Ingredients In Miracle Grow Plant Food

Miracle-Gro All Purpose plant food is a water soluble (liquid or powder mixed with water) fertilizer. The product is designed to enhance the growth of flowers, vegetables, trees, shrubs, lawns and houseplants by replacing nutrients depleted from the soil. Miracle-Gro's directions for use indicate the fertilizer should be applied every seven to 14 days.

The package is labeled as a 24-8-16 blend, which means it contains 24 percent nitrogen, 8 percent phosphorus and 16 percent potassium. Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium are macronutrients. Nitrogen is an element of protein and DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid), which helps the plant to grow. Phosphorus is a component of DNA and involves energy conversion. Phosphorus is provided in the form of phosphate. Potassium is chemically-created and called potash a name derived from potassium ash, a byproduct of incinerated plants.

Additional ingredients of Miracle-Gro include boron (.02 percent), copper (.07 percent), iron (.15 percent), manganese (.05 percent), molybdenum (.0005 percent) and zinc (.06 percent). Needed by the plant in smaller amounts, these essential enzyme ingredients are known as micronutrients.

Micronutrients can react with other soil elements so 1.2 percent EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) is added as "chelating agent." A chelating agent binds micronutrients making them available for absorption to the plant.

Miracle-Gro is available in several formulas designed to meet the needs of specific plants. Nutrients from these formulas are absorbed through the leaves of your plants, giving them a quick burst of energy. For large garden areas, Miracle-Gro can be added to a hose feeder and sprayed over the entire garden area. Although using a hose feeder is convenient and requires less work from you, it does feed weeds as well as flowers and veggies. For container-grown plants that require frequent fertilizer to replace nutrients leached through the soil from repeated watering, Miracle-Gro is a convenient solution, as it does not require mixing fertilizer into the soil and risking damaging young roots.