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Summer has finally arrived! For most people this is the
time of year for vacations, family picnics and lots of back yard activity!
For gardeners, we look forward to being outside tending to our gardens. The
daily routine of placing new plants, weeding, picking the flowers or
vegetables and occasionally watering the plants allows us to fully enjoy
this great passion called horticulture!
The summer of 2006 appears to be on course for making
gardening slightly more challenging. Weather forecasts include predictions
for extreme weather from rain storms to drought conditions across most of
the country.
Tips
for Fertilizing When it’s too Wet!
Rain, rain and more rain! There can be too much of a
good thing and too much water can be damaging to your hanging baskets,
container and bedding plants. Heavy rainfall can physically damage your
plant by removing leaves and flowers as well as over-saturating the soil or
container media. Several rainy days with limited sunlight will wash away
(leach) almost all the stored up nutrients in the root zone and slow your
plant’s uptake of water and nutrients. This can leave your
 plants
looking hungry. The most common nutrient deficiencies encountered under
these conditions are of nitrogen and potassium. Deficiencies of these very
important nutrients can result in slow growing, stunted plants with paler
green or yellow leaves.
A good
way to make sure your plants are still receiving the nutrients they need to
grow is to use a balanced time release fertilizer. Jack’s ClassiCote 16-9-23
is specifically formulated with 22 essential nutrients (including
micronutrients) designed to gradually release into the root zone.
The recommended rates of
application are:
-For hanging baskets and containers: 1 Tablespoon per 10 inch
basket
-For bedding plants, vegetables, trees and shrubs: 1 Tablespoon per
sq. foot of planting bed
-For new plants: 1 teaspoon per sq. foot of planting bed
Each application of ClassiCote will last for up to 4 months
at 70°F; however, you may need to make a repeat application as soon as 2
months later in a hot and rainy season.
After a
heavy rainfall check your baskets and containers to see if your time release
fertilizer has been washed out. Re-apply if necessary. Once clear weather
returns, it may be necessary to follow up with an application of Jack’s
Classic water soluble fertilizer, either General Purpose 20-20-20 or Blossom
Booster 10-3-20 or a combination of the two, at a rate of 1Tablespoon per
gallon of water.
Tips for Fertilizing when it’s too Dry!
A long spell of hot weather without any rain can lead
to temporary drought conditions. Certain annuals and perennials are more
drought tolerant than others and are the best choices if you live in an area
that is often plagued by summer droughts. These plants employ
characteristics that help the plant conserve water such as a long tap root
and hairy or fuzzy leaves.
Plants grown in containers, whether considered drought tolerant or not, will
require regular watering and routine fertilization to provide the plant with
the daily water and nutrients it needs for healthy growth. Plants grown in
the soil tend to tolerate drought conditions slightly better due to the
increased moisture and nutrient holding capacity of the soil.
To conserve water, you can use a small child’s plastic pool, for several
potted plants or any old water-tight container to collect the run off water.
This water can be easily “recycled” into watering another set of plants.
A couple easy ways to water your
plants with “grey” or recycled water:
1. Instead of emptying your pet’s water dish in the
sink, pour it into a potted plant.
2. Rinse vegetables in a large bowl instead of under
running water. The water from the vegetables can be used to water plants.
3. Collect rain water. If using this method, make sure
you place a tight fitting lid on the collection container to keep out any
mosquitoes.
Many novice or “weekend gardeners” incorrectly assume
that once a flower is planted in the ground it will grow into a healthy
plant. After all, the plant is in the earth, what more does it need? This is
almost a guarantee that the plant will fail!
What more does a plant need? Macro and secondary nutrients, in the form of
nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (N-P-K); also calcium (Ca), magnesium
(Mg) and sulfur (S). It doesn't stop there; if it did, almost any fertilizer
would do. The plant also requires trace elements or micronutrients
(nutrients that are essential to plant growth, but required in smaller
amounts). Micronutrients include: iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), boron (B),
copper (Cu), zinc (Zn) and molybdenum (Mo). All of these nutrients are taken
up or absorbed by the plant’s roots and used by the plant to maintain healthy
growth. Most, if not all standard potting mixes, are lacking these vital
nutrients, so it is up to YOU to supply them using soluble or time released
fertilizers!
A healthy plant will outlast and out perform every time. In times of extreme
weather additional steps may be necessary to help your plant maintain a
favorable environment however your extra attention will be rewarded with a
healthy beautiful plant.
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