fertilizer

Everyday

1. Fertilizer is a substance added to soil to give plants the food (nutrients) they need to grow better. tree →
2. It can be natural, like manure and compost, or made in factories. tree →
3. Someone or something that helps things grow and multiply, such as a god in ancient stories. tree →

In the lessons

Science and farming lessons: plant nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium), fair tests on plant growth, and pollution when fertilizer runs into rivers. Safety: keep away from children and pets. Phrases: natural fertilizer, chemical fertilizer, liquid fertilizer.

Examples

• We added fertilizer to half the bean plants for our test. tree →
• Manure is a natural fertilizer. tree →
• Too much fertilizer can wash into rivers and harm fish. tree →
• The tomatoes grew bigger with fertilizer. tree →
• Wash your hands after touching fertilizer. tree →
• Farmers spread fertilizer in spring. tree →
• Faunus is frequently called Inuus or the fertilizer, and Lupercus or the one who wards off wolves. tree →

Note

Spelling: US and Canada fertilizer; UK, Australia and NZ often fertiliser (both accepted in UK). Uncountable usually (some fertilizer), countable for types. Plants make their own food by photosynthesis; fertilizer gives minerals, not energy.