In containers or in the garden/beds?

Al

I have been gardening a long time and I have never known commonly grown plants to be that specific in their demands for fertilizer. I would be willing to bet that both will thrive on a 10-10-10 properly applied. Better yet, go organic, feed your soil (instead of your plants), and you won't have to worry about those numbers much at all!

hi donnabaskets, i put compost and manure in my garden every year. Will that/they provide enough nutrients for the summer?

Tapla, They're in beds

Thanks and Thank in advance!

I'm sorry - I meant to address my post to the OP, 'Dcrosby'.

Al

Wow. You really know your stuff, tapla! I am sure you're quite correct in all of this, but I guess I'm just not that sophisticated. I have found over the years that if I top dress with about an inch over the whole bed every year with organic matter like composted manure, and/or chopped leaves, and/or compost, that my plants do extremely well. If something is not performing up to my expectations, I give them a sprinkle or splash of whatever general purpose fertilizer I have on hand. There are, of course, exceptions to this rule. I have beds at my front door that are planted almost entirely with annuals twice a year, and I demand a whole lot of them, so I give them more commercial fertilizer, but still with a light hand. Some plants are heavy feeders: roses, irises, pansies, for example. I give these plants more but again, lightly. I think that with experience, you learn what your plants need, for the most part. And, of course, a soil test is the only way to know precisely what that is, but most of the time, I think an attentive gardener can manage pretty well.

I do not use anything on my garden soil other than spring and fall applications of compost. My variety of garden plants is doing as well as I could want, and my soil must contain lots of soil life as it surely attracts the moles. Al

I was careful to point out that there was likely no need to add anything in the way of nutritional supplementation if she'd been adding organic matter to the gardens and beds regularly, so we're in accord there. What followed the opening PP of the post was my musings over what would be must appropriate if we were operating under the supposition that nutrient supplementation was actually needed.

I'm a firm believer in 'feeding the soil' in gardens & beds, but take quite a different view when the focus turns to container culture.

Al

Pardon my ignorance but i am pretty much lost.
Could you put your thoughts in simple, lay( sp?) mans language?
Thanks again!

Dale

A) If you've been adding organic matter to the beds you probably don't need to supplement your plants' nutrition with fertilizer, unless you've been incorporating into the soil, things that will create N immobilization (like sawdust or lots of unfinished compost).

B) If you do feel that you need a fertilizer to complete or supplement the nutrients that are available in the soil, a fertilizer with a 3:1:2 ratio like MG 24-8-12 or MG 12-4-8 are more appropriate than a 1:1:1 ratio fertilizer like 10-10-10, because it supplies nutrients at a rate much closer to what plants actually use.

Al

I do my best for the soil in organic matter, but for an extra kick I slip my dahlias Jobe's tomato fertilizer spikes. Dahlias and tomatoes like the same food. (last time I grew dahlias, two years ago, they were glorious)

I am always so pleased to see a response from Al (tapla). After 50 years of gardening, I crave more in-depth answers and am very grateful to very knowledgeable forum members who are willing to share with us.

Lately I have become very curious about the effect of day-length on time to bloom. Dahlias are one of the annuals I wonder about, since they seem to bloom late.

Thank you for the kind words, Handee. ;o) The link following may provide information that aids your understanding of the role photo-period and other significant cultural influences have, affecting the timing of the transition from vegetative to reproductive phases in plants. Perhaps you can use it as a springboard to help you in any further research you might like to pursue.

Apologies to 'Dcrosby' if she feels I've strayed too far from the original topic.

Al

Here is a link that might be useful: Hopefully, some additional help - just follow me!

Thanks, Al. My apologies to Dcrosby too for getting off topic. I finally got back here and followed the link after a long bout with flu. It's a start for some more googling.

What about Neptunes Harvest 3-2-1?
I have that on hand.
Thanks!
Dale

It's probably just as good a choice in beds/gardens as any other fertilizer you're apt to pick w/o a soil test. Don't expect to see much in the way of results from its use though, until soil temperatures are north of 55*. For an early season, cool soil boost if you think the plants need it, perhaps something like one of the MG formulas I noted above would be more appropriate.

Al

Thanks everyone for your input! My plan is to start the early season with a couple of bags of composted cow manure. I'll use a handful of bone meal when I plant the bulbs. I'll use a diluted MG mixture for my Zinnia seedlings and then follow up with a monthly dose of MG 24-8-12. Sounds llike a plan?

Thanks again!

Dale

OK...1 more question...
Out of curiosity, I can't help but wonder, what, as my Dahlia site recommends, would be the point of a low nitrogen fertilizer?

Reduced N delivery when all other nutrient levels are adequate, slows vegetative growth w/o affecting the rate of photosynthesis. Since the plant is still making all that food, but can't put it into making leaves or extending stems/branches for the lack of N - guess where it goes? Blooms and fruit.

Greenhouse growers also use that manipulative trick by supplying everything but N in the approximate proportions plants actually use. That's why, when you buy bedding annuals, they're usually very compact, but already in bloom.

Take care.

Al

I see, I see
Thanks again Al!
Dale

As we know, NPK is nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Depending on what you are growing, is how you want to use the numbers. Basically, nitrogen is the first major element responsible for vegetative growth of plants above ground. With a good supply, plants grow sturdy and mature rapidly, with good, dark green foliage. Phosphorus is the second major element, essential for healthy growth, strong roots, fruit and flower developement and greater resistance to diseases. Potassium is the third element needed for the development of strong plants. It helps plants resist diseases, protects from the cold and during dry weather by preventing excessive water loss. If the soil is in good shape, compost and the like, you may not need much. For the lawn, you want more nitrogen, as you want more 'foliage' that's dark green. If too much nitrogen goes to the flowers, you will get more foliage but less blooms. Therefore, the need for the other two elements.

Al,

"That's why, when you buy bedding annuals, they're usually very compact, but already in bloom."

The growers may have also used one or more plant growth regulators. See Virginia Tech's publication, Selecting and Using Plant Growth Regulators on Floricultural Crops.

MM

Is there a way to test my soil without sending it out?
Thanks