Gardens, pots, greenhouses, lawns need regular fertilization to keep them fueled for better plantation results. The fertilizer requirement in fields and the proportions of nitrogen, urea, and phosphorus are varied. The Vegetable garden’s fertilizer requirements will be independent of a flower nursery or house lawn.
The new gardener may not have an exact idea of when and how to fertilize the area in order to have the best results in their gardening experience. The digitalized world now also provides services online to buy fertilizers, soil conditioners, different mulches, etc., meaning many firms online deliver landscaping supplies at our doorsteps for our conveniences. This article will study the right time to fertilize the gardens, lawns, pots, greenhouses, etc.
Components of a fertilizer
A fertilizer is a mixture of three main components: nitrogen, Phosphorous, and Potassium (N, P, K). The proportions of these elements are always mentioned on the fertilizers, be it water-soluble or granule baked fertilizer.
For example- The packets will have a mention of 10-10-10 which means all three elements take up 10% respectively of the complete portion, other traces and materials take the rest 70% up. Various fertilizers have different proportions of these elements, such as 10-5-10, 26-4-10, and many others; the fertilizers vary for different fields, plants, vegetable gardens, nurseries, and lawns.
The right time to fertilize
Please note that the seedlings and growing seeds must never be fertilized; the fertilizers simply cause the plant an injury or burns and spoil them instead of giving them the energy to grow.
Always allow the plants to set
Yes, the plants need time to establish and set in their surroundings before they need any fertilizers or energy.
Avoid afternoon time to fertilize.
Always pick early morning or late evening timing to fuel your plants as it helps them absorb the nutrients and energize themselves. In the afternoon, when the temperature is highest, It is a fight for the plants to survive the scratching heat. Hence, That is not at all a good time to add compost to your plants or gardens.
The rule for fertilizing annually is; to always add compost during the early spring or wait for the last date of your frost before deciding.
Avoid rainy or windy days.
Ensure that you do not put your fertilizers on rainy days or windy days as the granular fertilizers might wither away. The water-soluble fertilizers, however, lose their quality due to increased water mixture.
Methods of Fertilizer Application
Four ways to apply fertilizers are-
Broadcasting– In this method, the soil is fertilized before plantation rows are made, where an adequate proportion of fertilizer is duly spread and mixed with soil up to 4 inches.
Row Application– The process is designed to give the plants continuous nutrients through soil by keeping a strip or band filled with fertilizer on the row side. The gardener needs to ensure that the plant roots do not come in contact with the fertilizer strip; it may kill the plant.
Starter Solution – It is specifically used for transplants like peppers and tomatoes. The fertilizer is mixed in water in suggested proportions and put in the soil before plantation.
Applications of fertilizer to plants in their growth period- This method is mostly used in areas where it frequently rains, causing the nutrients from the soil to wither away. The fertilizers are either sprinkled on the plant side or are kept in strips around the rows to help the soil regain its nutrients.
The fertilizers available in the market are of two kinds- Granular and the other is water-soluble. The granular fertilizer is a slow food to plants but stays for a longer duration of time and does not need frequent application. However, the water-soluble being a handy food to your plants, it needs regular application and also withers away sooner than the other.
If the gardener is busy, he can choose the granular fertilizer because it stays for a longer duration in the soil and provides extended food and nutrition to plants. Otherwise, you may want to rely on the water-soluble fertilizer, which you can use to energize your plants with fresh nutrients every 7- 8 days and help them stay healthy and grow happily.
Final Words
Now as you understand the times to fertilize your garden you can use fertilizer at the right time. Determining your plant requirements and offering them the required nutrients in the form of organic matter and fertilizers is the key to maintaining a garden throughout the year.
