How to feed your plants
Fertilizer and compost replace what hungry plants use up. A little, at the right time, is plenty.
Words to know
- Fertilizer numbers (like 10-10-10):
- The amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, always in that order. Nitrogen grows leaves; phosphorus helps roots and flowers; potassium helps fruit and overall health. Equal numbers mean balanced.
- Compost:
- Rotted plant matter. It feeds the soil slowly and gently.
- Side-dress:
- Scatter fertilizer or compost in a ring around a plant during the season.
How to do it
- Use the amount on the package — more isn't better. Too much gives big leafy plants with little fruit, and can burn roots.
- Sprinkle it in a ring a few inches out from the stem, not against it.
- Scratch it lightly into the top inch of soil.
- Water it in.
Good to know
- Liquid feeds (like fish or seaweed) mix with water and work fast; granules release over several weeks.
- Carrots, beans, peas and most herbs need little or no extra feeding.
Based on standard guidance from U.S. university extension services, including Cornell, the University of Minnesota and Oregon State.