Best Fertilizer For Clover Food Plots

When it is time to plant food plots, clover is one of the best choices. It is packed with lots of nutrition and easy to grow. Domestic animals, pets like deer, birds, horses like clovers.

Meanwhile, fertilizer plays a vital role in the growth of clover. A good fertilizer supplies necessary nutritions to clover, so irregular growth does not occur due to nutrition deficiency.

In this article, I will describe the 5 best fertilizers for the clover food plots that you should apply through different stages of growing seasons. Besides that, I will mention some tricks and tips regarding the clover field that will obviously benefit you.

So without further ado, let’s get started-

The Top Choices at a Glance:

I have used all of the mentioned fertilizers and found the best value for money:

1. Miracle-Gro Shake’ N Feed All Purpose
2. Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree Fertilizer & Ficus Plant
3. Scotts Turf Builder ThickeR Lawn Sun and Shade
4. Maximum Green & Growth- High Nitrogen
5. Osmocote Smart-Release Plant Food Plus Outdoor & Indoor

What Are The Clover Food Plots?

Food plots mean the area of the growing field where clovers are grown in an extensive manner. Much like the rice field or potato field, the clover field is where clovers are grown professionally.

A good clover food plot can produce around 3 to 5 tons (per acre) of easily digestible plant matter.

Domestic and pet animals can feed themselves in the clover field. It increases the scenic beauty of your backyard as well. Senior citizens like clover fields.

How To Grow Clover In Clover Food Plots?

Clovers can thrive in many food plot ecosystems. It does perfect when a suitable seedbed is prepared, as well as the seeds make steady touch with the dirt. Clover seeds are very small and also need never ever be included right into the dirt with disking or a few other approaches covering them with greater than 0.25 inches of dirt. A buried seed will soon be a dead seed. If you don’t have a roller or similar device for pushing seed right into the dirt, it is better to spread it as well as leave. The rainfall will undoubtedly deal with the remainder.

Clover endures damp problems well yet often tends to go inactive in hot-dry problems commonly discovered in some locations throughout the pet days of summertime. Including chicory in a clover story will certainly hedge your hot-dry wagers as chicory likes warmth and also arid problems. When deer require it most) and also usually will create well right into the frost period, seasonal clover stories eco-friendly up early in the springtime (. Our whitetails function clover stories all winter long and will certainly dig with 7 to 10 inches of snow to reach it.

The typical whitetail consumes about 6 extra pounds of forage daily, which nets bent on about a bunch annually. They browse much of what they consume, usually including 5 to 9% healthy protein, so an extra pound or more of clover at 30% healthy protein is a welcome enhancement to their day-to-day healthy protein consumption. Whitetails grow in diet regimens, including about 15% healthy protein.

It’s appealing to conserve a couple of dollars on clover seed purchasing from the neighborhood feed and seed shops. In one word: do not! Much of the clover marketed by farming feed shops are made to be baled up and fed to animals. Long, high clovers (like the majority of reds) look excellent in the field. However, they include a high portion of the stem-like product (lignin), as whitetails do not absorb lignin well.

The Whitetail Institute of America began the clover craze in 1988 and also has actually been the “king of clover” since. You can not fail with an excellent name-brand item. There are numerous specialized food story blends on the marketplace today, and also, a lot of them do as promoted. When it comes to nutrition supplements, clover is hard to beat.

Best Types Of Fertilizer For Clover

Clover is a leguminous plant that you can utilize to enhance the nitrogen composition of dirt naturally. Clover hardly ever calls for fertilizing, considering that it can make use of nitrogen from the ambiance thanks to a cooperative connection with bacteria in the dirt. Clover suffering from a nutrient shortage just requires fertilizing with phosphorus, sulfur, potassium, or a trace element.

Nitrogen

Clover can attract nitrogen from the dirt and the ambiance; however, it will certainly take nitrogen from the dirt. When there is nitrogen in the dirt to sustain a clover plant, it starts to attract nitrogen from the environment as long as the ideal germs exist in the dirt. When you plant a clover, ensure that it can provide itself with nitrogen, inoculating your clover seeds with the microorganisms Rhizobium. You will certainly not require to use nitrogen plant foods to clover treated with these microorganisms. The most effective time to inoculate clover seeds is right away prior to growing time, making use of chilled inoculum combined with sugar water to guarantee that it stays with the seeds.

