Granular fertilisers and the cold

Granular fertilisers are typically slow-release fertilisers, which means they release nutrients gradually over an extended period. In cold weather conditions, the soil tends to be colder and wetter, which slows down the process even further including  the microbial activity that helps break down the granules and release nutrients into the soil.

Additionally, plants tend to be dormant in the winter, so they do not require as many nutrients as they would during their active growing season. As a result, applying granular fertilisers in the winter may not only be ineffective but could also lead to nutrient runoff, which can harm the environment, encourage disease and be waste of money.

It’s best to wait until the soil warms up and the growing season starts before applying granular fertilisers. Alternatively, you can use liquid fertilisers that are better suited for cold weather conditions such as Fertech Fusion, Refine, Complete, Phosfighter and Stimulus since they release nutrients more readily than granular fertilisers.  Combinations of liquid fertilisers can also be applied.