember this is a non-organic fertilizer and as a result not suitable for those who wish to follow organic principles.

A handful corresponds to 35 grams, so you need to use more if you have a large container, less in a small one. Remember applying too much fertilizer can be detrimental as applying too little.

A general good all-rounder in the garden.

PROS

• If you want one product that you can use around the garden, then this is for you.

• Has trace elements that other fertilizers do not have.

• 10kg will last you a long time in the container garden.

• It will ensure that the plants are healthier, the leaves and shoots are greener, the flowers vibrant and the fruits abundant.

• Can last for years in storage, as long as you store it in a dry condition.

CONS

• It can be rather costly compared to other fertilisers.

• It can be rather dusty, despite what the manufacturer may say. You need to apply it on still days as it can irritate your eyes and throat.

WHY SHOULD YOU BUY Q4 FERTILIZER?

I have used Q4 for a while in my garden and my containers with great success. What is good about the fertilizer is that you do not need to add a lot, especially in containers. You can mix it with compost before planting and/or you can use it as a top dressing.

One large 10kg tub can fertiliser up to 40 square metres of land, so if you have plenty of land, you may need to buy more.

Were my plants happy? Yes. Where they healthier? Yes. Were my vegetables and fruit bigger and more abundant? Let us say that they were not small in size or lacking in number. Would I recommend this product to gardeners? Yes.

If you are interested in buying this product, then buy it here.

If you have any questions or comments that you need fertilising, then drop them in the comment box below.

Happy plant fertilising.