fertilizerfer‧ti‧liz‧er /ˈfɜːtəlaɪzə $ ˈfɜːrtl-aɪzər/ noun [countable, uncountable] 
Examples
ExamplesEXAMPLES FROM THE CORPUS
word sets- Fertilizer encourages weeds as well as crops to grow, so the increasing use of fertilizer promotes the increasing use of selective herbicides.
- Agriculturally, they had the structures necessary to mine fertilizers and annually spread them on their fields.
- An application of a balanced fertilizer once a month generally is adequate, but some gardeners apply diluted applications more often.
- I would apply a balanced fertilizer periodically.
- Others say that exporting fertilizers and pesticides to developing countries will help them increase their production.
- Outside every field you find a home-made latrine, waiting for passing cyclists to contribute valuable fertilizer.
- Phosphorus is a nutrient used in fertilizer that helps plants grow.
- There was greater specialization and more effective use was made of fertilizer.
WORD SETS► Crops
Collocationsalfalfa, nounarable, adjectivebarley, nounbran, nouncacao, nouncanker, nouncash crop, nouncassava, nouncereal, nouncocoa, nouncorn, nouncrop, nouncrop-dusting, nouncrop rotation, nouncrop-spraying, nouncultivate, verbcultivated, adjectivecultivation, nouncultivator, noundrill, noundrill, verbear, nounfertilize, verbfertilizer, nounfield corn, noungerminate, verbglean, verbgrain, noungranary, noungrower, nounharvest, nounharvest, verbharvester, nounhay, nounhayloft, nounhaystack, nounhorticulture, nounkernel, nounlift, verbmaize, nounmalt, nounmarket garden, nounmillet, nounoats, nounorchard, nounorganic, adjectiveplant, verbplantation, nounpotato, nounproduce, nounpropagate, verbprune, verbreap, verbrice, nounrice paddy, nounripe, adjectiveroot crop, nounrotate, verbrye, nounryegrass, nounscion, nounseason, nounseed, verbseedbed, nounsheaf, nounsisal, nounsorghum, nounsow, verbsprout, nounstraw, nounstubble, nounsugar beet, nountaro, nountill, verbtillage, noununripe, adjectivevegetable, nounvineyard, nounviticulture, nounwheat, nounwindfall, nounwinnow, verb
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES► a chemical fertilizer
a substance that is put on the soil to make plants grow (=chemicals to help plants grow)· Many crops are grown with chemical fertilizers.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE► artificial· Paradoxically the ecological problems deriving from the application of artificial fertilizers are often equally complex and extensive.· Controversy has also surrounded the long-term effects of artificial fertilizer on the soil structure.· All the soil does is hold the plants upright, while the crop is fed with artificial fertilizers.· They have thus become the animal equivalents of the plants which are force-fed with artificial fertilizers and sprayed with herbicides and pesticides.· The largest industrial concerns were electronics, computer assembly, artificial fertilizers, machinery, metalworking and textiles.
► chemical· Without earthworms and other soil life, no amount of cultivations and chemical fertilizers will build and sustain true structure and fertility.· The other was an agricultural revolution based on chemical fertilizers, irrigation, and improved seed strains that dramatically expanded food supplies.· It's based on chemical fertilizer, I've bags of the stuff.· Another useful salt is plain old chemical fertilizer.· The long-term dangers of land degradation from irrigation and chemical fertilizers are growing.· The colonial world can be hit by a shortage in chemical fertilizers.· I suppose such things were happy on our land because we never put chemical fertilizers on it.
VERB► use· Phosphorus is a nutrient used in fertilizer that helps plants grow.· The Azollablue-green alga combination fixes atmospheric nitrogen and is widely used as fertilizer and as forage.· And the smell of excrement, used as fertilizer, permeated the air.· When I do fertilize the plants you mention, I use a high-phosphorus fertilizer.· In addition to improving soil conditions and nutrients with organic matter, use organic fertilizers such as fish emulsion or liquefied seaweed.