Neutrog Rapid Raiser, what it is and when to use it

December 7, 2024

Most people who ask me about fertiliser are not after a lecture on soil chemistry. They want to know what to put down, how often, and whether it is going to smell. Neutrog Rapid Raiser answers all three, which is why it is the bag I point at most often.

What Rapid Raiser is

It is a certified organic, pelletised fertiliser made from composted chicken manure. Before you scroll past on the word manure, the composting is what makes the difference. It has been processed into a pellet, which means it handles cleanly, spreads evenly, stores without drama and does not have the smell of the raw product.

It carries nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium along with trace elements and organic matter, so it feeds the plant and improves the soil at the same time. That second part is the bit people underrate. A synthetic feed pushes growth. This one also leaves the soil better than it found it.

Why the pellet matters

The pellets break down slowly once they are watered in, so the nutrients release over weeks rather than all at once. You are not reapplying constantly, and you are far less likely to burn something by overdoing it, which is the usual way a keen gardener kills a plant with kindness.

It suits most soil types and most plants, which is what makes it a sensible first fertiliser if you are not confident yet. Flowers, vegetables, shrubs, fruit trees and lawn all take it.

How to use it

Spread it. Scatter the pellets over the bed, the lawn or the pot, keeping them off the stems and trunks rather than piled against them.
Water it in. Give the area a good soak afterwards. That is what starts the pellets breaking down, and skipping it is why people think nothing happened.
Repeat through the growing season. Every six to eight weeks is the usual rhythm, or when the plants start telling you they are hungry.

A 20kg bag goes a long way. Depending on the size of your garden, one bag will usually see you through a season rather than sending you back for more every few weeks.

Where it fits against compost

Compost and Rapid Raiser do different jobs and they work well together. Compost bulks up the soil and improves its structure. Rapid Raiser delivers a measured dose of nutrients on top of that. If you have ever dug compost through a bed and wondered whether the plants were actually being fed, this is the part that was missing.

Shop related products

Neutrog Rapid Raiser 20kg. The bag this whole post is about.
Brunnings Garden Compost with Seaweed 25L. For soil structure, alongside the feed rather than instead of it.
PowerFeed 600ml. A liquid feed for a faster response when something needs a hand now.
Brunnings Easy Wetta Potting Mix 70L. For pots, where feeding matters more because there is nowhere else for nutrients to come from.

Did you know we also keep the rest of the Neutrog range and other pelletised and liquid feeds in store, and not all of it makes it onto the website. Give us a ring on (08) 8536 4333 to check what is on the shelf.

It sits in the garden centre with the rest of the soil and feed, and if you are not sure which one your patch wants, come in and describe what you are growing.