Phosphorus and Potassium

Your clover needs fairly huge quantities of phosphorus as well as potassium to maintain healthy and balanced development. One of the most efficient means to feed clover is making use of a program spreader to use completely dry fertilizer over the dirt. This approach enables you to regulate the price and the amount of fertilizer you put on your clover. Additionally, performing a dirt examination on your dirt prior to your feed will certainly supply you with an exact dimension of just how much fertilizer clover requires. Dirt screening packages are typically offered from college expansion workplaces and also business screening labs.

Other micronutrients

Dirt that is reduced in a natural product is usually lacking in the trace elements boron as well as sulfur. If you have sandy dirt and your clover is not expanding well, consider carrying out a dirt examination to establish which trace elements your dirt does not have and just how much you require to use.

You can deal with sulfur shortages utilizing essential calcium sulfate or sulfur. An application of salt borate materials is borne in the dirt yet is hazardous to plants in high focus.

Your clover likewise needs iron, manganese, copper, and also zinc to expand. These nutrients normally exist in the dirt. If a dirt examination shows that your soil lacks these nutrients, you can utilize a mixed fertilizer having the trace elements your dirt does not have.

Choosing The Best Fertilizer For Clover Food Plots

Every land is different from each other. That is because of previous growing exercise, environment, soil quality, and overall situation. To choose what is the best fertilizer for a specific land, you should follow some steps. This will tell you the exact fertilizer for your clover food plot. 

A soil test is very important for every crop-producing land. If you are growing crops for a long time, some nutrients get short over time. In this case, plant growing gets hampered. Soil tests can measure the exact amount of nutrients, soil pH, acidity, alkalinity, soil category, leaching rate, and many more.

Some plants grow well in acidic soil when some plants grow well in alkaline soil. So, specific soil pH for specific plants is important. If you have acidic soil, you can make it alkaline by putting calcium carbonate. Plus, if you have alkaline soil, you can also make it acidic by spreading Boric acid. Thus you can control the soil pH.

The soil category includes soil types such as porous soil, nonporous soil, sandy soil, loamy soil, sandy loam soil, and so on. You need to know which type of soil you will need for clover plots so that you can grow it more aggressively. Typically clover plants grow well in loamy or sandy, loamy soil. 

And finally, the nutrients- If you have already tested the soil, you will get a report that will tell you which nutrients are short currently. You can simply purchase some fertilizer regarding those nutrients. But if you didn’t test the soil, then you can put some universal fertilizer that will supply all kinds of nutrients so that there is no lack of nutrients. Read this article thoroughly to know more about fertilizer selection.

Generally, you have to know about the N-P-K ratio of any fertilizer. The NPK ratio means the Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium(Kalium) ratio in a fertilizer. The CLover plot requires 10-10-10 type fertilizer or close one.

5 Best Fertilizer for Clover Food Plots Reviews 2021

1. Miracle-Gro Shake’ N Feed All Purpose

Our first choice is Miracle-Gro 3002010 Shake’ N Feed All Purpose Continuous Release Plant food from the famous Miracle-Gro brand. It contains essential nutrients that help make your clover plant more strong, vibrant, and productive. It is the best slow-release fertilizer for clover food plots.

It comes with an NPK ratio of 12-4-8. That means 12% of nitrogen, 4% of phosphorus, and 8% of potassium. It also contains 0.92% of Ammonical Nitrogen, 10.45% of Urea nitrogen, 0.63% of water-insoluble nitrogen. 

Don’t worry about other micronutrients, It is packed with them. This fertilizer contains 7.5% of calcium, 2.5% of magnesium (0.7% of water-soluble magnesium), 3.2% of combined sulfur, 0.06% of copper (0.001% water-soluble copper), 0.95% of Iron (0.001% of water-soluble iron), 0.35% of manganese (0.23% of water-soluble nitrogen), 0.12% of zinc (0.001% of water-soluble zinc).

The water-soluble portion of nutrients feeds your plants instantly, while the water-insoluble portion feeds your plant slowly for a long time, like 3 months or more. That means a single fertilizer can cover your whole clover plot for 3 months or more.

