The best fertilizers

• Plants need nutrients from the soil to grow. Selecting and adding the right fertilizer for each plant type is the key to a thriving garden.
• The type of plant and its growing conditions will help you determine which fertilizer to select.
• After extensive testing and getting expert advice, we chose Lesco 16-4-8 Polyplus Fertilizer with Iron as the best fertilizer for a plush, green lawn, and Osmocote Indoor Outdoor Organic Plant Food as the best option for spectacular houseplants.

I grew up on an apple farm where not only did we make our living off apple trees, but we also grew our own vegetables and my mother diligently tended huge flower beds. The soil was our lifeline so maintaining it was essential. Using the right fertilizers at the optimum time in the growing season was part of our annual routine. I even did my sixth-grade science project on the effect of adding different nutrients to the soil and plant growth.

In addition to absorbing a great deal of fertilizer knowledge while I was growing up, I was surrounded by soil experts in college when I served as a County Extension Agent (Consumer Science) with Clemson University. One key takeaway I learned during that time? Before any good agent recommended any type of soil amendment, they had the farmer or consumer first submit a soil sample for testing.

If you're really serious about your yard and garden, you can follow their lead and purchase soil testing kits online or work with your state Cooperative Extension Service for testing. Soil testing is the best way to learn about your specific soil's needs and will help you better prepare to choose the right fertilizer nutrient mix.

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The soil test report will focus on the three most important nutrients that plants need: nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium. Every fertilizer must include an analysis of these nutrients and the three numbers are always listed in that exact order. For example, a bag of 16-4-8 fertilizer contains 16 percent nitrogen, 4 percent phosphorous, and 8 percent potassium.

However, if getting into soil testing sounds daunting, start here for a guide to great general fertilizer options for your plants. Since types of soil and growing conditions vary widely, we've chosen to focus on the best basic fertilizers for lawns, houseplants, vegetables, trees and shrubs, and flowers. The top picks were chosen based on expert advice and my own tests in my home garden to ensure optimum growing results that won't cause harm to the plants or the environment.

Here are our top picks for the best indoor and garden fertilizers:

• The best for lawns: Lesco 16-4-8 Polyplus Fertilizer with Iron
• The best for indoor plants: Osmocote Indoor Outdoor Organic Plant Food
• The best for vegetable gardens: Hyponex All Purpose Fertilizer 10-10-10
• The best for trees and shrubs: Vigoro Tree, Shrub, and Evergreen Plant Food

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