You are correct Jackie, there are many forms of fertilizer and the best place to start for maximum yield in your vegetable garden is to have your soil tested. Over the years of use most vegetable plots become low on nitrogen, phosphate and potash, the big three or NPK . (K is the scientific symbol for potash.) But plants need much more than just these three. Micronutrients such as boron, copper and iron are also needed in the soil to help the plants absorb the nutrients. Compost is not really a fertilizer but it does improve the soil with living critters that help the plants to utilize the nutrients and some types of compost can break down into available nitrogen and other nutrients.  It depends on what the compost was made from. I suggest you use Osmocote Plus Outdoor and Indoor on your soil this spring as it contains 11 essential nutrients and feeds for 6 full months. The Osmocote is a slow release plant food that works when your plants need it as the soil warms up.  You should also add some compost that you can buy either in bags or by having composted dairy manure delivered to your garden site.  A quick release plant food is usually found in liquid form (like MiracleGro)  or in the form of organic seaweed or chicken manure that breaks down quickly in the soil. There is also an organic form of MiracleGro.  Some early season veggies such as lettuce and peas may look yellow without enough nitrogen early in the spring so they would benefit from a quick release nitrogen. Again, a soil test is the best way to be sure what your soil is lacking, and a complete plant food with micronutrients such as Osmocote is the best way to replenish what last years' harvest took from your soil. Keep growing, Marianne Binetti