If you are a keen gardener, or even someone who likes growing houseplants, you will know the importance of keeping your soil healthy and your plants happy.
But how to know if your garden needs fertiliser? Well, it turns out that there are many ways to find out, which don’t involve anything complicated like soil testing. Read on for the best ways to tell.
How To Know If Your Garden Needs Fertiliser
When your garden is in need of nutrients, it will tell you. Obviously your garden cannot speak, but it will definitely let you know through how everything is growing.
Plants reflect their health and the health of your soil by the state of them – the leaves, the stems, the flowers, and the overall growth.
Your plants will definitely let you know if they need a boost of nutrients – a lack of fertiliser can lead to poor, stunted growth and sad-looking plants.
Different nutrient deficiencies manifest in different ways, so if you keep an eye on your plants you should be able to tell what they need.
Plants whose leaves are pale will be in need of nitrogen, while plants struggling with their roots will benefit from phosphorus. A plant that is not fruiting or flowering will need potassium.
You don’t have to feed these things individually – a good all round, general purpose fertiliser will contain everything your plants need for good health.
Some plants have very specific fertiliser needs, so it is definitely worth looking up for each individual one, to make sure it is getting what it needs.
You can also simply treat the whole garden by applying multi-purpose fertiliser to the whole thing, so that you know it’s all been done.
A garden that has been appropriately fertilised will look good, the growth will be green and luscious, and your flowers and fruits will be strong and healthy.
This is a useful video explaining how you can tell the state of your soil and if it needs fertiliser:
When Should I Put Fertiliser On My Garden?
There are specific times of the year when you should fertilise and when you should hold off.
This is not just for optimal growth – fertilising at the wrong time can actually cause damage to your plants.
The best time to fertilise is in the very early spring, before everything has really started kicking off in the growing season.
It is recommended to start your fertilising programme between April and May, when the plants are just getting established, to ensure that they have the best start.
You can use shop-bought fertiliser, many of which will be specific to different types of soils and plants, while others are general purpose ones.
It is also fine to use organic materials, such as mulch or manure, for your fertilising – just be aware that there is a little more heavy lifting and digging to be done if you use this method.
Here is a really useful article that will tell you everything you need to know about fertiliser.
When Should You Not Fertilise?
Fertilising is important, as we know, but there are better and worse time to do it – and certain types of planting that should not be fertilised.
Definitely avoid fertilising your plants in the height of the growing season – this can actually stress them out and result in unhappy plants.
Lay off the fertiliser when you have newly-planted specimens, as they need time to establish themselves before an influx of nutrients.
Avoid adding fertiliser when the soil is particularly dry, as this can stress the plants out instead of helping them.
Plants that have root damage, or that have been stressed by transplanting or damage, should be given time to settle before they are fertilised.
As long as you pick the right time to do it, fertilising your garden will have a really beneficial effect on your plants and your soil.
What Happens When You Don’t Fertilise?
If you have a well-established garden that you have been enjoying for years, chances are the nutrients in the soil will start to become depleted.
As the plants grow, they take on the minerals that they need for good growth, flowering and fruiting, and without anything being added back into the soil, it will become less nutritious for the plants.
Plants can still grow in poor soil, but their growth will be different – they may look pale, thin and not live up to their potential.
If you do not fertilise for a prolonged period of time, you will end up with small, weak plants that may not be able to fruit or flower.
If you have been wondering why your plants are not performing well, you should definitely take a look at your fertiliser regime.
Stick to a good regime of fertilising at least once a year, preferably before the growing season has really kicked off. Your plants will thank you for it!
Should Soil Be Wet Before Fertilising?
In short, yes! Your soil should be damp – not soaking wet – but at least moist, to allow the fertiliser to work well.
It is advised that you never fertilise your garden when the soil is completely dry and the weather is at its hottest, as this can stress the plants and cause more damage than good.
Fertilising when the soil is damp will help the fertiliser to seep into the soil and spread itself around easily.
This being said, don’t fertilise straight onto really soggy ground, as the goodness will be likely to drain or wash away.
When you fertilise, do so a couple of days after a good rain shower, or, if it is dry, give the ground a good soaking with the hosepipe.
Final Words
Keeping your plants happy and growing well can be a bit of a fine art – they need enough space, water, sunlight – and, of course, nutrients.
If your garden has been looking a little sad lately, some extra fertiliser may help to do the trick – stick to a good regime and you will notice your plants starting to look healthier.
