Based on expert recommendations focusing on optimal nutrition for healthy growth, urea is generally not considered the best form of nitrogen for hibiscus plants.
According to specialists like those who formulated the HVH Special Blend fertilizer, achieving the best results for hibiscus involves a careful balance of specific nitrogen forms.
Understanding Nitrogen Forms for Hibiscus
Plants, including hibiscus, require nitrogen for lush foliage and strong growth. Nitrogen comes in several forms that plants can absorb, primarily nitrate and ammoniacal nitrogen.
The provided reference highlights the importance of the balance between nitrate and ammoniacal nitrogen for hibiscus. This specific balance helps the plant develop both vigorous leaves (often favored by nitrate) and sturdy branches (often favored by ammoniacal nitrogen), leading to a healthy, robust plant structure.
- Nitrate Nitrogen: Often promotes leafy growth.
- Ammoniacal Nitrogen: Can contribute to stronger stems and roots.
- Urea Nitrogen: A third form, which needs to be converted in the soil before plants can absorb it.
Why Urea is Often Excluded
The reference explicitly states: "Urea is the third form of nitrogen and the one that we choose not to include in the HVH Special Blend."
This choice not to include urea suggests that, in their expert opinion focused on creating an optimal fertilizer blend, urea does not contribute to the desired balanced growth in the same way as a carefully proportioned mix of nitrate and ammoniacal nitrogen. The exclusion implies it may not be as effective or could potentially lead to less balanced growth compared to the preferred forms.
Key takeaway: While urea is a nitrogen source, formulators focused on specialized hibiscus nutrition prefer to rely on a specific balance of nitrate and ammoniacal nitrogen, choosing to omit urea from their optimal blends.