If you are a person who is busy with work or forgets the fertilizing topic often, then you should definitely go for a slow-release fertilizer like this one. You just need to apply fertilizer, and microbes will do the rest of the work. They will gradually break down the natural ingredients that plants support. This process is very helpful for root growth as well.

All of this Fertilizer is derived from inorganic sources that are not harmful to clover plants and won’t burn the leaf edges. Some of the sources are polymer-coated urea, urea, ammonium phosphate, feather meal, alfalfa meal, kelp meal, earthworm castings, potassium sulfate, bone meal, calcium carbonate, magnesium oxide, dolomitic limestone, magnesium sulfate, copper sulfate, copper oxide, ferrous sulfate, manganese sulfate, manganese oxide, zinc sulfate, and zinc sulfate. As you can see, there are several sources that are organic. That is why there are plenty of other micro and macronutrients available for your clover plot.

Direction for use:-

In-ground, use 0.5-0.75 cups of fertilizer per 10 sq ft or 0.9 sq m area. Shake evenly onto the soil, work into the top 1-3 inches, and then water to start feeding. 

Never apply this fertilizer on wet foliage or pile against plants. Apply it dry and donut premix with water. You can also use this fertilizer for petunias, tomatoes, and other vegetable-like plants.

Things we like:

1. Low price
2. Water-insoluble portion.
3. 3 months of nutrient supply.

Disadvantages:

1. Low amount of phosphorus.
2. It cannot be used in wet areas.
3. Cannot feed without watering.

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2. Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree Fertilizer

Our second choice is nothing but the fiddle leaf fig tree fertilizer. Almost every expert gardener knows the benefits of this fertilizer. They call it an all-rounder fertilizer. Never be confused with its name. It works with all kinds of plants in your yard. This is a great choice for those who are going to make a clover food plot as well.

This perfect fertilizer contains an NPK ratio of 3-1-2 that means 3% of nitrogen, 1% of phosphorus, and 2% of potassium. This is the perfect combination for any plant that helps leaf growing, root development, and overall plant growth.

Don’t worry about other nutrients. It is loaded with many micro and macronutrients, including boron, manganese, calcium, iron, molybdenum, copper, etc. Some portion is water-soluble, quick release, and some portion is slow-release fertilizer.

Slow-release fertilizer releases its nutrients slowly over a long duration and gradually feeds your plants, while quick-release fertilizer quickly gets water solute and instantly feeds plants. The process helps both the short and long-term nutrient supply chain.

One of the great features is this is a liquid fertilizer that means you can easily spread it by using a sprayer machine. Thus you won’t have any dust issues if you have lung issues like asthma that occurs spreading granular fertilizer. 

Liquid fertilizer has a lot of other benefits, especially if you are going to use it in clover plots. That is because liquid fertilizer can reach every corner of each tiny plant, and the plant can instantly absorb it to collect its nutrients.

Other than that, this fertilizer also comes with medicinal qualities. It prevents brown and yellow spots of clover plant leaf and doesn’t cause leaf burning issues like other fertilizers.

Direction for use:-

Take 1 tablespoon of fertilizer and two tablespoons of water. Mix them properly by shaking the bottle gently. Now take it into a sprayer bottle with a suitable amount of water and spray it all over the clover plant plot.

Things we like:

1. Liquid Fertilizer.
2. Perfect NPK ratio.
3. Low price.
4. Prevents brown and yellow spots on leaves.
5. No leaf edge burning issue.

Disadvantages:

1. Everyone doesn’t like liquid fertilizer.
2. Milky substances are kind of boring.

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3. Scotts Turf Builder ThickeR Lawn Sun and Shade

Scott is a worldwide famous organic agricultural products manufacturing company that has been serving its customers for over 20 years with trust. The company has developed a special fertilizer that is very suitable for acid-loving plants like tomato, cauliflower, clover, etc. 

The premium quality ingredients have been used in production, and the technique has been followed for the production of the fertilizer has not only made the Fertilizer one of the best organic fertilizers for clover, but also it comes at a very low price providing higher quality, which has made it best fertilizer for the budget gardener.

