Feeding Your Plants
By Bill Hirst, Tue Jan 10th
Nitrogen is an essential element of your gardens complexchemical activities. A steady stream of slow release nitrogen isalways available if you have enough decomposted organic materialin your landscape.
I like to suppliment our plants in the spring withnitrogen.Most landscape plants use more nitrogen than otherplant foods. Nitrogen is important to be available but don't useto much. To much nitrogen makes plants grow fast. Fast growingplants are not strong. Heavy amounts of nitrogen can also burnthe plants and contaminate ground water resources.
If your plants are pale yellow, you probably need morenitrogen.If your plants are growing fast and producing lots andlots of leaves they might have to much nitrogen.
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We recommend Osmocote fertillizer. It provides a constantsupply of nutrients to existing landscape beds. We feel that ityis a great product to give the right nutrition fordeeds,seedlings, and transplants. For new and established bedswe like to use 3 tablespoons of Osmocote for each 2'x 2' area ofgarden, and work it into the top 1-3" of soil.When beds settle,add 1/2 teaspoon of osmocote mixed into the soil around theplant. A 3# package of Osmocote sells for around $12.00.
You can see more articles on tending nursery stock athttp://www.seedlingsrus.com
About the author:Bill writes about growing nursery stock. He has been raisingplants for 45 years and has a nursery located in Doylestown Pa.25 miles north of Philadelphia in Bucks County.
