Fertilizer helps plants flourish by adding essential nutrients to the soil. Selecting either an organic or chemical fertilizer depends on soil test results and crop needs.
Avoid overfertilizing (particularly nitrogen) as this will promote leaf growth at the expense of fruit production. Apply granular fertilizers 4-6 inches below soil before rainfall or water-soluble ones when watering.
Spring
As your vegetable garden develops, it requires essential nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium in order to achieve strong plant growth. Heavy feeding vegetables such as tomatoes can deplete soil of these essential elements – fertilizing is key in replenishing them to promote vigorous harvests with abundant nutrition. While fertilizing vegetable gardens in spring before planting is recommended, additional small applications can be made throughout the growing season as needed to ensure healthy plants.
Vegetable plants typically need more frequent feedings than most flowering shrubs and trees, and as such can benefit from slow-release granular fertilizers applied at planting time or throughout the season as needed via side dressing applications or side-dressing applications. Liquid fertilizers applied as soil drenches or foliar sprays may also prove effective for many vegetables.
For best results when applying granular fertilizers, the ideal method for spreading them across an entire vegetable garden area by hand or spreader is broadcasting them by hand or spreader prior to planting seeds or transplanting transplants or sowing seeds. This allows time for seedlings and transplants to absorb all their necessary nutrients before transplanting. Once broadcasted, work the fertilizers into the top 3 to 5 inches of soil without burning young root systems – or you could apply liquid fertilizers with watering can or hose attachments.
Fertilizer should be applied after light rain has fallen, as this helps the nutrients work deeper into the soil. However, if rain is forecast within 24 hours of applying any fertilizer application then hold off until weather clears as rainfall could wash fertilizers off landscapes and into storm drains and nearby bodies of water bodies, increasing nutrient pollution.
To avoid over-fertilizing your vegetables with too much nitrogen, amend your soil in midwinter by using a combination of phosphate and potash fertilizers that contain lower concentrations of nitrogen. A county extension agent can provide you with a soil test kit and advise where you can send samples for analysis; analysis will reveal exact levels of phosphorous, potassium, as well as how much nitrogen there is present; the ideal level for most vegetable gardens is between 2- 4 pounds per 1000 square feet.
Summer
Contrary to popular belief, vegetable gardens require fertilizer throughout the year – not only during spring planting. Vegetables are heavy feeders that use up a great deal of nitrogen from soil even in rich environments – depleting nutrients quickly if they go without proper care and application of high-quality organic vegetable fertilizers regularly can keep plants strong and healthy.
Food crops need to remain active all summer, unlike their ornamental garden counterparts which may require fertilizing every time they become dormant or barren. When temperatures soar, many vegetable plants start looking stressed – often showing symptoms such as wilting or tip curling leaves – which might tempt one into applying liquid nutrients as an easy fix – however this would only do more damage than good!
Fertilizing in extreme heat can also damage plants and lead to nutrient burn, as the roots become exposed to direct sunlight and drying winds, further stressing them out. Water-soluble fertilizers should also be avoided at peak hours when temperatures are at their highest, which may further strain them and contribute to plant disease outbreak.
An optimal time to fertilize a vegetable garden is in early morning or late evening as this will reduce risk of nutrient burn and promote faster absorption of its nutrients. Furthermore, avoid fertilizing before rain falls as this could wash away much of your fertilizer!
Along with vegetables, now is an excellent time to apply fertilizers to perennials like rhubarb and asparagus, as well as flowers such as marigolds. Granular organic fertilizer applied at planting time or as a side dressing usually works well; be mindful not to place it near stems as this could cause plant burn. Liquid fertilizers tend to be better absorbed by the plants so regular spray applications might be preferable in these cases.
Fall
People often admire their neighbor’s lush vegetable gardens and wonder what their secret is for such abundant harvests. One key factor – aside from using good gardening techniques – may be proper fertilization: Fertilizer provides essential nutrients necessary for growth and performance in plants, helping your harvests maximized. Applying high quality organic or inorganic fertilizers may increase yield while creating healthful fruit and veggies as well as improving overall garden health.
Heavy feeding vegetable varieties like tomatoes, peppers and corn can quickly deplete soil of essential nutrients over time if they have been grown in one location for an extended period. A soil test will tell you whether the nutrients exist and in what amounts. With this knowledge you can plan your garden accordingly and provide sufficient fertilizers.
Fertilize in the fall to foster healthy root systems and prepare your garden for winter; exact timing depends on your hardiness zone. Use commercial or organic fertilizers, or try something more natural such as mulching the garden bed in autumn with leaves, grass clippings or any organic materials which will break down during the winter and provide your plants with essential nutrients needed for an energetic start come springtime.
If you are using commercial or inorganic fertilizer, carefully follow the instructions on its package. Do not overfeed your garden; excess nutrients could harm plants as well as harming the environment. For assistance if necessary, seek assistance from either a knowledgeable garden center or your county’s extension service office.
Cover Crops For those taking a more natural approach, cover crops can be planted in autumn and left to flourish over winter, replenishing lost nutrients from vegetable gardens. Rye or buckwheat make good cover crop options; you could also try planting crimson clover or phacelia as alternatives. Once crops have already been planted or seeded, lightly work in some granular organic fertilizer using either your hands (or spreader if preferred) to avoid damaging young roots.
Winter
Vegetable gardens require constant nutrition throughout the year in order to maximize performance and avoid depletion. As many types of vegetables quickly consume these essential elements from soil, their loss must be replenished quickly in order to support growth and yields. Fertilizers – natural or synthetic – can supply these necessary elements, but only when applied at appropriate times to avoid overfeeding plant roots and burning.
One of the best times to fertilize a vegetable garden is in fall before the ground freezes – depending on hardiness zone and weather patterns in your region, this window may come earlier or later depending. By adding fertilizer in fall, its nutrients remain available for new plant life when they emerge in spring.
Cold-tolerant leafy greens like kale, lettuce and chard require general all-purpose granular fertilizer with nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium for proper development. Root vegetables require more specific formulations with higher potassium concentrations to assist their roots with taking in and retaining minerals such as carrots or radishes.
When applying granular fertilizers, the ideal application method is broadcasting them and working it into the topsoil by hand or with a spreader before planting your garden. For established gardens that already feature plants, side-dressing with dry fertilizer should help bring more life into existing rows – simply hoeing or cultivating can help the fertilizer leach down into root zones of existing plants for maximum results.
From mid-December through early January, transplant broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kohlrabi, collards, kale and lettuce transplants into your garden. Onions should only be transplanted if they are pencil-size or thinner; additionally direct seed carrots, radishes and turnips into your garden beds directly. Pull winter weeds away using either hand hoeing or preemergent herbicides like Dual or Treflan in larger gardens.