Should I Use Holly Tone Or Plant Tone?

Fertilizing the plants in your landscape is an essential part of a heathy garden. A common question that people ask us is, Should I fertilize with Holly Tone or Plant Tone? The answer can get a little complicated, because it really depends on exactly what you're fertilizing.

The company that makes Holly Tone and Plant Tone is called Espoma. They make a wide range of high-quality, mostly organic fertilizers that we highly recommend. They are slow-release and easy to use, and most of them include elements that encourage healthy root systems. There are, however, a lot of them to choose from. Espoma tried to make their system self-explanatory (for example, Rose Tone is straightforward), but some plants fall in between categories and aren't easy to pinpoint. A general rule of thumb is, if it is an evergreen and keeps its leaves or needles, use Holly Tone. Some notable exceptions are dogwoods, blueberries, magnolia, raspberries, ferns, and several other acid-loving plants, all of which would benefit from Holly Tone. Everything else can be fertilized with Plant Tone.

Certain plants prefer a particular balance of nutrients and will benefit from specific fertilizers. Rose Tone is a great choice for roses, but it can also be used on clematis, viburnum, and bougainvillea, to name a few. Berry Tone, Citrus Tone, Tree Tone, Bulb Tone, and Flower Tone, among others, will each benefit the specific plants listed on their labels. If you only have a few plants of these specialized categories, though, a general application of Plant Tone is just fine. Vegetable gardens will prefer Garden Tone, Garden Food, or Tomato Tone.