Bloom Boosters: 5 Fast Facts

Fact #1. During a plant's growth cycle, most fertilizers recommended for ideal foliage are rich in nitrogen. A good bloom booster, on the other hand, is packed with phosphorous. This is the single best nutrient for encouraging a plant to produce large, vibrant flowers. It helps with everything from water movement to effective chlorophyll production.

Fact #2. The best time to apply a bloom booster to a flowering plant is right as its flower buds begin to form. These boosters won't necessarily encourage more flowers to grow. They will help those blossoms the plant is already producing grow into large, healthy blooms. When choosing a bloom booster, first decide if you want an organic option or if you'd like a bit of assistance from science. Then consider concentration levels. For some plants, like those in planters, certain bloom boosters might be too potent. You don't want to burn a plant by exposing it to too much phosphorous.

Fact #3. Always remember to stop applying a bloom booster to any perennial as the weather starts to turn colder. These plants need to spend a portion of the year in a relatively dormant state. Too much booster can actually be a bad thing in terms of a plant's long term health. Certain slow release, long lasting bloom boosters may actually be a poor choice. Consider how long a given booster will feed a plant before choosing it.

Fact #4. Whether growing tomatoes, peppers, or watermelons, a bloom booster can help your food plants grow faster and produce larger, tastier fruits and vegetables. Special care should be taken for helping root vegetables grow. Many bloom boosters will direct growth towards the leaves and stems of such plants, instead of down into the roots.

Fact #5. For leafy plants like kale or lettuce, look for a bloom booster richer in nitrogen than phosphorous. Nitrogen encourages edible leaves to grow quickly without losing their flavor or nutrient content. For fruiting plants, begin with a nitrogen rich formula, but switch to a phosphorous rich booster once the first buds start to appear.