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 Fertilizing the Garden As the garden begins to break dormancy, begin fertilizing. Scratch in the recommended fertilizer beneath and slightly beyond the spread of branches, and water well. If the fertilizer is not scratched into the planted surface, the granules can be degraded by sunlight and washed away from the surface of the plant before they have time to be effective. Plant-appropriate fertilizers include Hollytone for the like acid-lovers such as azaleas, rhododendron, hollies, junipers and magnolias. The more neutral-tolerant garden plants can use Gardentone. Add suggested supplements to the soil in the spring before new growth begins. Whether you choose to fertilize by organic or inorganic means, remember that organic fertilizers (made from living matter) will take longer to act since they become soluble only when they begin to decompose, but are more beneficial in soil-building and longer-lasting in the long haul. Inorganic (chemical) supplements are in soluble form and are quickly available to plants, but must be used carefully in order not to burn tender roots and foliage, and have few soil building properties. The Mystical NPK… The mystical numbers on the label of a fertilizer bag represent percentages by weight of the most important plant nutrients contained in the fertilizer: nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). Nitrogen is the most important of these three. Plants use it to build proteins, enzymes, chlorophyll, and hormones. Adequate nitrogen gives a plant healthy green leaves and strong growth. Too little nitrogen results in a pale, slow-growing plant. Too much can give you a plant that's succulent and over-stimulated and attractive to pests and disease. Nitrogen is always on the move through soil, atmosphere, and living things and can be rapidly leached away in irrigation water. Therefore, it's the element most likely to be in short supply. Pay close attention to the levels of nitrogen in your garden soil. Blood meal (12-1-1) can give your plants an organic jolt of nitrogen, though a little more balanced addition would be fish emulsion (5-2-2) or cottonseed meal (7-2-2). Phosphorus is essential in the plant's metabolic processes, in seed production, and in root development. A phosphorus deficiency shows up as stunted growth, sometimes with a purplish cast to the leaves. Phosphorus doesn't move very far in the soil, so roots have to extend themselves looking for it. Phosphorus becomes available to the plant when there is plenty of water and plenty of organic matter, and the soil pH is close to neutral. Bone meal (1-11-0) is the classic organic source for phosphorus. Super phosphate is a processed fertilizer that should be used with caution. It has a very strong tendency to burn the roots of newly planted specimens. Potassium is needed in fairly large quantities to regulate metabolic reactions within the plant, including photosynthesis. Some plants need potassium more than any other nutrient. A plant deficient in potassium might be soft and weak, and leaf margins might appear scorched. There isn't much potassium in organic matter. So if your garden soil is short on potassium, you should add granite dust or another rock powder. Some contain as much as 5% potassium. To determine what nutrients your soil requires to grow healthy plants, you might consider having a soil test done. The test involves collecting soil samples from your garden and mailing them to the lab. Some labs will both make an analysis and give recommendations. An Acid Splashing If within the last year, the garden's broad leaf evergreens were yellow-leaved or their deep green veins stood out in stark contrast to a lime green background, the plants need a more acid soil environment. Apply Aluminum Sulfate or elemental Sulphur around the base of the plant. Both of these products will mix with environmental water and create a weak Sulphuric Acid. The treatment may take a while to effectively recolor the vegetation. Give it time. The Killers The application of herbicides in the spring is tricky. Whether you use the granular form (Treflan) or the liquid spray (Surflan,) herbicides need to be delivered to the germinating seeds and not applied to kill hardy perennials. Sometimes it's difficult for the chemicals to tell the difference. It's important in their application to avoid direct contact with newly sprouting perennials or woodies. Call the office if you have any questions about the effectiveness of any herbicidal active ingredients. Ideally, they should be applied to the garden just before it is remulched. Spring Bulb Maintenance Remove seed heads and dry stalks from bulbs only after they have finished flowering. DO NOT cut green foliage; let it wither naturally. Plant summer-flowering bulbs after frost. Watering in the Lehigh Valley Fortunately, this fall we had plenty of rainfall. Most plants went into winter in good condition. Be sure to take a little time to check the plants under the eaves of the house and under tall evergreens to see that they are getting sufficient moisture. In some cases, plants in these locations are bone-dry and in desperate need of watering. Container plantings should also be given watering attention. Speaking of watering, mulching flower and shrub beds will cut down on water consumption later in the summer. Gardens that were newly planted in the fall and didn't have a good chance to develop strong root systems before dormancy should be watched carefully for any signs of early spring stress. Winter Desiccation Evergreens can suffer from excessive desiccation if water loss from foliage to the atmosphere occurs faster than the roots can replace it. When the soil is frozen, roots are unable to absorb water. When leaf and air temperatures are low and humidity is low, moisture loss from foliage can be excessive. Warm, sunny, and windy days can cause foliage to dry rapidly. Evergreens planted against buildings or structures with light-colored siding, concrete, or large windows in southern or western exposures that reflect solar radiation can be injured on one or more sides. Ilex (Hollies,) Buxus (Boxwood,) and all members of the Rhododendron family (including all Azalea) are especially susceptible to this since they are often used around homes and other buildings. Foliage may remain green through the winter, but when warmer spring temperatures arrive, foliage turns brown, often in the top of the plant first, moving downward (the top of the plant and the tips of needles are the last place to receive moisture from the roots). Many times the injury is directional, that is, on one side of a plant -- usually the side facing the prevailing wind. Of course, completely brown evergreen foliage doesn't green back up; only buds that break in the spring with new growth can replace or fill in dead areas. |
