Potato fertilizer is a hearty plant stimulator specially formulated to promote potato and tuber growth. However, if you have potato fertilizer that you want to use, you might wonder if there are other plants you can use it on.
You can use potato fertilizer on other plants. Other root vegetables will do well when given this plant fertilizer. However, checking that your potato fertilizer meets the other plants’ fertilization requirements is essential.
In the rest of this article, I will go over what potato fertilizer is good for, what ingredients it contains, how to apply it to other plants, some frequently asked questions, and the pros and cons of this type of fertilizer. So if you want to learn more about potato fertilizer, read on.
What Is Potato Fertilizer Good For?
Potatoes are staples in most households worldwide due to how cheap and easy it is to produce them. Potatoes appear in many traditional food dishes, and there are wide varieties, all of which can benefit from a good potato fertilizer.
Potato fertilizer is good for increasing growth in potatoes and other tubers. The reason for this is that this type of fertilizer generally contains higher amounts of potassium and phosphorus. Both of these nutrients are important for good potato and root vegetable growth.
Farmers and gardeners mainly use potato fertilizer on potatoes, but that doesn’t mean other plants won’t benefit from it. However, it’s also important to note that potato fertilizer generally has lower nitrogen content, so plants that thrive in soil with lower nitrogen will benefit the most from it.
Potato Fertilizer Ingredients
Before using potato fertilizer on your other plants, it’s essential to understand what nutrients potatoes fertilizers generally pack. As I previously stated, potato fertilizer has lower nitrogen levels which aren’t ideal for all plants. Before adding this fertilizer to your garden, it’s essential to ensure your plants are compatible with its other ingredients.
General potato fertilizer ingredients:
- Sulfate
- Blood meal
- Dolomitic limestone
- Potassium sulfate
- Gypsum
- Fishbone meal
A lot of potato fertilizers also include other health-promoting ingredients as well. These are great ingredients full of nutrients that your potatoes and other low nitrogen-loving plants will appreciate.
As I previously stated, potato fertilizer contains high amounts of phosphorus and potassium but low amounts of nitrogen. So plants that enjoy these exact specifications are more likely to benefit from the fertilizer.
If you don’t already have a good potato fertilizer, I recommend Muriate of Potash (available on Amazon.com). This fertilizer is excellent for any rooted plants- including potatoes. It’s a concentrated formula, so you also get an ample amount in a single order.
The Pros and Cons of Using Potato Fertilizer on Other Plants
Next, I want to discuss the pros and cons of using potato fertilizer on other plants. You can use this fertilizer on other plants, provided it meets their nutrition needs. Plants that don’t require high amounts of nitrogen will do best. So I would like to go over a few pros and cons of using this fertilizer on plants other than potatoes.
The pros of using potato fertilizer on other plants:
- A good way to use up extra fertilizer. If you bought fertilizer for potatoes but have some leftover, applying it to other plants is a good way not to waste fertilizer.
- Low nitrogen plants like tomatoes can benefit from the nutrients. Tomatoes are also notorious for needing plenty of nutrients while not having high nitrogen levels. It stands to reason that both of these plants would benefit from similar fertilizers.
- Most potato fertilizers are granulated. They will be slow-release, and the fertilizer will stay in the soil for longer.
Ultimately, there are a few pros to using this fertilizer on your other plants. However, it’s also essential to understand all the drawbacks.
The cons of using potato fertilizer on other plants:
- It’s not formulated for all types of plants. Potato fertilizer is designed explicitly for potatoes and tubers. So you mustn’t use potato fertilizer as the only form of soil enhancement. Otherwise, your plants might miss out on essential nutrients and even die.
- It can cause over-fertilization. Potato fertilizer is quite potent and can significantly increase certain nutrients in the soil if you aren’t careful. When nutrients are over-increased, it can harm your plant’s ability to absorb and sustain itself.
There are only a few cons to using potato fertilizer on other plants. However, the consequences can be disastrous if you use this kind of fertilizer on the wrong plants or soil you already fertilized.
Plants That Could Benefit From Potato Fertilizer
Next, I want to go over specific types of plants that could potentially benefit from the nutrients found in potato fertilizers. These plants will be the ones that typically enjoy lower nitrogen and higher potassium and phosphorus.
Plants that would be okay with potato fertilizer:
- Tomatoes
- Carrots
- Fava beans
- Radishes
- Peas
- Turnips
- Parsnips
- Rutabaga
These are examples of plants that enjoy lower nitrogen content in their soil. So using a fertilizer formulated with low nitrogen should work just fine. However, I don’t recommend using potato fertilizer indefinitely as it may not contain all the necessary ingredients to promote good plant health.
That said, adding a little potato fertilizer to most plants shouldn’t harm them so long as the soil isn’t already over-fertilized. A few plants are less likely to enjoy this type of fertilizer.
Plants that wouldn’t do well with potato fertilizer:
- Kale
- Bok choy
- Lettuce
- Spinach
- Chicory
Most leafy greens are not going to enjoy potato fertilizer as thoroughly. However, this fertilizer shouldn’t outright harm them; it simply will not give off the nutrients they require.
How To Apply Potato Fertilizer to Other Plants
Finally, it’s essential to know how to apply potato fertilizer to your other plants. Generally, this type of fertilizer comes in granules, and you spread it using a broadcast spreader. You can follow the instructions on the back of the container to the best of your ability.
You can also sprinkle the fertilizer around the plants without putting it on them directly. That way, the fertilizer can release nutrients into the soil without issue. Some plants require you to replenish the fertilizer every few weeks, but you’ll want to switch to a different fertilizer before applying too much of one specific kind.
However, I heavily suggest using a soil test kit and researching the plant’s nutrient needs before applying potato fertilizer. Soil kits are relatively cheap and fast. Testing the nutrients in the soil is the only sure way to know what nutrients your soil lacks. Doing so will prevent illness and even death in your plants.
Also, when applying potato fertilizer, be careful not to get it on your paving stones. If the granules get wet, they can easily stain, and fertilizer stains can be difficult to remove. You also don’t want to get fertilizer on plants that don’t enjoy fertilizer with high potassium and phosphorus.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can You Use Potato Fertilizer on Tomatoes?
You can use potato fertilizer on tomatoes. However, it’s essential to test your soil prior as it can be easy to over-fertilize with potato fertilizer. It’s also best to wait until the tomatoes are well established before adding this fertilizer to the soil.
Can You Use Potato Fertilizer on Lawns?
You can use potato fertilizer on lawns. Though this fertilizer won’t promote lawn growth as well as other products, using it on grass won’t harm it. Still, you should do your best not to over-fertilize your grass as this can easily result in your lawn dying.
Conclusion
Ultimately, you can use potato fertilizer on other plants. However, you should do so with caution. Potato fertilizer is low in nitrogen, and many plants thrive on high nitrogen content in the soil. You should always research your plant’s soil needs before adding any fertilizer.
In short, potato fertilizers work with many plants. You’ll want to make sure you apply it to plants that can benefit from it before you try it.
You can read my other article on how to fertilize indoor and outdoor plants here: How to Fertilize Indoor & Outdoor Plants (Ultimate Guide)
