28/08/2026
🌱 1. DAP — Diammonium Phosphate
Main benefit: Mainly supplies Phosphorus + Nitrogen.
Good for:
Root development
New plant establishment
Flowering and fruiting plants
Vegetable crops
Fruit plants
How to use in pots:
Small pot (6–8 inch): ½ teaspoon
Medium pot (10–12 inch): 1 teaspoon
Large pot: 1–2 teaspoons
Mix it lightly into the soil away from direct contact with the roots, then water.
Important: Don't overuse DAP. It is concentrated and excessive fertilizer can damage roots.
🌿 2. Bone Meal
Main benefit: A slow-release source of phosphorus and calcium.
Good for:
Root growth
Flowering plants
Bulbs such as Amaryllis, Lily and Dahlia
Roses
Fruit trees
How to use: For a 10–12 inch pot, mix approximately 1–2 tablespoons into the top layer of soil.
For newly planted plants, mix it into the soil before planting, rather than putting a large quantity directly against the roots.
Best feature: Bone meal works slowly, so it is more of a long-term soil amendment than a quick fertilizer.
3. NPK 20-20-20
This is your balanced, all-purpose fertilizer:
20% Nitrogen → leaves and vegetative growth
20% Phosphorus → roots and flowers
20% Potassium → overall strength, flowering and fruit quality
Excellent for: 🌿 Indoor plants
🌸 Flowering plants
🍅 Vegetables
🍋 Fruit plants
🌱 Nursery plants
How to use as a water-soluble fertilizer:
For general gardening, start with approximately:
1 gram per litre of water
Apply around the soil rather than directly onto leaves.
For established plants, you can generally use it every 2–3 weeks during active growth.
For seedlings and very young plants, use a weaker solution.
⚪ 4. Perlite
Perlite is not a fertilizer. It is a lightweight volcanic material used to improve the growing medium.
Benefits:
Improves drainage
Increases air around roots
Prevents soil from becoming compacted
Helps reduce waterlogging
Encourages healthier roots
Makes potting mix lighter
Typical potting mix:
For many potted plants:
50% cocopeat/peat moss + 30% good-quality compost + 20% perlite
For plants that need particularly good drainage, such as cactus and succulents, you can increase the perlite substantially.
⭐ A simple way to remember
Product
Main job
DAP
Fast phosphorus + nitrogen
Bone Meal
Slow-release phosphorus + calcium
NPK 20-20-20
Balanced plant nutrition
Perlite
Drainage + aeration.
One important point: Don't routinely use DAP + bone meal + NPK 20-20-20 together. You can easily give the plant too much phosphorus/nutrients. For most established potted plants, 20-20-20 alone is the simpler regular fertilizer, while bone meal or DAP can be used for specific purposes.
RW Greenland,
Islamabad.
