The Truth About Using Miracle-Grow On Vegetables What You Must know

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Suppose you are growing edibles such as fruits and vegetables. In that case, you must be cautious about the fertilizers and other chemicals you use.

Miracle-Grow can be applied on both edible and ornamental plants. It depends on how you wish to garden. Some prefer to be organic, so it would not be suitable, while others are not worried about chemical fertilizers.

Miracle grows a synthetic fertilizer safe for all plants, including vegetables and fruits. It contains total nitrogen of 24% in the form of urea nitrogen 20.5% and ammonical nitrogen 3.5%. Additionally, it has Soluble Potash – 16% , phosphate 8%, Zinc – 0.06%, Boron – 0.02%, Molybdenum – 0.0005%, Manganese – 0.05%, Iron – 0.15% and Copper – 0.07%.

Suppose you are seeking to use this fertilizer. In that case, you need to choose the most appropriate product for the vegetables you are growing. The product is available depending on the nutritional needs of different plants.

For instance, if you are growing tomatoes, you can get tomatoes NPK of 18-18-21 fertilizer.

In this post, we will be looking at the use of miracle growth on vegetables. Read on and find out.

Advantages of Using Miracle Grow On Vegetables

Miracle grow works immediately

Miracle growth starts working immediately because the contents are readily useable by plants. This is not usually the case with some organic fertilizers and compost that require time to break down.

Miracle growth, therefore, becomes essential for vegetables that don’t take much time in the garden.

Whenever you use miracle growth in your garden, the results are instantaneous. You can use it at different stages of the plant to boost productivity, given you follow the instructions provided by the manufacturer.

Ingredients Used Are Critical For Vegetables

The ingredients used in miracle growth are essential in vegetables. It essentially contains the vital components required for the growth of plants in the desired quantities. These include nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorous.

If you are planting a vegetable garden, you need to add fertilizers or compost, and miracle grow is handy if you are not bothered about using chemicals. These three essential components, including nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorous, are not always enough in the soil.

All plants use them in large amounts and quickly get depleted from the soil. Also, these compounds easily leach from the ground due to weather conditions such as rain and sun.

Nitrogen

The primary ingredient in this compound is urea CO(NH₂)_2.  Urea has high levels of nitrogen that are critical for the growth and development of plants. In fact, the total nitrogen content of this compound is 24%.

Nitrogen is the most useful in plants and supports growth and development. It is responsible for the green color of plants since it makes up the chlorophyll molecule. It, therefore, helps plants in photosynthesis.

For this reason, if you are growing green leafy vegetables, adding miracle growth will give instant results.

Consequently, if your vegetables are low in nitrogen, they will show a yellowish coloration (chlorosis) on the older growth.

Nitrogen is also critical in forming plant protoplasm, which is the translucent living matter in cells. It helps vegetables and other plants flower, differentiate, develop flower buds, and speed up the growth of shoots.

The quality of fruit also depends on the availability of sufficient nitrogen in the plant. Also, nitrogen acts as a catalyst for other minerals in plants.

Phosphorous and potassium

Phosphorous (phosphate) is also another crucial component in miracle growth. Vegetables and other plants require it for root development, formation of the stem, and fruit. This element is critical for summer vegetables such as tomatoes, cucumbers, squash melons, eggplants, and peppers.

Potassium is essential in both fruit and leaf vegetables. It helps in the regulation of the osmotic potential in plant cells and the activation of enzymes. These are critical in the plant’s opening and closing of stomata in transpiration and respiration.

Additionally, potassium strengthens plants by making them more resistant to diseases. Plants with potassium deficiency will show stunted growth and low yields.

How Soon Can You Eat Vegetables After Using Miracle Grow?

You must wait for at least two weeks after using miracle growth on your vegetables before eating them to allow the plant to absorb and use all the fertilizer. This is because the fertilizer is likely to irritate your skin, mouth, and throat when ingested.

Additionally, you must thoroughly wash the fruits and vegetables to eliminate any fertilizer residue on the surface.

Should you use miracle grow for your vegetable garden?

The choice of fertilizer is a personal decision. You, however, need to make an informed decision before applying any fertilizer to your garden.

Organic fertilizers and compost make the perfect choice of fertilizer for your garden for many reasons. Their effects on your garden are always long-term, and they don’t interfere with the microbes in the soil.

Like other synthetic fertilizers, miracle grows works very fast, and the effects will only last for a short period.

A significant concern for people who shy away from using the miracle grow is the possibility of containing carcinogenic metals and chemicals. You don’t need to worry about this when using this form of fertilizer.

The ingredients used in making this fertilizer are pretty safe for humans and animals. The only concern is irritation when you take out the vegetables too soon before the fertilizer is ultimately used up.

