Slow Release Pond Fertilizer

Forms

• Commercial fish production ponds, whether farm or sport fishing, sometimes use slow release fertilizer to help phytoplankton grow. This phytoplankton works its way up the food chain as it is eaten by larger organisms, and these organisms are eaten by the farm or game fish. Slow release pond fertilizer for plants comes in pill or tab form, and is incorporated into the soil of pond plants.

Benefits

• Pond tabs for plants give water plants the nutrition they need where they need it --- near the roots. It helps prevent the fertilizer from getting into the surrounding water and creating algae blooms that kill fish and sully the water. Commercial slow release fertilizers have the opposite effect, creating microbe-infested water in hopes of more pounds of edible fish.

Problems

• Plant pond tabs must be inserted securely into the soil. They can become dislodged if not inserted properly. Some pond fertilizer tabs are not compatible with fish. Commercial fish-growing pond fertilizers often upset the balance of the pond, making it all but impossible for underwater plants to flourish when the sunlight is blocked by blankets of algae or phytoplankton. Farmers must maintain the pond constantly to avoid killing the fish.

Considerations

• Plant pond fertilizer tabs are generally used to encourage blooming --- primarily for water lilies and blooming bog plants. Not every pond plant benefits from the excess fertility. In addition, a well-balanced pond that is not overstocked with fish and that has the benefit of diverse wildlife is quite fertile does not require pond tabs for moderate growth and blooms.