NPK
From BonsaiWIKI
NPK is shorthand for Nitrogen - Phosphorus - Potassium, using the chemical name fore each element. (The chemical symbol K is used for Potassium).
By law, fertilizer manufacturers should list their N-P-K proportions on the product label; e.g., 0-10-10 or 15-30-15. The numbers provide an indication of the percentage of each, by weight. The balance of the product is not necessarily inert, but it doesn't contribute directly to the NPK values.
Other elements besides NPK are required for plant growth - they are called minors and micronutrients. However, the NPK are the most important nutrients your plants need.
A common saying for the functions of each of the elements, Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium is the phrase "Up, down and around." This phrase suggests the primary function of each of the three elements: Nitrogen, to make the plants grow ("up"); Phosphorous for the development of a healthy root system ("down"); Potassium to help in flowering and propagation ("around").
| Fertilization Terms |
| Fertilization: Foliar fertilization | Fertigation | Feeding | CEC ratio | overfertilization | fertilizer deficiency |
| NPK: Nitrogen (nitrate ammonium and urea) | Phosphorus | Potassium |
| Minors: Boron | Chlorine | Chromium | Copper | Iron | Manganese | Magnesium | Molybdenum | Sulphur | Zinc |
| Organic fertilizer: Fertilizer cake | Fish emulsion | Seaweed extract | Bat guano | Bone meal | Blood meal | Biogold | Cottonseed meal | Fish Meal | Chicken Manure | Cow Manure | Soybean Meal | Alfalfa Meal |
| Misc: Epsom Salts | Rock Dust | Gypsum |
| Inorganic fertilizer: Miracle-Gro | Miracid | Osmocote | Dyna-Gro |
| pH: Acidity | Alkalinity | Chlorosis | Vinegar | Lime |
