Tips on Soil & Fertilizer for Spring

Tips on Soil & Fertilizer for Spring

• Test Your Soil
• Use a home soil testing kit or send a soil sample to a testing lab. Amend soil as necessary to achieve the ideal pH balance. Most plants in our area thrive in slightly acidic to neutral soil (anywhere from 5.5 to 7.2 pH). However, the requirement is different from one plant to the next, and some can even survive outside the normal pH levels. Learn what the ideal soil pH is for each plant. You may need to add amendments to help achieve the ideal pH. There are many methods to raising and lowering the pH. Lime comes in many forms, and is the most commonly used to increase the pH. Various forms of sulfur are most commonly used do decrease the pH.

• Add a Soil Conditioner
• Replenishing lost nutrients in soil periodically is recommended.
• Spread layer of compost, several inches thick, over existing soil. Add in any amendments or pH adjusters, then mix and work compost into the bed about a foot in depth.
• There are many types of compost to choose from. Knowing what your expectations are is important before you try to make your selection.

·        For clay soil, use a cotton burr compost to help break down clay, add in organic materials and allow for adequate drainage.

·        For organic gardening, use organic composted manure, such as turkey or cow, mushroom compost, or one of our favorites, earthworm castings.

• Fertilize
• You can apply an all-purpose fertilizer just about anywhere. There are specific fertilizers recommended for each plant. Here are a few things to think about before choosing the best fertilizer for your needs.

·        Most fertilizer types and brands have an all-purpose formula available. Rose, flower, vegetable garden, and acid-loving, are just a few of the hundreds of plant specific fertilizers available.

·        Plant specific means that the nutrients found in that fertilizer are designed to meet the exact needs of that specific plant.

·        If you don’t mind feeding plants weekly or biweekly, then a water soluble fertilizer is ideal. This is usually a powder-like substance that is soluble, or dissolved, in water. Add the fertilizer to a watering can for small areas, or use a hose attachment that mixes the fertilizer with the water as you spray, which is ideal for larger beds and lawns.

·        A granular fertilizer allows you to space out feedings on average, for 1-3 months, depending on each brand. However, some fertilizers can feed up to one year. Generally, toss granules evenly over the area, or apply along the drip line (depending on the plant and fertilizer), and water in. This can also be mixed in with the soil when you are planting.

·        If you want something to throw down and forget, we recommend a polymer coated fertilizer. Most of these fertilizers will have continuous, slow-release formula that lasts around 6 months, depending on the brand. It is recommended to mix this in with the soil when planting.

·        As organic gardening demands rise, organic fertilizer selection correspondingly grows. Fish emulsion, kelp seaweed, earthworm castings, organic manure, blood meal, bone meal, humic acid, peat moss, bat guano, cover crops, and homemade composts are just a few of the available organic fertilizers.

This article was written by Brittany Dickinson on January 22, 2014. 
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