When and How to Fertilize Plants

While adding compost and organic goodies is like giving your soil a VIP spa treatment, think of fertilizers as the plant’s personal energy drink—keeping them perky and ready to conquer the world but learning When and How to Fertilize Plants is Key🌱💪

Our quick guide spills the tea on when and how to fertilize without turning your garden into a nutrient-overdosed disco. Let’s dance through the dos and don’ts of fertilizing for a garden that’s strong, sassy, and ready to bloom! 🕺💚

Adding compost and another organic matter is essential for improving the long-term health and fertility of your soil, but fertilizers play a crucial role in providing the readily available nutrients that keep plants growing strong. Most plant fertilizers contain the three primary macronutrients: nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K), plus small amounts of the micro-nutrients: magnesium, calcium, sulfur, iron, and boron. Usually, the N-P-K ratio on the package tells you the percentage – by weight – of each major nutrient.

When temperatures rise in the spring, the new buds begin to need nutrients, and roots elongate to search for nutrients.

If the soil is fertile, moist, and well-drained, the plants will grow and prosper all season. If it’s poor, the roots only collect a small amount of what is needed.

Though you don’t want to let your plants go hungry, applying too much fertilizer can cause problems. Excess of fertilizer can damage ecosystems and polluting the plant’s drinking water.

Follow the fertilizer’s package instructions for application rates and timing. If you are in doubt, be conservative.

Spring and summer are ideal to fertilize your plants, promote growth, and give your plant a little boost.
Remove dying yellow, and brown leaves from your plant help the plant send energy to the healthiest leaves. To ensure even fertilizing distribution, remove fallen leaves from the soil.

Water the soil and after the pot is done dripping, discard any water left in the saucer.

Dilute the fertilizing liquid with water to half strength, or as directed on the bottle. Over-fertilizing can lead to shock.

Pour the fertilizing liquid evenly over the top of the soil until water begins to drip from the drainage hole.