Recommended Fertilizers for Perennials
Some gardeners use a water-soluble fertilizer like Miracle-Gro, and that is fine for a quick snack for perennials, but ultimately, the plants will need a fertilizer that gives nutrients gradually and consistently for optimal growth and display.
MG is so strong that if used incorrectly, the fertilizer will actually burn the leaves and roots of your plants (you may have already experienced this). Imagine what it's doing to the healthy bacteria, fungi and other soil microbes that are working so hard to provide the nutrients your plants need.
Perennials that require no fertilizer: Included are ornamental grasses, false indigo, ground covers, butterfly weed, bee balm, coneflowers, black-eyed Susans, sea holly, dianthus, asters and veronica. summer: Use a quick release food in summer, instead of a slow release food.
Broadcasting a slow release fertilizer is the best choice to meet season-long plant nutrient requirements, but you can also use a balanced fertilizer such as 20-5-10. If your soil test indicates that you do not need phosphorous, choose a product such as 20-0-10.
Cut back the tops of the plant until you can see the growing sections of its “crown”, the area where roots and tops come together at the soil surface. Be sure to leave enough tops to use as handles for lifting the plant. Dig the entire plant up and set it onto a tarp or cart as mentioned above.
Perennials: Rake away mulch in spring and apply 1-inch of compost around plants. Lightly fertilize plants if needed with a complete granular fertilizer. This can be repeated mid-summer if growth is weak or foliage is light green in color. In late summer, fertilize plants that will bloom late summer through early fall.
Fertilize your plants, shrubs, trees and lawn to stimulate root growth, which will help your plants survive the winter and recover earlier in the springs. Fertilize perennials in the early fall for extended life. Fertilize trees and shrubs in the late fall to give them a boost before the winter.
Michigan State University Extension advises to not fertilize perennials in late summer or early fall. This may cause the plants to flush-out additional growth that will not harden-off in time for an early winter freeze.
If you are using the right amount of miracle gro, there should be more flowers than usual. If your plants' foliage is growing more than usual that the plants stop looking beautiful, it's the time to stop using more miracle gro.
On January 27, 2012, Scotts Miracle-Gro pled guilty in federal court and paid $4.5 million in fines for selling 73 million units of bird seed between November 2005 to March 2008 that was coated with pesticide known to be deadly to birds and fish.
Per the usage directions, you're only supposed to apply Miracle-Gro All-Purpose Plant Food on a weekly basis, perhaps every two weeks. If you follow those instructions, then the company says the product should not burn your houseplants.
Lightly work a granular fertilizer, like Miracle-Gro® Shake 'n Feed® All Purpose Plant Food, into the surface soil around each plant base, being careful not to disturb the roots or new growth, then water thoroughly to release the nutrients into the soil.
Like all plants, perennials need nutrients to thrive. Perennial beds tend to be crowded and competitive, meaning the plants are fighting over limited soil nutrients and can benefit from an infusion of fertilizer.
No matter which fall gardening project you choose, be sure to make plant roots super-happy by using Miracle-Gro® Potting Mix (for containers) or Miracle-Gro® Garden Soil for Vegetables & Herbs (for in-ground).
Morning watering is actually preferable to evening watering as the plant has time to dry before the sun goes down. At night, water tends to rest in the soil, around the roots, and on the foliage, which encourages rot, fungal growth, and insects.
Applying fertilizer in the wrong season can cause increased tender new growth that can be damaged, especially if applied in cold weather in late fall or in winter. So it is best to stop fertilizing during dormant seasons. Additionally, in zones that can be in danger of a late freeze, it's best to wait until mid-spring.
Make the last fertilizer application before July 1.
New growth also needs time to "harden off" before winter. Tender new growth is at risk of cold injury if it is forced late in the season, when plants and trees should be shutting down for winter.
Perennials that do best with no supplement fertilizer include butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa), false indigo (Baptisia australis), asters, pinks (Dianthus spp.), rock roses (Helianthemum spp.), sea holly (Eryngium spp.), bee balm (Monarda didyma), speedwell (Veronica spp.), coneflowers (Echinacea spp.
Spring Perennial Plantings:
Week 1: Every day to every other day. Weeks 2-3: Water 2-3 times per week, depending on environmental conditions. Weeks 4+: Water 2-3 times per week, more in hot/dry conditions. When cooler, water less.
It does not need much fertilizer; however, if your soil is not in good shape or the plant is not thriving you may need to feed the plant. Rich soil and a lot of water is just as important for hosta health as is fertilizer. New hostas planted in the spring will need a good starter fertilizer to help establish the roots.
Also, do not cut back hardy perennials like garden mums (Chrysanthemum spp.), anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum), red-hot poker (Kniphofia uvaria), and Montauk daisy (Nipponanthemum nipponicum). Leave the foliage. It's important to protect the root crowns over winter.
It's common to think that everything should be chopped down to the ground in the fall, but some perennials actually need their foliage to protect new shoots through the winter. Other varieties offer up important habitat for local wildlife and some perennials provide height and interest through the winter months.