Vegetables are heavy feeders that quickly deplete their surroundings of nutrients. Therefore, fertilization with regular doses of essential micronutrients is key to ensure healthy plants.
Fertilizers for vegetable gardens come in all forms and varieties, so before purchasing any, it is prudent to have a soil test conducted first.
Spring
Vegetable plants are heavy feeders that quickly deplete soil nutrients. Fertilizing provides essential nutrition back into the garden for continued healthy, nutrient-dense vegetable growth. Fertilizer should be applied just before planting to give seeds and seedlings the best start possible. Testing soil before planting also gives valuable insight into its needs, so you can plan and choose an appropriate fertilizer product to enhance growth in your garden.
Most vegetable crops benefit from general all-purpose NPK fertilizers; however, certain vegetables such as tomatoes and peppers have specific requirements that necessitate additional levels of nitrogen and phosphorus in their fertilizer. Overdoing either may prove detrimental; therefore it’s vitally important that each crop follow the recommended fertilizer rates accordingly.
After applying an initial spring fertilizer, regular applications of liquid fertilizer should be performed during the growing season. Most vegetable plants benefit from receiving light applications of fertilizer every 2-4 weeks – it’s best to do this right after rainstorms or early morning, when plants can more readily absorb its nutrients.
Granular fertilizers should be added to garden beds either before planting in early spring, or side-dressed around existing vegetables if necessary. It’s best not to use lawn fertilizer in your vegetable garden since its high nitrogen content encourages foliage growth while inhibiting fruit development.
When applying granular fertilizer to your vegetable garden soil, make sure it’s mixed into the top three to five inches without damaging young roots. Also avoid applying any fertilizers during periods of extreme heat or drought as these conditions could stress plants and hinder their ability to absorb their nutrients. If you need assistance testing or selecting fertilizers for your garden, reach out to your local Cooperative Extension office for help.
Summer
Gardeners typically fertilize vegetables based on soil test results and each crop’s specific requirements; for instance, leafy greens require high levels of nitrogen while fruiting plants like tomatoes require both phosphorous and potassium for healthy fruiting plants.
Vegetables require nutrients when they’re being established and during flowering and fruiting stages, so it is vitally important that you follow the directions on any fertilizer you choose in order to provide your crops with enough nourishment.
If you want your garden to remain healthy during the summer, use an organic vegetable fertilizer with slow release of nutrients over weeks or months. This type of fertilizer will build soil health while providing vegetables with easily absorbable nutrition that their roots can utilize.
Ideal, vegetable gardens should be fertilized in early spring by mixing fertilizer into the soil before planting vegetables. If this has already happened, light mulching with fertilizer in 4-6 inches around each plant should do just fine – however liquid fertilizers can burn root systems and ruin plants!
The amount of fertilizer required depends on several factors, including the size and variety of your vegetable garden, exposure to sunlight or shade and frequency of irrigation. As a general guideline, apply light applications of granular vegetable fertilizer every 3-5 weeks during its growing season.
When fertilizing your garden, beware of applying excess nitrogen or phosphorous; doing so could lead to overgrowth and stunt the natural development of vegetables.
Before you put your vegetable garden to bed for winter, it is wise to fertilize with NPK all-purpose fertilizer and layer rotted compost to prepare the beds for the coming cold months. This will provide a rich source of organic matter which will break down gradually over the course of winter, providing your veggies with nutrients throughout 2019.
Fall
After planting vegetables all summer, now is the time to fertilize again in order to ensure a plentiful and thriving harvest.
Vegetables are heavy feeders that deplete soil of essential nutrients quickly. Vegetables must obtain these essential vitamins quickly in order to produce fruits, flowers and seeds before their short lives are over – nutrients they cannot find naturally and must therefore be provided through garden fertilizer.
Organic or synthetic fertilizers can help your vegetables flourish, but it’s essential that you know when and how much fertilizer should be applied. Too much fertilizer could harm or kill plants; so make sure you follow instructions on packaging or soil type to maximize success and get maximum returns from gardening efforts. Creating a fertilizer schedule will ensure maximum returns from vegetable gardening efforts and results!
When fertilizing vegetables for the first time in fall, use an organic granular product labeled specifically for use in vegetable or edible gardens and spread it across the surface of soil. Liquid fertilizers should not be used at this stage as they may damage or burn young roots of your crop plants.
Vegetables that require frequent fertilization will reap additional rewards by receiving extra applications during their growing seasons, too. Heavy feeders such as (Brassicas) broccoli, cauliflower, kale and brussels sprouts as well as (Nightshade) tomatoes peppers and eggplants will benefit from early applications of high nitrogen fertilizer in order to support leaf growth before transitioning later to fertilizers with higher levels of phosphorous and potassium for fruit development.
Be sure to use a balanced, all-purpose fertilizer throughout the year in order to keep your vegetables nourished and flourishing. In order to determine what type and amount of fertilizer would best fit your garden’s needs, have it tested either at your gardening supply store or by reaching out to an extension service at your university-affiliated university. Testing will reveal major nutrient levels so you can choose an appropriate type of fertilizer.
Winter
Assuming you have carefully taken care to tend and transplant hardy vegetable seedlings this winter and successfully transplanted them outside, protecting from pests while watering regularly and pulling weeds regularly, your seedlings may soon be ready for action – yet one more element may help them flourish and produce: fertilizer.
Fertilizer helps provide vegetables with essential nutrients they require for strong roots, foliage and fruit production. High-nitrogen fertilizers may be most suitable for leafy greens; while tomatoes and other fruiting vegetables tend to do best when treated with fertilizers with higher concentrations of phosphorous and potassium.
Before heading off to the garden center for fertilizer purchases, it’s essential that you understand when best to fertilize your vegetable garden. Otherwise, overfertilizing may damage crops.
Fertilizing a vegetable garden in the fall should take place between the end of summer and winter’s arrival, depending on your US hardiness zone and weather patterns. That way, any plants still actively growing will have time to soak up any extra nutrients before going dormant for the season.
Fertilizing a vegetable garden depends on both what and the needs of your soil. Corn, squash and other long-season veggies typically need two doses of fertilizer: one at planting time and a larger dose during midsummer rapid growth periods. Once fruit sets on tomatoes or other crops such as this, switching to lower nitrogen fertilizer could promote more flowers than foliage production.
No matter what vegetables they’re growing, vegetable gardens should all undergo soil tests for pH and nutrient levels before beginning fertilization. Soil test results will allow you to create a tailored fertilizer schedule specific to your plot’s needs and those of specific vegetables, as well as address any soil-related issues. You can take a soil sample at your county cooperative extension office for a nominal fee; just avoid doing it shortly after applying lime, fertilizers or manures as this could affect results negatively.