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 | Tip of the Day |
| Tip Number: 27 | Date: 2001-04-09 |
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 | Newly planted perennials: to fertilize or not? |
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| Gardeners frequently add plenty of organic material (such as compost or bagged composted manure) in the process of digging and preparing new beds for planting. Although these are not high in nutrients, combined with what is already present in the soil they should offer plenty of food for your new plants to get off to a great start.
Compared to lawns and vegetable gardens, perennials prefer a lean soil. Little, if any, extra fertilizing is usually necessary in the first season. Some gardeners incorporate slow-release fertilizer when preparing the beds, or around each individual plant. Others prefer to liquid feed with water-soluble products such as Miracle-Gro. Organic gardeners choose from various products like fish emulsion or concentrated sea-weed products. Since the choices are wide, check at your local garden center to see what products they have available.
Established perennial beds should be fertilized in early spring, if necessary. A soil test is the best way to find out what type and amount of fertilizer to use: many garden centers offer a soil testing service, or can refer you to local soil laboratories. I generally recommend a product higher in the middle number: this is phospherous, which helps to promote strong stems and plenty of flowers. A formulation like 5-10-5 is suitable for perennials, in most cases. Buying fertilizers in larger bags is usually more economical than small bags or boxes. In my region, the best buy is often big bags of all-purpose vegetable garden fertilizer.
Some experts recommend about 2 pounds of actual nitrogen per 1000 square feet of bed each year. To calculate how much fertilizer you need, first measure the square footage of the bed. Then use this formula:
(square feet of bed ÷ 1000) × 2 pounds = number of pounds of actual nitrogen required.
An example: a 250 square foot bed
(250 ÷ 1000) × 2 pounds = .5 pounds of actual nitrogen needed.
To calculate how much actual nitrogen is contained in a fertilizer, use this formula:
Pounds of fertilizer × percent nitrogen (the first number on the bag) = pounds of actual nitrogen.
For example: a ten pound bag of 5-10-5 would work out to:
10 pounds × 5% = .5 pounds Nitrogen per bag. One bag happens to be exactly the right amount to fertilize the 250 square foot bed calculated above.
Granular fertilizers come in two main types, quick-release and slow-release.
Quick-release types can easily burn the foliage of new plants, since they are high in salts. Careful application is necessary, and the product should be sprinkled around the clumps rather than right on top of them.
Slow-release products are much less likely to burn, but care should also be taken to spread them around plants rather than on top. These products release nutrients over several months, giving a more even level of food to plants throughout the growing season.
Incorporating granular fertilizers into the ground will get the nutrients closer to the plant roots. Established beds cannot be easily dug over, but a claw-type hoe is useful to work the fertilizer granules into the top couple of inches of soil.
Liquid fertilizers are applied either with a watering can or with a hose and siphon applicator system. Gardeners often overdo these products, when it comes to perennials. Choose a fairly low formulation (like 5-10-5), and one that is highest in the middle number (phosphorous). High nitrogen products may cause lots of floppy, lush growth at the expense of flowers.
Calculations are adapted from Caring for Perennials by Janet Macunovich (ISBN 0-88266-927-5, Storey Publishing, VT). |
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