The plant food is derived from premium quality fishbone, bone, feather, alfalfa, potassium sulfate, fish, kelp, rock phosphate, and kelp flour. Moreover, it contains 6% Humic Acids which are derived from Leonardite.

The above constituents have given the product a 4-6-3 NPK ratio. Besides, it provides 7.5% of calcium, which is very important for producing clover because calcium holds the plant’s cells and helps the plant grow better.  

How to use:

For new plantings: at the beginning of garden preparation, apply a cup on every 10 sq. feet growing area or 6 cups on each 50 sq. feet area of the planting row. For containers, mix ½ cup of the fertilizer with about 5 gallons of soil well and water thoroughly.

For established plants: apply 1 cup of the fertilizer on every 10 sq. feet growing medium or 3 cups for every 50 sq. feet of growing row. In the case of containers, apply ¼ cup on 5 gallons of soil and work gently in the topsoil. Water immediately after fertilization.

Feed your clover with this plant food every other month during the growing season.

Things we like:

1. Contains higher phosphorus and lower nitrogen, which is ideal for clover since they prefer phosphorus to nitrogen.
2. Contains Truebiotic soil inoculant, which brings life to the root zone and creates a plant-friendly environment due to the broad spectrum of bacteria and mycorrhizae.
3. The nitrogen content is water-insoluble, which will provide nitrogen for a long time.
4. No GMO or swage has been used.

The product contains food-grade ingredients for which dogs like but are not suitable as dog food. Supervise your pet animals. It is advised to water immediately after fertilizer application which will discourage them from creating a disturbance.

Keep in a dry and cool place. Keep away from pets. Use before expiration.

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4. Maximum Green & Growth- High Nitrogen

This time we are going to recommend an exceptional fertilizer for your clover food plots. This is packed with nitrogen. It is proved as the best nitrogen fertilizer for clover plant food plots that you can use in case of nitrogen deficiency.

You know nitrogen is one of the most needed nutrients for plants. It is the building material of the plant body. You cannot think of a plant without nitrogen nor replace it with other nutrients. So you have to provide an adequate amount of nitrogen to keep your plant’s optimal growth.

In the situation of nitrogen deficiency, plants show several deficiency syndromes like brown spots on plant leaves, edge burning, gray vine, and so on. Chlorosis occurs without nitrogen. That is why nitrogen is an essential micronutrient which availability in soil is very necessary for a plant’s overall growth.

Although there is almost 78% nitrogen in the atmosphere, all plants cannot directly use it. Clover is one of them. It can only absorb nitrogen from the soil as an ionic form. So the soil where you are going to plant clover has to be rich in nitrogen.

However, we understand that nitrogen is very necessary, and we should supply it to get the maximum plant growth. In the case of grass, nitrogen is like a blessing because the more Nitrogen a plant can absorb, the more leaves it can grow.

The fertilizer we are talking about contains an NPK ratio of 27-0-0 that means 27% of nitrogen, o% phosphate, and 0% potassium. All the nitrogen is divided into slow release and quick release nitrogen. 70% quick release means this huge portion of nitrogen can instantly feed your whole clover plot plant and supply the required nitrogen. On the contrary, the 30% slow-release nitrogen portion can release its nutrients slowly so that plants can take it for a long duration. The whole process can help the plant by supplying nutrients for a whole season of 2-3 months.

The direction of use:-

This ready-to-use liquid nitrogen fertilizer is nothing complex to use. Just take the container and start spraying. It has a built-in spray system so that you can start working without any hassle. 

Things we like:

1. High portion of nitrogen.
2. Slow and quick both are in one container.
3. Liquid and ready to use fertilizer.
4. Big coverage area.

Disadvantages:

1. Doesn’t contain other nutrients that much.
2. Not suitable for large areas.

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5. Osmocote Smart-Release Plant Food Plus Outdoor & Indoor

Feeding plants frequently is not a very simple job, and if the plant is heavy feeding like a clover, then it is not easy at all. If you are thinking of feeding your plants just once or twice and let the feeding product feed the plants by itself, then ‘Osmocote Smart-Release Plant Food Plus Outdoor & Indoor’ for you. 

The Osmocote brand uses high-quality ingredients to produce the inorganic fertilizer, and the special technology has been used to ensure a long-term feeding process. Very easy to apply, and other benefits have made the product one of the best chemical or inorganic fertilizers and one of the best slow-release fertilizers for clover.

