Fertilizing a vegetable garden is an essential task. Many popular varieties are heavy feeders that quickly deplete soil nutrients.
Key to successful fertilization is knowing when and how much fertilizer to apply; excessive amounts may burn roots while encouraging excessive leaf growth at the expense of fruit production.
Spring
Fertilizers give plants the energy they require to thrive, from blooming blooms and foliage, to fruit production; helping prevent disease and insect problems; and encouraging healthy root development. However, too much or inappropriate nutrients could damage plants or even kill them; so gardeners should perform soil tests to determine the specific nutrient needs of their vegetable gardens and then create an appropriate vegetable fertilizer schedule based on this knowledge.
Idealy, vegetables should be fertilized either prior to planting or when they first start growing in spring when soil nutrients are readily available to plants. A light mulch of organic material such as compost, leaves or straw will also help improve water-holding capacity of the soil, decreasing need for additional fertilizers.
Established vegetable gardens usually benefit from using a balanced fertilizer containing nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium in equal parts; leafy greens do well when fed nitrogen-rich fertilizers while fruiting crops such as tomatoes prefer high concentrations of both these elements.
Prior to adding any type of fertilizer to the garden, a soil test should be conducted first. This will enable you to select an optimal fertilizer blend tailored specifically for your vegetable plants and the conditions under which they will grow, while simultaneously limiting excess nitrogen that could otherwise leach into the soil and lead to leaf burn, reduced fruit production or quality and excessive phosphorous that may negatively impact plant growth – particularly when used on acid-loving species such as tomatoes and eggplants.
Most vegetable plants benefit from applying granular fertilizers that are spread and worked into the top few inches of the soil, either with a handheld spreader or lawn sprayer. Liquid fertilizers dissolve in water and can be applied directly onto leaves, soil, or irrigation water – ideal applications include early morning or late evening when temperatures are more stable to minimize sun damage to leaves.
Summer
Vegetable plants are heavy feeders and rapidly deplete their soil of vital nutrients. By fertilizing regularly throughout their growing season, fertilizer keeps nutrients available to these heavy feeders such as tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers.
Before planting seeds or seedlings, fertilizing your vegetable garden with organic granular fertilizer should be applied during spring. Work the fertilizer into the garden soil until all seeds or seedlings have been planted out. If already planting, carefully work granular organic fertilizer into soil around vegetables and seedlings being grown without disturbing roots by layering up to two inches deep with organic granular organic fertilizer.
After planting, apply organic granular fertilizer every month or two for optimal vegetable production. Read and follow all label instructions as overfertilizing can be harmful as too much will result in excess foliage growth with few or no flowers and may even hinder plant development.
Avoid fertilizing vegetable plants during the heat of the day as this will expose them to sunlight that is too hot to absorb nutrients, and may burn or make more susceptible to disease your plants. When possible, always apply organic granular fertilizer in early morning or evening hours for best results.
Once your plants have reached full production in midsummer, it is time to stop fertilizing. At this stage, any additional strength being provided through fertilization is only being used to grow more leaves and stems, rather than producing fruit or maintaining root health.
Fall
fertilizers can be an invaluable resource in your vegetable garden when applied correctly. Fertilizer gives plants access to essential nutrients needed for maximum performance and harvest of delicious fresh vegetables. But with so many different kinds of fertilizer on the market, selecting and applying it correctly may be challenging. A soil test is always a good first step if you want an accurate assessment of nutrient levels in your soil, giving an indication of when and how much fertilizers should be applied for best results in your garden.
Fertilizing your vegetable garden in the fall is vitally important for multiple reasons. Most importantly, fertilization helps replenish nutrient levels for next year’s crops after an abundant summer crop has used up all available resources; replenishing them is necessary to ensure productive crops again next season.
If you prefer natural methods over synthetic fertilizers for fertilizing your vegetable garden in the fall, there are numerous alternatives that are more eco-friendly available to you. Organic materials like compost, rotted manure and worm castings make great additions to the soil by providing necessary nutrients as well as improving structure and water holding capacity.
Avoid fertilizing your vegetable garden during the heat of the day as plants are less capable of absorbing nutrients under intense sun light, leading to burnt or damaged leaves on plants. Instead, it’s best to fertilize in early morning or evening when sunlight intensity is reduced.
If you need help fertilizing your vegetable garden, seek advice from your local extension office. A knowledgeable agent can guide you on ideal rates, application times and formulas tailored specifically to the type of vegetables in your garden beds. Always perform a soil test prior to fertilizing with any type of fertilizer and take all recommended safety measures when handling any type of fertilizer; handheld spreaders are great ways of applying granular fertilizers while liquid ones should be applied using either watering cans or sprayers and be sure to water after their application for maximum absorption of their nutrients by plants!
Winter
A good vegetable garden starts with good soil, and fertilization is one of the best ways to ensure that your crops have the nutrients they need. However, it is important to know when to apply fertilizer so that the plants don’t become overfed and damaged. Performing a soil test, and following a seasonal schedule for fertilizer application are the keys to vegetable garden success.
Most granular fertilizers are formulated to release their nutrients slowly, providing a steady supply of nutrients for the entire growing season. This helps to prevent nutrient burn and over-fertilization, as well as reduce nutrient leaching into groundwater. It is also important to avoid fertilizing the garden during hot or dry weather, as this can lead to nutrient burning and damage the plants.
Liquid fertilizers are formulated to be rapidly absorbed by the roots or leaves of the plant, and can be applied either to the soil or directly to the leaf surface. They are a good choice for organic gardeners, as they provide a high level of nutrition in an environmentally-friendly manner. When applying liquid fertilizers, be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions for rate and timing. Over-fertilizing can damage or kill the plants.
Using a fertilizer can increase the yield of your vegetables, and can also help your plants to resist disease and pests. It can also help to encourage root growth, which is beneficial for the overall health of your plants.
When preparing for winter, a good time to apply a light layer of a granular fertilizer is when you are cleaning up the vegetable garden or harvesting any late summer or fall vegetables. This will provide the plants with the nutrients they need to get through winter and come back stronger next spring. As you clean up the garden, consider putting any plant material that can be composted into your home compost system, or into a commercial yard waste bin. Be sure to not put any diseased or insect-infested plant material into the compost, as this could infect future plants with those organisms. Be sure to remove any stakes or temporary trellises that you are no longer using.