A nutrient dense soil is the base for a healthy fruitful plant. But do you know how to maximize the benefits of fertilizing your plants? The answer is simple. Just to know when to feed you plants. Applying fertilizer in the wrong season can result in bursts of new growth which might not be a good idea if you have a freezing weather approaching. Adding fertilizer at the right schedule can give you abundance of greenery and a fruitful garden.
When do we fertilize our plants?
A general rule of thumb is to apply any fertilizer in early spring. The time when new buds are starting to come out. It encourages leafy growth and a boost to flowers, fruits and vegetables. Fertilizers at this time act as a support system for blooms formation, root and fruit production.
However, Spring might come at a different time for each region. Some places might still get a freeze after a spring surprise. So, the best idea is to wait until the date of your last frost to prevent any mishaps.
A good time would be when you are setting beds for the season, transplanting seedlings or adding a new plant. Mixing the fertilizer with the soil at that time gives fertilizer a good chance to incorporate in the soil and nourish the roots for a good growth.
Also it's a good idea to fertilize the soil preferably during the coolest part of the day and water the plant thoroughly afterwards for the fertilizer to mix in well and avoid any burning.
This works mainly for outdoor gardens. Indoor plants might need fertilizers every month or so depending on the variety.
To know what nutrients your soil needs, it’s a good idea to perform a soil test. This helps in avoiding any over-fertilizing which can be as bad as no fertilizing.
Another important thing to remember is that container plants need regular feeding compared to gardens as the plants take the nutrition from the garden soil whereas the container gardens are limited in their nutrition resources and more dependent on the regular feeding.
You can also find the previous blogs about the important nutrients needed for your plants and how you can find organic and natural soil nutrients in your home.
