Feeding flourishing flowers can be a challenge. Fertilizing a new garden bed is relatively uncomplicated -- if somewhat labor intensive. All a gardener needs to do is lay several inches of fertilizer over the bed, then use a tiller or spade into the top several inches of soil. But an established perennial flower bed presents the problem of working around the flowers themselves. Not only do the plants themselves an impediment to digging up the entire bed, but laying down fertilizer must be done carefully in order to damage root systems or shear off blooms and foliage. Dry Fertilizer Dry, or granular, fertilizer releases nutrients to your flower bed over a long period of time. Unless your flowers need immediate nutrient boosting, dry fertilizers are helpful for busy gardeners. Look for either synthetic or organic blends that are highest in phosphorus, such as 15-30-15. The middle number refers to the ratio of phosphorus to the nitrogen and potassium in the mix. If you make your own organic blend, use bone meal for phosphorus, as well as about half as much, each, blood meal for nitrogen and ground granite for potassium.
If available, follow the timing recommendations on the packaging, which depend on the kinds of flowers you are growing. In general, you'll want to apply fertilizer at least once, in early spring, and possibly two or three more times over the course of the late spring and summer. Liquid Fertilizer If your flowers appear to be stressed for nutrients, or the flowers are too closely spaced for you to apply dry fertilizer to the soil, liquid fertilizer may be your best option. As with dry fertilizer, liquid fertilizer is available commercially. Follow the package directions to determine if it needs to be diluted with water, and how much should be applied per plant or square foot. Other options include making "teas" from compost or manure by soaking bags of either substance in water, then diluting with plain water. These teas are inexpensive and organic, but the drawback is that you won't know the exact level of nutrients you are giving your flowers. You will need to apply liquid plant food several times over the course of the growing season -- every few weeks is optimal.
Side-Dressing with Dry Fertilizer If you have well-spaced rows of flowers, or a border comprised of a single row, row-feeding -- also known as side-dressing -- is one method for feeding established flower beds. You may also opt for this method in beds with more closely-spaced rows, but only when newly emerging plants leave you enough room to place the fertilizer. If your bed is mulched, rake aside the mulch to expose a 3-inch-wide band of bare soil about 6 inches in front of your row of flowers. Place a 1- or 2-inch layer of dry fertilizer on the band of bare soil, then rake the mulch back into place. Over time, the nutrients in your plant food will leach into the soil, nourishing the flowers. Top Dressing with Dry Fertilizer In some cases, your flower beds may be arranged in irregular groupings, or feature large, individual plants or flowering shrubs. In these cases, row-feeding is impractical. Instead, "top dress" the plants by establishing a circle of dry fertilizer around the plant or plant group.
The method is much the same as row feeding. Move any existing mulch to the side to expose a 3-inch-wide band of bare soil around the plant or plant group. Lay a 1- to 2-inch-high layer of dry fertilizer on top of the bare soil in this circle, then replace any existing mulch. Foliar and Base Feeding with Liquid Fertilizer Applying liquid fertilizer to your flower bed not only gives an instant "vitamin shot" to the soil and the plants, but makes it easier to get nutrients into the garden bed when the soil itself is difficult to reach. Dilute commercial liquid fertilizer or home-prepared manure tea or compost tea to the recommended amount in a watering container, then water the bed. For best results, try to reach both the plants' leaves and the surrounding soil. This is known as foliar and base feeding. The fertilizer applied to the flowers' foliage has an immediate nutritive impact on the plants, while the fertilizer that goes into the soil at the base of the plants will help nourish the flowers in the days to come.
References The Garden Primer; //Getty Images Suggest a CorrectionWe apologize for the inconvenience. Please try again later or contact us at 1-866-222-4626.How and What to Feed Flowers Feeding (fertilizing) flowers keeps plants healthy and rewards you with great color and blossoms. But too much fertilizer can be bad for your plants, and applying the wrong type can be counterproductive. Plants have complex systems in need of chemicals to help them produce their own foods. The three primary plant-growth elements, or nutrients, are as follows: N (nitrogen): Enhances stem and leaf growth (for most plants, nitrogen ends up being the most important nutrient) P (phosphorus): Contributes to flower production, fruit production, seed production, and root growth K (potassium): Ensures general vigor; helps plants resist disease An all-purpose, balanced formulation contributes to overall plant health. These top three nutrients are usually listed on the back labels of bags of fertilizer that you can buy in any garden supply store.
They’re usually listed in order as numbers on the package (N-P-K). A balanced fertilizer (one that contains the three most important elements — nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) may show up as 5-10-5 or even 5-10-10. Nitrogen-heavy lawn fertilizer usually has a high first number. You can find are plenty of other variations, depending on the intended use of the fertilizer. A fertilizer label often tells you which kind of fertilizer is best for your particular garden. If in doubt about your garden’s exact needs, talk to someone at your local garden nursery or supply store. Unless you’re fertilizing with compost, more is not better! Constantly fertilizing lousy soil isn’t a good idea. Not only is it a lot of work and expense for you, but it’s also a losing battle. Salts build up, plants are never really healthy in the long term, and the soil texture remains poor. You’re far better off increasing the organic matter and using fertilizer as a nutrient boost for your plants.
“Feed the soil, not the plants!” is an old gardening adage, and frankly, these are words to live by. At least once a year, and more often if the opportunity presents itself, dig in organic matter, add it to every planting hole (except when planting trees and shrubs), top-dress, and side-dress. The only way to know which fertilizer you should use is through personal trial and error. That said, you need to know a few things about natural and chemical fertilizers to help you make your decision. Check out the following for a side-by-side comparison. Whether you’re using store-bought or natural fertilizer, such as compost or manure, most plants like to be fertilized at planting time. Thereafter, fertilize again on a monthly basis. Reduce or stop when fall’s cooler weather arrives. If you’re using store-bought or chemical fertilizer, read the label to figure out how to deliver the fertilizer and how much to use. Some fertilizers work best if you dig them right into the soil;