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Out back, in the garden...
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It's Bulb Time!
F E A T U R E D A T I C L E
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Why Fall Fertilizing is Important
Cindy Bellinger
Well, here we are. Our gardens are fading and returning to the earth.
They're deep in the heart of fall and preparing for winter.
Dieback is hard to take sometimes. It's distressing.
Everything looks dead.
But dormant isn't dead.
What's happening is hidden because it's all taking place in the
stems and twigs, roots and trunks.
When the cooler and shorter days come, they begin sending a signal to
plants to slow down on the above ground growth. Now they are to concentrate
on what's underground--the roots. This makes fall an excellent time for fertilizing.
Dirk Muntean, a biology consultant for Soil and Plant Laboratory, Inc.
in Bellevue, WA, explains it this way: "Those roots are taking up nutrients
in the soil throughout the fall until the soil temperatures drop low enough
to inhibit root function."
He says fall fertilizers improve the cold-hardiness of plants and it all has
to do with chemistry.
When temperatures drop to around 40 degrees F, the physiological and
biochemical changes in plants become stimulated. They begin producing
higher concentrations of dissolved sugars, amino acids and other
soluble organic molecules. Then the cells create concentrations of
chemically-bound water. This aids the elasticity of the protolasm,
which in turn makes a plant resilient during freezing.
Fertilizing in the Fall is Different
Plant needs are different now than in the spring and summer.
In warmer months they are busy leafing and blooming. In the fall,
with all their energy going to the roots, plants don't want food
that stimulates the upper growth. This time of year their needs
require fertilizers low in nitrogen because nitrogen inspires
above ground vegetative growth.
What you want now is a fertilizer rich in phosphorus and potassium.
Look on the bag or box for the set of three numbers such as 2-3-4.
These indicate the ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium
(sometimes called potash) in the mix and are referred to the NPK.
- N = nitrogen
- P = phosphorus
- K = potassium.
Nitrogen is the first number. For a fall fertilizer make sure it's small,
somewhere between 2 and 5.
We suggest using Yum Yum Mix® and Earth Juice, both of which are
low in nitrogen but rich in organic and natural nutrients. We also
suggest Gro-Power Flower and Bloom with a 3-12-12 ratio. Planters II,
a natural trace mineral fertilizer, provides over 30 trace elements
and should be applied in the fall. High Country Gardens is a strong
advocate of using natural and organic fertilizers to 'feed the soil'
which in turn converts nutrients into usable forms for root absorption.
A healthy, fertile soil is the key to gardening success.
Lightly scratch granular fertilizers into the top of the soil and where
appropriate, apply a nice layer of mulch over the top. Water the fertilized
areas thoroughly if fall rains are lacking.
Also, don't forget to fertilize your lawn. October and November are
the best months for this. For specific tips on fetilizing lawns, see
the High Country Gardens website.
If plants have developed chlorotic foliage (yellow tissue between green veins)
over the summer, they are showing signs of diminished iron uptake.
Fertilize now with Greensand and water it in with the Saltwater Farms
Liquid Seaweed to increase root absorbtion. Trees such as Aspen, Purple
Leaf Plums, Peaches and Wisteria commonly exhibit chlorosis. Greensand
is an all-natural iron source rich in iron and potassium that helps "green-up"
the plants next summer. Note that it may take several years of greensand
applications to correct severe chlorosis, but it will happen.
The best time to fertilize in the fall is after a few light frosts or
when trees begin dropping their leaves. Though it may sound odd to
feed plants now, an ample supply of fertilizer in the fall will give
plants a head start when it's time to grow in the spring.
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M O N T H L Y G A R D E N R E M I N D E R S
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for every tip published, including your name and URL.
Thank you for your help and suggestions!
THINGS THAT MAKE YOU GO Hmmm
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Did you know that the word "listen" contains the same letters as the word "silent"?
Hmmmmmmm....
Maybe that's why we have TWO ears and ONE mouth!
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C L O S I N G C O M M E N T S
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