The all-in-one solution is derived from ammonium nitrate, ammonium phosphate, potassium sulfate, magnesium sulfate, sodium molybdate, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, and zinc oxide. The special feature is that all ingredients are polymer-coated to provide nutrients slowly and over a long period.

The plant food comes in round granular form. The plant food will provide 15% nitrogen, 9% phosphate, and 12% potash to your plants. It will provide 1.3% magnesium, 6% sulfur, 0.02% boron, 0.05% copper, 0.46% iron, 0.06% manganese, 0.02% molybdenum and 0.05% zinc too. All of the nutrients are required for the proper growth and development of clover.

How to use:

Open the bag and bring out the Scoop you will find inside the bag. Take 1 scoopful of the plant food for 4 sq. feet growing medium or for 2 gallons of soil. Mix into the 1-3 inches topsoil and water thoroughly. Do not apply on wet foliage or pile at the base. Apply every 6 months.

Things we like:-

1. The smart coating technology allows water to penetrate the semi-permeable capsule and dissolve the nutrients released into the soil at a different rate depending on the soil temperature.
2. Very little chance of nutrient loss.
3. Highly effective for slightly acid-loving plants like clover.
4. No foliage burn at direct application.
5. 100% money-back guarantee if you are not satisfied with the product.

Disadvantages:-

1. The polymer coatings are left in the soil after the nutrients have been fully released.
2. Contains too little amount of phosphorus.
3. The product price is high.
4. Keep in a cool and dry place. Keep out of the range of kids and pets.

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How to Apply Fertilizer on Clover plant plot?

Nutrients Required in a clover plant plot Fertilizer: though smaller in size, a clover plant plot requires a high amount of nutrients. Since it produces a flower head, it takes more phosphorus than nitrogen. However, all nutrients are important for a green clover plant plot.

Choosing fertilizer: an all-purpose fertilizer having a 10-10-10 type NPK ratio suits great. But it is recommended to use fertilizer having lower nitrogen but higher phosphorus content like ‘Miracle-Gro Shake’ N Feed All Purpose Continuous Release Plant food.’

Measure The Fertilizer: if you are using chemical fertilizer, it is recommended to use 1-2 tbsp (depending on the size of the plant) for a single plant. For organic fertilizers, you can apply 1 – 1 ½ cups for each plant.

Make a Solution: those chemical fertilizers which are powdery in appearance, you need to mix in 1 gallon of water in a watering can. If the fertilizers have a polymer-coated granular appearance, you should not mix them with water before application.

Determine the Best Time to Apply: since clover plant plots are heavy feeders, you need to fertilize them every 2-3 months. But fertilizing is very important when first planting out.

Apply the fertilizer: instead of mixing fertilizers with the soil, it is recommended to apply on the surface soil; otherwise, mixing with soil may disturb the root system. If you are fertilizing with a watering can, simply drench the base soil but don’t make it muddy, and try not to drench foliage as it tends to attract pests and diseases.

How to Care for Clover Plant Plot

You should not just fertilize and water your clover plants, but you need to take proper care of them if you want something special from them. Here, you will get some caring tips that your clover plants will love, and you will get a better result.

Watering: since clover plants are a heavy feeder plant, it requires as much water as nutrients. Water your clover plants once a week and water 0.5-1.5 inches in each application. Keep the soil moist, especially in drought season. Don’t make the soil muddy but keep moist.

Diseases: since animals like the plant for its tasty organs, microbes also like it. It means clover plants are quite prone to diseases, and the diseases are mostly caused by fungi but some by bacteria like Black-rot. Fungal diseases are pythium damping-off, mildew, leaf spot, Black-leg, etc. The bacteria caused Black-rot can’t be controlled by chemicals easily, so it is advised to prevent and immediately remove the affected portions. 

The fungal diseases can easily be spread from one plant, so immediately remove the affected parts. It is recommended to use resistant varieties. To control fungal diseases, you can apply copper soap or chlorothalonil containing fungicides which will provide a better result. Avoid overhead watering and keep the soil well-drained.

Light requirement for clover plants: clover plants require at least 6 hours a day of sunlight. Select a location in your garden which gets 6-8 hours of sunlight a day.

