Plants need fertilizers for their proper and thriving growth. Many home gardeners question, how long does it take for granular fertilizer to dissolve. The answer to this question is that these granules take 1 to 2 days to dissolve in the soil. However, this timing depends on various factors, such as fertilizer type, particle size, environmental conditions, and soil moisture.
The process is sped up by warmer temperatures and higher levels of moisture in the soil. Whereas, cold temperatures and dry soils can suspend it. It’s essential to follow the manufacturer’s directions regarding application rates and timing for optimum results. In this blog, we have discussed the exact dissolve timing of different types of granular fertilizers and the factors affecting them. Stay connected till the end!
How Long Does It Take Granular Fertilizer to Work
Granular fertilizers are dry fertilizers, generally taking 2 weeks to dissolve completely and start working. All other kinds of fertilizers work the same, and they dissolve into the soil and get absorbed. Plants are habitual in taking fertilizers packed into the soil and then dissolving completely. However, the timing of all fertilizer types is changed due to various factors.
Different factors such as soil temperature, moisture, and climate conditions may disturb the granule dissolve process. Along with these factors, the size of granules can also affect this process. The bigger particles may take more time. In addition, if the soil is well moisturized then the granules dissolve faster. Whereas in dry soil, the granular fertilizer takes more time to dissolve. However, you can also decide, liquid or dry which fertilizer is best for your plant considering different conditions and plant requirements.
Factors Affecting Fertilizer Absorption Rate
Different factors affect the absorption rate of fertilizers, and some of them include:
1. Temperature
The temperature has an essential effect on the absorption rate of these fertilizers. When the weather is hot, these fertilizers easily dissolve as the moisture increases granular fertilizers’ solubility. If you add this fertilizer in warm weather, it will dissolve faster than the granular fertilizers.
Cold weather is unsuitable for absorbing these fertilizers as they are already freezing and challenging to absorb. That is why it becomes easier for plants to absorb nutrients in summer than in winter.
2. Rainfall
These fertilizers work magic when added after rain. After the rain, the soil is already moist and soft, rain prepares the soil for fertilizer intake. But, you must avoid adding fertilizer to the soil when it rains. Rain can wash away the fertilizer, and plants will not have any nutrients to absorb. During dry seasons, you will have to wait a very long to absorb the plant’s nutrients, and the water in the soil will also be shallow.
3. Super-nutrition In the Soil
The soil’s nutrition composition also affects the soil’s nutrition uptake. There is a possibility that the nutrients are in bulk, and when you add more fertilizer, the soil becomes highly concentrated with nutrients. The plant creates a barrier to slow absorption as the soil already has excessive nutrition. Another reason is that the fertilizer will absorb less into the soil than expected.
Does Granular Fertilizer Need to Be Watered In
Different granular fertilizers are available on the market, and some come as pellets. You need to water these granular fertilizers to activate them. These fertilizers are not in their active form. So, when you add them without water, they will not absorb and stay locked up in the soil and won’t release any nutrition into the soil.
If you want to make your fertilizers absorb, you need to water them, and then they will unlock and release nutrients into the soil. Water helps break down the fertilizer and helps carry the fertilizer to the roots of the plant. When you apply fertilizer to these plants, they need water to start working. You can provide this water through rain or other methods such as using a garden hose. Water helps decompose the fertilizer and makes the absorption easy for the plants. Whereas, skipping watering after adding fertilizer can cause the fertilizer to burn.
Dissolve Duration According to Types of Fertilizers
There are different types of fertilizers. Some are liquid, dry, slow-release, fast-release, and coated fertilizers. They all take different times to get absorbed into the soil. Here are some of the types and the time they take for absorption into the soil:
1. Slow-Release Fertilizers
As the name suggests, slow-release fertilizers take a long time to absorb, releasing their nutrients slowly into the soil. Some coating prevents the quick release of fertilizers into the soil. These fertilizers are also known as coated fertilizers. They need water to become activated, and when they are activated, the upper layer gradually decomposes. They release their nutrients slowly into the soil after becoming activated.
2. Uncoated Fertilizers
Uncoated fertilizers are also fast or quick-releasing fertilizers. They absorb within 2 to 4 weeks. You don’t need to add much water to make them available for the grass. They need some water, and you can easily make them available for the plants. They release their nutrients quickly, and the soil takes them up quickly. Adding a lot of water can lead to the leaching of fertilizers into the soil. It can also wash away all the nutrients. Thus, you need to add a calculated amount of water into this fertilizer, which will be enough to activate it.
