Fertilization in the garden: 10 professional tips for maximum success
Contents
The success of the garden depends not least on a balanced supply of nutrients to the plants. With these 10 tips around fertilization nothing can go wrong.
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wikinus.com/photo Before fertilizing, check which nutrients your bed really needs |
a need-based fertilization in the garden keeps the soil fertile,
ensures healthy growth, many flowers and a rich harvest.
But before you reach for the fertilizer package,
you should know exactly how your garden soil is.
Not all plants draw the same nutrients from the soil.
Many areas used for gardening are already sufficiently supplied
with phosphorus and potassium.
Given the enormous variety, it is easy for the hobby gardener to
lose track of all the different fertilizers.
Whether roses or vegetables: With these 10 tips you can provide
your plants with an optimal fertilizer supply.
1. fertilization in the garden: the law of the minimum
Almost 200 years ago, the agronomist Carl Sprengel published the
law of the minimum, an important rule on the subject of fertilization.
It states that a plant can only grow as well as the nutrient available
in the minimum allows. This rule is often depicted as a barrel with
staves of different lengths that represent the amount of different nutrients.
If, for example, there is only a small amount of magnesium in the soil,
this deficiency cannot be compensated for by larger amounts of other nutrients.
The water level in the barrel, which symbolizes growth, does not rise as a result.
2. the right fertilizer for potted and tubted plants
Potted plants need regular fertilizers because of the limited root space.
Balcony flowers are particularly hungry - they should not only be regularly
supplied with liquid fertilizer, but also with fertilizer cones as so-called
storage fertilizer for the basic supply.
These are mineral fertilizer pellets pressed into cones,
which are surrounded by a resin coating.
They release the nutrients in the substrate slowly and over a longer period of time.
In the first four weeks after planting,
the flowers do not need any extra nutrients, as balcony potting soil also contains fertilizers.
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Fertilizer cones release the nutrients to the plants over a longer period of time
3. recognize deficiency symptoms
Many think of water shortage when they discover yellowed leaves on their
favorite plant. However, it is worth taking a closer look,
because a nutrient deficiency can also cause leaves to turn light green or dry up.
The deficiency symptoms often allow conclusions to be drawn about the trigger:
iron deficiency, for example, is shown by light green to yellowish
discoloration of the young leaves, but the veins remain green.
Nitrogen deficiency causes more or less uniform yellow discoloration on the older leaves.
4. first fertilize, then mulch
Bark mulch replaces the foliage layer of forest shrubs and perennials
that these plants are used to from their natural habitat.
However, the material has a major disadvantage: decomposition
processes take place that bind the nitrogen present in the soil
because the material itself is very low in nutrients.
For this reason, before mulching your plants,
you should ensure a good supply of nitrogen through fertilization by
sprinkling the area with horn shavings and then working them flat into the soil.
The organic fertilizer that is gradually released prevents bottlenecks in the nitrogen supply.
5. natural trace elements
Primary rock flour contains minerals and trace elements such as
magnesium, calcium, iron, copper, aluminium and molybdenum.
It is mostly ground basalt, a dark rock that was formed from slowly
cooled volcanic lava. If you spread some primary rock flour in your
vegetable garden in spring, the soil is well supplied with most
micronutrients. Rhododendron and other plants that need acidic soil
can only tolerate the calcareous flour in very small amounts.
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| Rock flour is usually ground basalt, which contains not only important minerals but also many trace elements |
6. soil analysis before fertilization
Especially the soil in the vegetable garden should be examined every
two to three years. Only by knowing which nutrients are missing can you
fertilize your plants according to their needs and avoid plant-damaging surpluses.
Many laboratories offer hobby gardeners inexpensive and detailed
analyses of the humus content, pH value and the most important
nutrients in the soil and provide tips on fertilization.
Alternatively, you can also use quick tests from specialist retailers.
The test result of the soil analysis will mostly show that a normal
complete fertilizer is not ideal for an adapted fertilization.
Instead, it is better to use special fertilizers that are adapted to the
needs of different groups of plants.
They are sold under names such as rhododendron,
lawn fertilizer or strawberry fertilizer.
These fertilizers only have a high phosphate content when it is
really necessary (for example, rose or flowering fertilizers).
A special nutrient is lime. It is not only needed by the plants in varying
amounts, but also improves the soil structure.
With a pH test from a specialist retailer, you can determine whether lime is necessary.
7. use mineral complete fertilizers sparingly
Mineral complete fertilizers such as Nitrophoska known as "blue grain"
should be used sparingly. Although they act quickly,
they are also washed out faster than organically bound nutrients.
In addition, a complete fertilizer also contains phosphorus and
potassium in addition to nitrogen. The latter are available in
abundance in many horticulturally used soils anyway and should not be added unnecessarily.
8. compost as an all-purpose weapon
Rotted garden waste contains a wide range of organically bound minerals.
Compost is therefore suitable as a basic fertilizer for almost all garden plants.
The nitrogen content is not sufficient for the so-called heavy eaters in
vegetable gardens such as cabbage or tomatoes - they are re-fertilized
with horn meal in early summer. Lime-sensitive plants should not be
fertilized with garden compost, as its pH value is often well above seven.
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| Compost can hardly be replaced as a source of nutrients and humus for the garden soil |
9. the ideal date for fertilization
Plants need nutrients only in the growth phase from the end of March to
the end of August. Fertilization with nitrogen too late can even lead to
perennials and woody plants not preparing in time for hibernation and
becoming sensitive to frost. For this reason, nitrogen-containing mineral
fertilizers should not be applied before the end of March and outdoor
plants should be fertilized for the last time in July at the latest.
Horn shavings and other organic fertilizers,
which release their nitrogen very slowly,
can be applied all year round without damaging the plants.
Annual balcony flowers should be regularly supplied until the end of the season.
As far as the seasons are concerned,
the following generally applies: In spring, fertilization should be more in
line with the nitrogen requirements.
Horn shavings or faster acting horn semolina are well suited for this.
In late summer it is important to prepare the trees and shrubs for winter.
The nutrient potassium is important for this.
The amount of fertilizer given depends strongly on the condition of the soil.
Sandy soils are better fertilized with mineral fertilizer in bites from
spring to early summer because they do not store nutrients well.
You can improve the storage capacity with compost and green manure.
10. mix liquid fertilizer correctly
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| Fertilizers must be mixed correctly for a lush flowering in pots and tubs |
Liquid fertilizers are suitable for fertilizing potted and tubbed plants.
The minerals are absorbed very quickly,
so you can also use it to remedy an acute lack of nutrients.
Most products are equipped with a dosing device and are simply
mixed with water in a watering can.
You can achieve an optimal mixing if you first fill your
watering can only half full with water,
then add the liquid fertilizer and finally pour on the remaining water.
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