Hobby gardeners often do not have experienced gardeners around who are able to answer all of their questions that they may have on any given day or throughout the season. You can find answers to some common gardening questions by trading tips with friends who are seasonal gardeners or by searching through gardening guides online. Plus, there are likely some questions that you might not even know to ask!
How often should I fertilize my plants?
How often you fertilize depends on what it is you are fertilizing and which type of fertilizer you are using. If you are fertilizing fruit trees with a fertilizer made specifically for them, you are going to fertilize them once a year in the spring. If you are fertilizing a natural grass lawn, you will likely want to do that twice a year. Vegetable gardeners can fertilize their garden beds about once a month with a quick-release fertilizer. For annual blooming flowers, a slow release fertilizer every 4-6 weeks or a water soluble fertilizer every 10-14 days keeps the blooms growing bright and bold.
Some plants are heavy feeders and require regular fertilizing to thrive, while others will happily grow and produce for years with little to no fertilizer. In fact, there are some plants that you might kill if you fertilize them too often as this can increase the level of nitrogen in the soil to a higher level than what they can handle. Be sure to know your plant!
Slow growth, browning foliage, or low flowering production could be signs that more frequent fertilization is required. On the other hand, excessive growth with little flowering or leaf burn may indicate over-fertilization. Always err on the side of caution and adhere to the directions on the fertilizer container.
Miracle Gro 20 20 20 is a highly balanced plant fertilizer. It contains equal parts nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium and is ideal for growing plants as it provides an amount of each of the three essential plant nutrients which help the plant to thrive.
If you really want to get into fertilizing for enhanced blooms or higher food production, look up each type of plant to find the type of fertilizer and fertilizing schedule that works best for them.
There are some Perennials that can require no fertilizer: Including ornamental grasses, ground covers, butterfly weed, bee balm, coneflowers, black-eyed Susans, dianthus and asters.
Most gardeners are going to do just fine if they mix compost into the soil before planting and use a natural, liquid-soluble plant food once or twice a month.
What does partial sun/partial shade/full sun/full shade mean?
Full shade refers to areas in your garden that receive fewer than four hours of sun each day.
Partial shade and partial sun refer to areas of your garden that receive between four hours and six hours of sun each day. If your plant calls for partial shade, it will do better at the lower end of this sun exposure scale – meaning it can handle morning sun but not the hot intense afternoon sun.
If your plant calls for partial sun, it will do better with some shade throughout the day but can handle more hours of sunlight. Expect most part sun to sun plants to bloom their best in full sun and produce fewer flowers in part sun.
Full sun refers to areas in your garden that receive at least six or more hours of sun each day. Usually these plants can handle a few hours of the hotter afternoon sun.(some may even be deemed drought tolerant) If you plant it in a lesser amount of light, it likely will not bloom as prolific as it could and in some cases the plant may not even survive after a lengthy period of time.
Should I plant in containers, raised garden beds or in the ground?
The answer to these gardening questions depends on your gardening situation. Most plants can be grown in containers, in raised garden beds or in the ground, so your choice is more dependent on how much space you have to grow, how good your ground soil is and what your personal preferences may be.
For example, if you live in an area where you need to bring your plants inside on the colder days, you will want to plant in containers, while if you want your plants to have more soil space to establish expansive root systems, giving the plant room to flourish and excel, then you will want to plant them in raised beds or in the ground. Another benefit of growing in containers or raised garden beds is that you can control the soil type used for growing. Plus, container gardening can allow you to grow your own food even if you only have a small patio or balcony.
If you enjoy gardening but have difficulties with stooping, bending or squatting repeatedly, you can build tall raised garden beds that allow you to garden while standing or you can place containers on platforms for the same effect.
On the other hand, you can save money by growing in the ground, since you do not have to pay for containers, soil or for materials to build raised garden beds. Growing in the ground as mentioned earlier can allow the plant to establish a great root system which will provide the plant with the ability to produce its best blooms.
How do I know when a plant is established?
You have probably heard many references regarding plants becoming established. (Perennials, Shrubs and Trees) Some tags on plants will say they are drought-tolerant once established. If you listen to gardening podcasts or read gardening articles, you have probably heard people talk about plants being “well established”.
If so, then you likely know that your plants need more water and food before they are established and that you can start watering them less once they are established. This, of course, leads to the perennial gardening question: How do you know when a plant is established?
After you transplant a plant into your garden, it will take time for the root system to develop and spread down and into the surrounding soil and for new growth to appear on the plant. This is the time (prior to becoming established) that your plants need more food and water, since their root systems are not able to adequately retrieve them from the soil. Once the plant is established, the roots are down deep into the ground and they are able to find their own source of water, besides what they would normally receive from a rainfall.
Once the root system is established, you will notice new growth above the soil. You will also notice that you cannot simply yank the plant out of the ground with a little tug as it will be well set with its roots. Perennials and Shrubs can take one to two years to become established. Trees might take up to three years to become fully established in your garden.
