Hi,
Not sure if this is the best forum but it seems like the people in the soils and composting forum don't like chemical fertilizers...
I built a 12" raised bed border. I actually removed about 50% of the native soil down to 2' and ammended the rest with bark compost to support deep rooted plants. I then added the 12" of raised bed above that. At the time I wasn't able to locate any good, local compost suppliers so I ended up making a mix of composted bark, peat moss, sharp sand and some manure for the raised bed. Of course some of native soil got mixed in as I perodically turned over the mix. It drains very well but even though I let it cook for 6 months before planting it I wasn't able to keep it uniformly wet so it's probably not conditioned very well yet.
Anyhow, I have begun planting with some "specimen" plants including floribunda roses, tree peonies, clematis and a wisteria. I also just planted various perennials such as liatris, salvia, echinacea, dianthus and various bulbs. I used one of the "organic" starter fertilizers as I planted. PH tests show about 6.5 consistently.
Some time ago I bought a 50lb bag of osmocote plus 15-9-12. I used this for containers but I also thought it could be used for a raised bed since I figured a well draining raised bed is similar to a container environment.
Can I use the osmocote at a low rate once the plants get going (mostly around the perennials) or is it too high in nitrogen even for a raised bed? I was thinking in the spring I could apply a bloom booster type fertilizer. Thus the osmocote would be sort of a no fuss low level fertilizer with the bloom booster temporarily boosting P,K. About the only specialized use products I find around here are the EB Stone "organic" fertilizers of which the bloom booster is a 0-10-10.
If this is not a good strategy perhaps you can recommend a fertilization strategy to maximize flower potential.
Thanks
Perennial fertilization strategy
I don't fertilize much, but I do like osmocote all purpose (can't remember the #s, but all 3 are the same). Your plan sounds good though, because the bit of extra N is good for feeding the microbes that break down the bark. I would recommend using them very sparingly though, because the perennials you listed as well as the wisteria don't need much fertilizer (echinacea and liatris are prarie plants and wisteria is a legume and takes in atmospheric N). I think humus is the most important thing, and it sounds like you've got that covered. Hope we can look forward to seeing pics of your new gardens :)
Hi, Alex, sounds like you have a good start at a pretty garden.
That's a big bag of Osmocote! With your year 'round gardening in San Jose you will probably need it!
I like Osmocote, too, for general easy maintenance feeding. For bloom boosting, your idea to supplement in the early spring or late fall with some Stone's P and/or K depending on what you are growing sounds good to me.
For bulbs, Brent Heath, the famous daffodil grower, says that daffs need a LOT of P and K (I suppose down by the roots) at certain times during the season to re-bloom well year to year (not bonemeal). If Wisteria are fertilized too much they won't bloom much.
Of course, I am still experimenting and fall into the trap of over-fertilizing or not fertilizing enough. I also like to try the different 'organic' recipes like Alfalfa Tea for the roses and so on.
When I go to my local perennial plant farm and I see the same plants I puchased a few weeks ago blooming like crazy there, I always ask what they feed them and they say they feed them a LOT. Of course, they are mostly in containers....
So, I guess you will just have to experiment and see what works for your various plants in your garden. I suppose that's why they say a great garden takes years to develop....
Oh, and two more ideas to look into for great blooms: "Messenger" (a harpin protein foliar feed--NOT a fertilizer)
http://www.edenbio.com/usa/agriproducts/?m=1
I haven't used Messenger , but many others on DG have and most think it makes a difference.
I did use "Superthrive" (a 'secret formula" growth booster) last year and even though the bottle label and advertising make it seem like snake oil, I think it made some difference.
Here's a thread on Superthrive that you may want to look through http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/560382/
Have fun. t.
Along these lines...
I was reading the instructions on my bag of Hollytone the other day, and it mentioned fertilizing in the fall as well as spring. In the fall you use half as much. Anyone else fertilize perennials in the fall? I primarily used this product on my hydrangeas, azaleas, and some evergreen shrubs. I've never fertilized in the fall, and I thought you were not supposed to in order to avoid new growth that doesn't have time to harden off before winter.
Hmm, as I write this, maybe that direction is for zones with longer growing seasons?
w
Maybe an email to Holly Tone might be the way to go. It can also be used for Japanese irises.
I wouldn't fertilize in the fall and I live in a warmer climate than you. Even here where we don't get any snow and rarely go below 30 degrees at night, we still get occasional frost so I don't want new growth too late in the year. So I'm not sure who those directions are for!
I suppose those directions might be so that you have to buy more product. ;)
Thanks,
w
I just sent them an email and asked them about fall fertilizing at half strength and what the dangers or benefits might be. When they reply I will post again.
Here's the response:
The bag may very well mention it but I would not recommend doing so. Your
plants do need to harden off and fertilizing them will have the opposite
effect.
Thanks for your email. Have a great weekend.
Garden Harvest Supply
Hey pirl, that's great. Thanks for doing that. And good to know.
Have a good weekend.
w
Quite welcome. Now, of course, I'm anxious to read the instructions on the bag.
http://www.espoma.com/pdf/tones/tone22.pdf
Hollytone fact sheet, which is pretty much the package label.
w
Too strange when their own people can't explain it!
It is weird that their own customer service people don't agree with the label directions!
The Hollytone label directions might be following along the lines of the lawn fertilizer people who recommend a fall 'weed 'n feed' /winterizing for lawns.
I fertilize perennials a little bit in early fall because that is a prime bloom and growing time here and my plants look pretty whipped unless I give them a little food and I think it helps the roots dig in for the winter.
I don't fertilize this late (November) though,
I did put fertilizer way under (by a few inches) the daffodils but the only other thing is the compost I use as mulch.