When do i use fertilizer

You also wonder how often to fertilize, and this depends on what you use. The label of the fertilizer will tell you the rate amount of fertilizer to apply and how often it should be used.

Soluble fertilizers, for instance, are applied every two weeks during the growing season. Granular fertilizers are generally applied about every six to eight weeks. Slow-release fertilizers work for months, so one application is generally all that is needed for a growing season.

Email Dan Gill at dgill agcenter. Edit Close. Toggle navigation. Hot times are tough for roses; here's how to keep them in the pink. Now in the garden, get plants that can take the heat; watch for mosquitoes; and remember to deadhead. What to do: Houseplants growing mushrooms and tomatoes with leaf fungus. It's time to watch for slime molds and brown patches; trim and fertilize flowers.

A jalapeno plant that doesn't produce peppers; pruning blackberry bushes; and growing avocados. Dig down about 4 to 6 inches and take a handful of soil. Do this in several different places in the garden. Place each handful of soil in a large container and mix. Figure 2. Take soil samples from several areas of the garden and mix them together. Soil can be tested in midwinter to prepare for spring planting.

County Extension agents can give you a soil sample container and explain where to send the sample for testing. If the garden soil has not been tested, use 2 to 3 pounds of fertilizer such as 10 for every square feet of garden area.

A plot 10 x 10 feet or 5 x 20 feet would be square feet Fig. If a garden is 30 feet long and the rows are 3 feet apart, each row is almost square feet. Use 2 pounds of fertilizer if the garden is sandy and 3 pounds if the soil is mostly clay. Figure 3. Use 2 to 3 pounds of fertilizer such as for every square feet of garden area.

Do not use too much fertilizer. This can kill plants. Two cups of most fertilizers will weigh about 1 pound. If a fertilizer has more nitrogen, use less. Two pounds of fertilizer supplies as much nitrogen as 1 pound of If you are using organic fertilizer such as barnyard manure, spread it evenly over the garden and work it into the soil.

Use 20 to 30 pounds of manure for every square feet of garden. Do not use too much. Do not use fresh manure because it can injure plants. Fertilizers are applied four ways: Broadcast before planting. The proper amount of fertilizer is spread evenly over the garden and mixed with the soil to a depth of 3 to 4 inches before rows are made.

This method is the least likely to cause plant damage and usually is best for home gardeners. Band or row applications. The fertilizer is applied in a strip to the side of the row before planting Fig.

With this method you must be careful to prevent the roots from coming in contact with the fertilizer band, which can kill plants. Starter solution. This is used only on transplants such as tomato, pepper, eggplant and cabbage. And make sure your hopper is shut before filling up the spreader," Turnbull says. A broadcast spreader is a better choice than a drop spreader for homeowners.

Broadcast spreaders are easier to use, and since they disperse fertilizer a wider distance, there's less chance you'll end up with stripes in your yard caused by not properly overlapping the rows.

To fertilize small yards, use a handheld broadcast spreader , which has a hand crank. These compact spreaders are particularly useful for fertilizing narrow side yards, and grassy areas along fence lines, around trees, and behind garages and sheds. Regardless of what type of spreader you use, be sure to walk at a consistent, steady pace as you apply the fertilizer. Failing to do so will cause the fertilizer to be spread too thin in some spots and too thick in others.

Every fertilizer label will list the application rate, but Turnbull recommends that you don't follow it. Start by applying fertilizer around the perimeter of the yard first, and then fill in the middle, working in one direction.

Then, spread it again, moving in a perpendicular direction. This crisscrossing pattern ensures much better coverage and helps prevent over-applying the fertilizer. I always recommend erring on the side of too little. Since you're applying the fertilizer at half the recommended rate, it won't spread out very far, so you don't need to estimate how much spacing to keep between rows. And be sure to check the weather forecast prior to fertilizing.

If you apply the fertilizer right before a downpour, much of the fertilizer will be washed away. No matter how careful you are the spreader will occasionally throw fertilizer onto your driveway, sidewalk, or patio.

If that happens, sweep it up rather than letting the rain wash it away. Sweeping up the fertilizer is good for the environment. Tightly seal the bag and store it away in a cool, dry place, well away from any children and pets. Type keyword s to search. Today's Top Stories. Wikimedia Commons. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below. Check Your Soil's Temperature.