Fertilizing Shrubs

Following these basic directions will reward your garden.

There are special formulations for azaleas, camellias, roses and lawns, just to name a few. However, a complete fertilizer such as 8-8-8 will also do a good job as an all purpose plant food.

March is the recommended time to fertilize shrubs that are already established in your lawn. Soil tests indicate that the three elements most often needed by the soil are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.

There are several specialty fertilizers on the market for various plants and they all do a fine job of providing the elements the plants need. There are special formulations for azaleas, camellias, roses and lawns, just to name a few. However, a complete fertilizer such as 8-8-8 will also do a good job as an all purpose plant food.

Amount of fertilizer…

How much fertilizer the plant gets depends on several things such as the age of the plant, fertility of the soil and the texture of the soil. In general, for individual shrubs, you should apply from one-half cup to a full cup of a complete fertilizer for each plant. For newly-planted shrubs, you would use only half this much.

How to…

To fertilize shrubs, scratch through the mulch beneath the plant until you get down to the soil. Spread the fertilizer evenly around the plant. Don't apply it in bands and don't touch the stem of the shrub with the dry fertilizer.

Usually, there is enough rain in the spring to activate the fertilizer, however, you're likely to need to add water to assure complete activation.

For more information on fertilizing shrubs, contact your local County Extension Office.