Photo: Julie Weisenhorn, UMN Extension |
What kind of fertilizer?
Begonias, impatiens, petunias (especially wave petunias) and even geraniums, an easy to grow, carefree annual, grow larger and with more flowers when they have regular fertilizer. I use a slow release fertilizer in the planting hole when I plant annual flowers and then use a liquid fertilizer once a week throughout the summer.Photo: Julie Weisenhorn, UMN Extension |
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Read more about fertilizing container plants, here!
Using a fertilizer injector at the end of your hose is an easy way to apply the liquid fertilizer. My annuals are in containers with soil that I have been reusing for a few years, so the nutrient level is low. A flower bed in the ground in garden soil may be much higher in nutrients and the only way to know is to have a soil test, and apply fertilizer according to the recommendations from the soil testing lab.
Help annuals look great with a little more attention...
Some people fertilize “weekly weakly” or with a dilute fertilizer on a weekly basis. This can be a good practice for indoor houseplants or slow growing plants that are growing on a year round basis.Our summer annuals, especially container plants, may need more than the “weekly weakly” fertilizer. Weekly liquid fertilizer at normal rates is a good rule of thumb for actively growing annual flowers.
The water leaching out of my flower containers falls to the ground into another flower bed. Smart conscientious gardeners start with a soil test to know what nutrient levels are in their soil. Using nutrients only on plants that need them is a responsibly and conscientious way to garden.
Author: Mary H. Meyer, Extension Horticulturist and Professor
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