because I am constantly using one or few of them together for so many tasks. I have a few oddball plant foods that I use occasionally for specific plants but my ‘Top 5’ are the most versatile. If I had to garden on a desert island, then these are the plant foods I would smuggle in my suitcase!
1. Bone Meal – This product is as organic as you can get. It is simply ground and crushed animal bones which offer a natural source of slow release phosphorus which stimulates root growth. It can be used when planting any plant with a woody stem. It will provide a long-term feed for the roots. If a rootball is healthy, then healthy top growth will naturally follow after planting. The roots are the heart of the plant and bone meal is a ‘heart-healthy’ soil additive. It is used only at planting because it is sprinkled in the bottom of the planting hole and the rootball is set on top of it.
2. Blood Meal – Again, another byproduct of the meat packaging industry, is blood meal. It is simply
dried blood and blood is one of the best natural sources of iron. Iron is a mineral that plants need for
healthy growth and some plants (such as boxwood, camellia, liriope, etc.) need higher amounts than
most other plants. Iron deficiencies appear as overall yellowing of foliage often with the veins of the
leaf remaining green. Applications of blood meal to anemic looking shrubs, will produce a deeper
green leaf in a months’ time. I have used this product on pretty much anything that displayed a pale
green colour to its leaves. This includes houseplants, skimmia, Mexican mock orange shrubs, rhodos
and ivy vines. Broadleaf evergreens seem to be more susceptible to iron deficiencies so I recommend
each year applying blood meal at the drip line in early spring (now is good!) to any broadleaf
evergreens that have suffered in the past. Simply scratch it in to the earth and immediately water. It is
said by some that this practice can attract wildlife or roaming cats but I’ve never had any problem. And I have a cat that is most inquisitive!
3. Liquid Transplanter – Another gem of a product, this is a fertilizer with added rooting hormone.
Used in conjunction with bone meal, it will give your new shrub or tree it’s best chance at establishing itself quickly. The bone meal is used as a long term root food and the liquid transplanter is used for a quick acting root food. Saturate the soil immediately after planting with a diluted solution of transplanter, then reapply one month later. There should only be need for two applications.
4. Osmocote 14-14-14 – Commercial and retail nurseries apply this food to all their nursery stock! Here at Knapps we use osmocote in early spring on all our shrubs, trees and roses. You’ve probably seen it when you’ve purchased plants for your yard. It looks like little round grey balls on the soil surface. It is a slow release, balanced food that releases small amounts of feed with every watering. Depending on rainfall in a given season, it can last upwards of 6 months! For the time-challenged gardener (such as myself), it is wonderful because it means you don’t have to devote more than one day to feeding your woody stemmed shrubs. It is also used in annual hanging baskets as an alternative to weekly liquid fertilizing again by those of us who want to find the easiest and most time-saving method of feeding.
5. Fish Fertilizer – Good old fish fertilizer! Yes, it may seem old school, but some things just stand
the test of time. Mild and organic, it fills a niche for using on plant material that is delicate, soft and
not what we call “heavy feeders”. Many leafy plants such as hostas, ferns, herbs, spinach and lettuce
benefit from regular applications of this product. Any fertilizer applied in the liquid form is released
instantly hence the need to apply often. Fertilizers applied in the dry form are all slow release and
provide a constant minimal amount of nourishment. When fish is applied to herbs, I recommend using earlier in the growing process and holding off as you get closer to harvest time so there isn’t a chance of the fish fertilizer affecting the essential oils in the herb leaves.
There you have it, my top 5 favorite fertilizers. Every gardener will have their own favorites and some may disagree with me but I’ve always had success with these and encourage you to add them to your garden shed as staples. Happy gardening!
No comments:
Post a Comment