mix it in, water it well
How to use it
Mix it in, water well, and let the soil do the rest. Here is how much to use for every kind of plant.
How much do you need?
Tell us what you are feeding and we will work out the amount and the packs to order.
0.5 to 1 kg per square metre (0.1 to 0.2 lb per sq ft), mixed into the top 10 cm. At planting, then topped up every season. A general guide: adjust it with a soil test where you can.
8 heaps, about 1 kg each
You will need about
7.5 kg
17 lb
Suggested packs
- 1 × Balcony bag (5 kg)
- 3 × Starter pouch (1 kg)
How much, how often
A general guide. Plants in poor soil can take a little more.
- Potted plants
- How much
- 100 to 200 g (1 to 2 handfuls) per 6 to 8 inch pot, or 10 to 20% of the potting mix by volume
- How often
- Every 30 to 45 days
- Terrace and kitchen gardens
- How much
- 0.5 to 1 kg per square metre (0.1 to 0.2 lb per sq ft), mixed into the top 10 cm
- How often
- At planting, then topped up every season
- Lawns
- How much
- 0.5 kg per square metre, spread thin and watered in
- How often
- Every 3 to 4 months
- Seedlings and nursery bags
- How much
- 10 to 20% by volume: 1 part vermicompost to 4 to 9 parts soil or cocopeat
- How often
- When filling trays and bags
- Fruit trees
- How much
- 2 to 5 kg per young tree, 5 to 10 kg per mature tree, spread around the drip line
- How often
- At the start and end of the growing season
- Field crops
- How much
- 0.5 to 1 tonne per acre for cereals and pulses, up to 2 tonnes per acre for vegetables (1.2 to 5 tonnes per hectare)
- How often
- At land preparation, every season
| For | How much | How often |
|---|---|---|
| 100 to 200 g (1 to 2 handfuls) per 6 to 8 inch pot, or 10 to 20% of the potting mix by volume | Every 30 to 45 days | |
| 0.5 to 1 kg per square metre (0.1 to 0.2 lb per sq ft), mixed into the top 10 cm | At planting, then topped up every season | |
| 0.5 kg per square metre, spread thin and watered in | Every 3 to 4 months | |
| 10 to 20% by volume: 1 part vermicompost to 4 to 9 parts soil or cocopeat | When filling trays and bags | |
| 2 to 5 kg per young tree, 5 to 10 kg per mature tree, spread around the drip line | At the start and end of the growing season | |
| 0.5 to 1 tonne per acre for cereals and pulses, up to 2 tonnes per acre for vegetables (1.2 to 5 tonnes per hectare) | At land preparation, every season |
Three habits that help
- Mix it into the top few centimetres of soil instead of leaving it on the surface.
- Water after feeding, so the nutrients and microbes move down to the roots.
- Feed little and often. Small monthly doses beat one big dose a year.
Before the hot season
Feed pots ahead of summer so soil holds water through the heat.
After heavy rain
Rain washes nutrients out of the soil, so top up after a wet spell.
At every repotting
Add a handful to the new mix to settle roots quickly.
Pick the right pack
Most balcony gardens need about 5 kg a year.