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| I planted some shrubs back in the fall,cavatine dwarf andromeda,graham blandy boxwood,winterberry and tiarella. My question is what type of fertilizer to use and when. |
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| Ask at an independent garden center. Fertilize if you have an indication the plants need it, ideally a soil test. The pieris will want an acidic formulation, other evergreens such as the box are often treated with the same product that would be used for it. Although deciduous I think the holly is also acid-loving. Not a shrub so the tiarella might be better treated with a product formulated and sold for use on herbaceous plants. Again, if it needs it. |
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- Posted by ken_adrian (My Page) on Thu, Mar 11, 10 at 9:45
| IMHO... shrubs do NOT need food .... IMHO.. some plants like acidic soils ... that is an amendment ... there is a difference between a fert and an amendment ... peat moss as a surface amendment is a good start ... since it is acidic ... and helps shallow-rooted acid loving plants and for extra boost .. i use hollytone in said circs .... pdf link below ... you will note.. it is a VERY light weight fert/food .... but you should start with a good soil test.. to find out what your native soil is.. and then begin to think about amending or adding to the soil... good luck ken |
Here is a link that might be useful: pdf link
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| Thanks for reply. One more ? Are any of this plants/shrubs non-acid loving? I was thinking about buying the hollytone. Thanks again. |
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- Posted by gardengal48 PNW zone 8 (My Page) on Thu, Mar 11, 10 at 12:35
| Depending on growing conditions, shrubs can require supplemental fertilization the same as any other plant. Under most cultivated garden conditions, this requirement is usually rather low and can often be replaced with just a good annual layer of an organic mulch. All of these prefer slightly acidic soils - the Hollytone is a good choice......if you need to fertilize at all. |
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- Posted by ken_adrian z5 (My Page) on Fri, Mar 12, 10 at 8:35
| wrap your mind around this VERY SIMPLE explanation ... pH affects the plants ability to take up the requisite nutrients available.. so IF the pH is way out of kilter ... then the plant can NOT use what is naturally available ... simply by altering the pH.. most plants can get what they need from what is there ... that is why the hollytone has such a low amount of fert in it ... if your soil tests shows that your native pH is way out of line for these plants.. then there are longer term solutions to changing pH .. but that circ is rather rare ... but you should start with a soil test... usually from the college in your state that includes the word STATE.. such as Michigan STATE ... the heritage of those schools was that they started as Agricultural colleges.. anyway.. you have a county soil conservation district office.. call them .. most likely they can tell you how to get a professional soil test done.. for around $10 or so ... google your state.. county.. and SOIL CONSERVATION.. and you should be able to get the phone number.. see link for an example ken |
Here is a link that might be useful: substitute your county and state names
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- Posted by gardengal48 PNW zone 8 (My Page) on Fri, Mar 12, 10 at 11:27
| Ken, Hollytone is a "lightweight" as you call it because it is organically sourced. Organically sourced fertilizers all tend to have relatively low nutrient levels - that is one of their primary benefits. Difficult to overapply, virtually no chance of incurring fertilizer "burn" and because they are not water soluble, no leaching like what commonly occurs with synthetic fertilizers. That does not mean they are an inferior or undesirable nutrient source. In many ways, they tend to be more efficient - they are by definition slow release, nothing is wasted and they stimulate soil biology, which is always a good thing. And I'm not sure why you have objections to fertilizers that are formulated specifically for acid loving plants, like Hollytone. These plants have specific nutrient requirements that are sometimes not fully addressed by existing soil conditions, even under correct pH levels. Ferts for acid lovers tend to provide these specifics and also contain acidifiers that will help maintain proper pH levels. It never hurts to have a baseline soil test done but neither is it out of line to consider that appropriate fertilizing, especially with an organic fertilizer formulated for that plant type, may be applicable on a relatively routine basis. While the following is from an arboriculture website and specifically addresses trees, the same concept applies to any plants grown under cultivated garden conditions: "Forest trees thrive without the addition of fertilizer, which can give the erroneous impression that trees, in general, do not require fertilizer. However, shade and ornamental trees in landscapes are subjected to unfavorable soil and environmental conditions. Forest soils are rich in humus, which is replenished by the decay in plant and animal residues. Leaves are relatively high in accumulated nutrients and their decomposition is an important source of returning nutrients to the soil. Organic matter increases the retention and availability of most plant nutrients and improves the soil structure by "cementing" or aggregating soil particles. In contrast, domestic and street lawns are usually very low in humus and fertility. Leaves and other debris are removed, thus interrupting nature's recycling program for nutrients and preventing the accumulation of organic matter. The soil elements, which were absorbed and utilized in the formation of plant tissues are not returned to the soil and should be replaced with supplemental fertilization. Shade and ornamental trees require supplemental nutrients for optimum growth and development. The addition of a proper fertilizer not only improves the appearance and condition of trees but in some cases, enables trees to better withstand pests" IF any fallen organic matter is not removed or IF the homeowner mulches regularly with a highly organic, nutrient-rich mulch like compost, a lot of additional fertilization can be avoided or eliminated. But even then, there is a possibility that specific nutrients may be used up or missing and not adequately replaced without supplemental fertilization. |
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- Posted by ken_adrian z5 (My Page) on Fri, Mar 12, 10 at 11:49
| so what exactly are you arguing about my comment to START WITH A PROFESSIONAL SOIL TEST???? isnt that where you start.. to decide if pH is a problem??? .. or if anything else is lacking from the soil????? Jesus gal.. its getting to the point where we all stupid people may as well give up trying to help people... short of you coming on in and blistering us ... they are plants ... they are not children ... they do not need diapers changed.. they do not need an education.. and they do NOT need to be feed ... short of an identifiable problem .. like not growing to specifications... i once heard that homeowner abuse of fertilizers is near the top of all pollution in the US ... check out the link willy nilly recommendations of heaping fertilizer on everything in the yard.. because they NEED [<<<----key word] to be fed is just abusive ... given a decent soil [and we have no FACTS to indicate she has a barren soil] ... just about any kind of non-production plants just dont need any fertilizer ... [unless you are growing for profit in a closed environment] ... and surely a little of this or that wont hurt ... ken |
Here is a link that might be useful: pollution
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| gardengal, Kitkat's to you for presenting an alternative opinion/thought. I guess some feel they are the only ones who are able to help people asking questions and asking for opinions. Regards, Schmoo |
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| First of all I want to thank everyone for their advice,I appreciate you taking the time to answer my questions. I just sent in a soil test for my lawn before I posted this question. Would the soil test I submitted for the lawn give a good idea of the condition of the soil where the shrubs are since they are planted next to the lawn or do I need a separate soil test? Also I do go to the county recycle center and pick up some compost and spread it around the plantings every year or so. How good is the compost usually at these recycle facilities? |
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- Posted by gardengal48 PNW zone 8 (My Page) on Sun, Mar 14, 10 at 11:34
| hogan, the soil test on the lawn area will probably not provide very meaningful results for other planting areas. First, lawn areas tend to be the most heavily fertilized in residential gardens and so the nutrient levels are unlikely to be accurate for other areas. Also, most turf grasses are not accepting of very acidic soil conditions so recommendations that include liming would not necessarily be appropriate to other areas as well, especially if you are growing acid loving plants. Most municipal composting operations are required to meet certain specifications, both with regards to the site/method of operation and to the finished product. The best way to determine the quality of the product is to see it firsthand. If it is rich and dark in color, with an earthy aroma and with few identifiable ingredients (some larger woody pieces are fine), it is very likely a very good product. IMO, mulching regularly with compost can significantly reduce or even eliminate the need to apply any supplemental fertilizers. |
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