Learn / Ask The Landscape Professional
Should I be fertilizing my plants now (in the Fall)?
Answer
The short answer is no, now is not a good
time to fertilize. Fertilizing perennials,
shrubs and trees in September or October
when the temperatures are still warm and
the plants are still growing, encourages new
growth that will be killed by the first frost.
That is not good for the plant. A good time
to fertilize is about a month after the first
killing frost when all the leaves are off the
trees. At that time the root systems of plants
take the nutrients from the soil and put them
into development of new roots getting ready
for spring.
In the spring, you should fertilize in April or
May. Sprigs & Twigs uses an organic slow
release fertilizer then that is good for the
whole season. The exception to that are
roses that should be fertilized once a month
from April/May until the end of August.
When you fertilize, sprinkle a small amount
around the drip line of the plant (the outer
edge of the plant where the rainwater would
drip off) and not next to the stem. Rake it into
the soil and water it in to help get it into
the root zone. Do not assume that more fertilize
is better, because excessive fertilization can
actually hurt the plant and the soil.
When it comes to your lawn, now is a good time
to have Sprigs & Twigs put a final application
of organic fertilizer on your lawn. It is also a
good time for a soil test to check the
basic chemistry of the soil. If your lawn hasn't
perked up and started looking good after
the rains in recent weeks, it's time to find
out why. Give us a call.
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About Linda Lillie
Linda K. Lillie is the President of Sprigs & Twigs, Inc, the premier
landscape design and maintenance, tree care, lawn care, stonework, and carpentry
service provider in southeastern Connecticut since 1997. She is a graduate of
Connecticut College in Botany, a Connecticut Master Gardener and a national
award winning landscape designer for her landscape design and landscape installation work.