When you apply these fertilizers, you need to wait for the next 24 hours. After finishing this watering, wait for the next 2 to 3 days before adding more water. The water will get absorbed quickly, and you can prevent soil leaching due to extra water in the plants.
(Expert Tip: To achieve significant results of granular fertilizers, mix up slow-release and quick-release fertilizers to provide full and quick nutrition to your plant.)
Why Do Organic Fertilizers Take Longer to Work
Organic fertilizers take a long time to absorb because they take a long time to decompose all the nutrients. Organic nutrients are healthier and take longer to break compared to synthetic fertilizers. The breakdown and decomposition of the organic fertilizer depend directly on the manufacturing composition of these fertilizers.
They usually take 2 to 6 weeks to dissolve into the soil thoroughly. The reason is that the topsoil is full of bioactivity, and you need to wait for the bioactivity to take place naturally. You cannot synthetically speed up a natural process. Organic granules are slower than synthetic fertilizers but not slower than compost, which takes ages to decompose.
Irrigating the soil perfectly can easily dissolve the fertilizers; adding the fertilizer to recently granulated soil will absorb it faster. When the soil is wet and has fresh moisture, you spread the granules evenly, and these nutrients take up the nutrients fast. It would help if you also watered after adding the fertilizer, activating it, and making the process fast.
How Long Does Granular Fertilizer Last in Soil
Organic fertilizers are granular, coated, and slow-release fertilizers; they take 2 to 3 weeks to absorb and decompose into the soil thoroughly. However, this timing varies depending on the available soil type, climate, and moisture.
If the fertilizers are organic, they can take from 3 months to 10 months to absorb entirely and evenly after being applied to the soil. However, sometimes they are designed in a way to release nutrients in a specific period. When the fertilizers are granular, they will stay for 2 to 9 months and start decomposing and changing forms.
Granular Vs. Liquid Fertilizers
Liquid fertilizers are generally quick-releasing fertilizers, and you can consider using these fertilizers if you need the soil to absorb the nutrients quickly. On the other hand, granular fertilizers are dry pellets that need a lot of time to absorb and are also hard to wash away along with rain.
There are different types of nutrients stored in these fertilizers. Some are micronutrients, and others are macronutrients. These nutrients are not in liquid form, you can provide these types of nutrients as granular fertilizers. You can also feed granular fertilizers to your plant soil in liquid form by dissolving them in water.
Pros and Cons of Granular Fertilizers
Here are some pros and cons of granular fertilizers;
Pros
- They are slow-release fertilizers and take a long time to release.
- They are cheaper and economical; you can get them quickly in the market
- You can store them soon as they are not prone to any damage.
- They are in granular form; rain can’t wash them away.
Cons
- There is a high salt content in these fertilizers, which can be harmful to concentrated soils.
- Their bags are heavy, and you need to rent a vehicle to transport these fertilizers from one place to another.
- The uniform application of granular fertilizers is tough in certain conditions.
Conclusion
Fertilizers are essential food supplements for plants and grass. You must supply proper nutrients for proper soil development. There are different forms of fertilizers that you can use, granular fertilizers are also one of the most used fertilizers. These fertilizers come with various pros and cons and take almost 24 to 48 hours to dissolve in the soil. However, the exact time limit may vary. If you add granular fertilizer, don’t forget to water it to activate these fertilizers. Read the complete article to become an expert gardener!
FAQs
1. How Long Will Your Plants Benefit from A Single Addition of Granular Fertilizer?
The time a fertilizer can stay up for the soil depends on the fertilizer formula and how good the fertilizer is. If you are using a granular fertilizer, it can last for several weeks to several months in the soil. Some slow-releasing fertilizers can stay more than that if they have a coating. At the same time, some uncoated ones will stay for less time.
2. How Often Should You Water in Granulated Fertilizer?
You need to add water immediately after adding fertilizer because granular fertilizers need water to activate. Then water them frequently depending on the available conditions. If the weather is cold or humid, then wait 2 to 3 days before watering again. It would help if you prevented overwatering your plants as this can cause the leaching of nutrients into the soil and wash away all the essential nutrients.
3. Can You Walk on Grass After Fertilizing?
You have to wait for the next 24 to 48 hours after adding fertilizers into your soil. Let the soil absorb the fertilizers specifically synthetic fertilizer to your lawn. It would help if you also prevent the pets from entering the lawn. These few hours are essential to keep the soil dry and to let the fertilizer reach the roots.