The elements contained in the fertilizer are found to irritate your skin when touched and your stomach upon ingestion due to the urea content, which is the main active ingredient. Ammonia, also contained in the fertilizer, is poisonous when ingested.

Suppose you use organic fertilizers for your garden. In that case, you get to feed the microorganisms in the soil that are responsible for soil fertility. This ensures long-term fertility for your garden.

However, as we saw earlier, these organic fertilizers take time. If you need instant results for your garden, then using miracle growth is not a bad idea. Important to note is that the effects of synthetic fertilizers are not always long-lasting.

Another reason why people use miracle grow fertilizer is because the nutritional content is preset. This ensures that your plants get exactly what they are missing. Besides, you can choose a formula that is specially designed for the vegetables you are growing. Using these specified formulas helps your plants get the necessary nutritional needs.

Soil testing is critical before adding miracle growth. Before planting your vegetables, always conduct soil testing to determine which minerals are lacking in the soil. Having too much of any of the constituent compounds could be harmful to plants.

Additionally, studies show that using these synthetic fertilizers depletes the soil of its fertility potential. This is because the fertilizer’s high nitrogen levels kill the ground microbes, distorting the soil’s natural fertility.

If your garden is already depleted of the natural nutrient resource, using miracle grow is not a bad idea. However, it would be wise to use organic fertilizers to restore the natural nutrient reservoir.

Advantages of Using Organic Fertilizers Over Miracle Grow

Continued use of miracles can alter the soil structure of your garden. These fertilizers don’t add any value to your garden soil. Instead, they rob your garden soil of the microorganisms responsible for soil fertility.

Using organic fertilizers feeds these crucial microbes and helps them multiply. You will benefit from using organic fertilizers if you are looking for long-term fertility for your garden. 

Moreover, miracle grows and other synthetic fertilizers are water pollutants. As they leach through the soil, they are also washed away by rainwater into water sources, causing adverse effects on marine life and the marine ecosystem.

The excess nitrogen from farming leaks into lakes and rivers, causing excessive growth on the surface that cuts the oxygen supply to the creatures in the water.

Also, when these compounds reach the underground water, they contaminate it for humans. Nitrates and nitrites found in drinking water are associated with particular effects such as severe hemoglobin disorders such as methemoglobinemia.

Some studies also associate these nitrogen derivatives with an increased risk of cancer, thyroid conditions, diabetes, and congenital disabilities.

Over time, synthetic fertilizers increase the number of nitrates in the soil while causing a deficiency of other essential elements such as proteins, copper, vitamin c, carotene, zinc, and iron.

Suppose you want to know a detailed comparison of fertilizers and compost. I wrote an article about the difference between compost and fertilizers. You can read it here.

The Use Of Miracle Grow on Potted Plants

Miracles grow is best used in potted plants. This is because it eliminates all these anticipated adverse impacts. When used on potted plants, you eliminate the risk of the chemicals leaking into water sources and the related health effects.

In potted plants, you don’t need to worry about the likelihood of the fertilizer affecting the soil structure or even killing the microbes. 

How To Use Miracle Grow For Your Vegetables

Whenever you purchase this fertilizer from the store, you will find a leaflet or printing with all the valuable instructions on its use. It is always wise to read these instructions, even if you are familiar with the product.

The use of too much nitrogen could be damaging to the plants. The standard recommended amounts are a tablespoon for every gallon of water. These amounts of chemicals are appropriate for feeding square feet of vegetables and flowering plants.

While most people shy away from using miracle grow as soon as the plants near maturity or harvest, once you start using miracle grow, you should continue using it for the rest of the vegetable’s life. The recommended cycle is by applying every two weeks or 14 days.

The manufacturer states that there is no harm in using more or less of the compound. However, it is best to use just enough to ensure maximum benefits for the plant.

If you are growing your vegetables indoors, the manufacturer advises against using miracle grow. The primary concern here is that indoor vegetables and other plants feed slowly. It is difficult to determine if they have used up all the fertilizer applied. For this reason, you risk ingesting the compound whenever you eat these vegetables.

Like any other chemical, miracles should be kept away from children and pets to reduce the risk of accidental ingestion. If the compound comes into contact with the eyes and skin; you should flush it with a lot of water.

In case it is ingested, the victim should seek immediate medical attention. The same applies to severe instances where the chemical enters the eye or in contact with the skin.

The conclusion can you use miracle-grow on vegetables

Miracle-grow is quite beneficial for your vegetables. When used on vegetables, the results are quick and quite appealing. However, as we have analyzed in this post, you need to be clearly informed on the long-term effects of using miracle growth on soil quality.

Suppose you want to know the effects of using Miracle Grow. I wrote an article about facts on Miracle Grow. You can read it here.

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