Soil for clover plants: clover plants grow better in slightly acidic soil. Keep the pH of your soil 6.4-6.8. Clover plants are heavy feeder plants. Keep the soil rich in nutrient content, especially in organic matter. The soil should be well-drained and not let water accumulate near the base as clover plants do not like water-logged conditions. But keep the soil moist, which is favorable for clover plant’s growth. Besides, keep the soil 10-12 inches deep loose since the plant’s root system is not as strong as a woody perennial.

Seasonal care: clover plants are a winter region native plant and do not withstand hot weather that much. But it can easily withstand hot summers with proper care. Always make sure the soil, especially the root zone region, is cool, and to do so, you need to apply a thick layer of mulch which will keep the soil cool. Besides, keep the soil moist but not muddy and do not let the soil dry. In the rainy season, keep the soil free of excess water. In winter, keep the soil moist and prevent chilling by applying mulch and water regularly.

Homemade Fertilizer for clover plants: 

The fertilizers you are going to purchase are quite costly and need to be fertilized with them regularly. What does a fertilizer contain? The answer is nutrients for plants. If so, you have plenty of nutrient-filled materials in your hand in your house. You can make high-quality nutrient-containing fertilizers with them. Here, we will describe 3 homemade fertilizers which suit clover plants to a great extent, and they are very easy to prepare:

Compost: compost is high in all types of nutrients, especially in nitrogen and phosphorus. It is very easy to prepare too. All you need to do first is collect organic and perishable products like vegetable waste, fruit peels, overripe fruits, eggshells, grass, foliage, etc., and put them in a container containing some pores at the bottom. Avoid using animal products like milk, fats, meat, etc., which produce a very unpleasant odor and last for a long time. Wait for 3-4 months. You can add some wood powder to increase the processing speed. You can stir the products inside the container to improve the chemical process. When the inside products turn into black soil type material, they are ready to use. Use the compost on your clover plants, and it will return you with a stronger flavor and tasty clover plants. You can also use compost tea. The process is almost all the same, but you need to submerge the composting material in water and a closed pot. Keep the top of the pot open, which will let excess gas out. Wait for 12-15 days, and the tea will be ready to use. Before application, always dilute the solution.

Manure: you probably heard of the use of manure in the garden and probably have used it in your garden. It is mostly popular for containing huge amounts of nitrogen, but it contains other nutrients in high amounts. You need to keep in mind that you should not use manure or dung directly neither on clover plants nor any plant since it produces Methane gas which eventually kills a plant. All you have to do is to select a location in your backyard and dig a hole and accumulate manure of poultry, cattle, rabbits, etc. but not dogs, cats, or such pets in the pit. Let the manure be treated naturally. You may need to wait for 6-8 months, but you can increase the process by adding sawmill dust and some water. When the manure turns into the black matter, consider it is ready for application. Besides, like bananas and compost, you can make manure tea and apply it with water.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often should you fertilize a Clover plant plot?

Answer: feed with ‘Miracle-Gro Continuous Release’ or ‘Osmocote Smart-Release’ when the plant shows first growth, then apply phosphorus-containing fertilizer like ‘Dr. Earth Organic and Natural Home Grown’. Fertilize again when the plant reaches a 1-foot height and when buds start to arrive.

Which is better: organic or synthetic fertilizers for Clover plant plot?

Answer: like always, organic fertilizers are better than synthetic fertilizers. A little increased amount of organic fertilizers won’t cause a problem, but synthetic will cause big problems.

What should the soil pH be for clover plants?

Answer: clover plants prefer slightly acidic soil. So, keep the soil pH between 6 to 6.8.

Can you water clover plants?

Answer: though clover plants like moist soil, it does not like water-logged conditions. You should avoid over-watering clover plants.

Conclusions:

If you have been through the end of this article, hopefully, you will get one in try or already have been using one or some. The truth is, no fertilizer in this world will work by just applying, but it is you who will determine whether it is best or not. It means, takes care of your clover as your child, and they will fulfill your desire. Provide nutrients when they require. Always feel free to ask us questions, and we will as soon as possible respond to you. Till then, happy gardeninghttps://amzn.to/3K59cxn