No matter the plants you are trying to feed, scheduling the correct timing is important. 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.
Perennial flowers are a bit different than annuals. They generally require less fertilization and since they often slow down growth in autumn to prepare for dormancy, fertilization should be avoided after late summer.
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.
Don't fertilize plants or trees during hot summer months
An increase in growth means an increase in water and nutrient needs.
Fertilizing in the fall helps plants be hardier when the temperatures drop. We also recommend applying fertilizer in the late fall, toward the end of October or early November. This application will catalyze one last frenzy of root growth and really give your plants some staying power through the cold months.
While this fall lawn fertilizer dose is important, an application at the end of October or early November is essential. At that time, apply a fertilizer with a formula of 13-25-12. The push of phosphorus will stimulate root growth through November and even into early December.
Timing: Apply fall lawn fertilizer once between August and November, right before winter hits, 6 to 8 weeks after the summer feeding.
6. Don't fertilize during a heat wave. Very high soil temperatures (above 85°F) can cause plants to go semi-dormant, so they use very few nutrients while they're in survival mode and aren't prepared to make use of them. If you fertilize your plants while they're stressed, it may even damage them.
General tips. Avoid applying fertilizers when plants are dormant or under heat and drought stress. Fertilizers should be incorporated into the soil to prevent losses. If you cannot physically incorporate a fertilizer at this point in the season, it may be best to stick with a water-soluble fertilizer.
Don't fertilize when it's winter or early spring
The ideal temperature to fertilize your lawn is 50-70 degrees Fahrenheit. Any lower than this, your lawn will struggle to maintain nutrients.
Water and Feed Your Perennials
You can easily water and feed at the same time with Miracle-Gro® Liquafeed®. When watering, avoid perennials' leaves to prevent disease, and aim for a soil consistency that is neither too wet nor too dry.
Signs of over fertilization include stunted growth, burned or dried leaf margins, wilting, and collapse or death of plants.
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).
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.
As a general rule of thumb, you will usually fertilize perennial plants at least twice a year: in the early spring when new growth begins to emerge, and again in early fall. Too, any time you cut a perennial back during the active growing season, a feeding is usually beneficial.
Whether or not your lawn is dormant, applying fertilizer right now, with the high temperatures we've been having, is not a good idea. Applying either fertilizer or weed killer when it's hot out can damage your lawn. You're better off waiting until later in summer to fertilize.
Feeding in the early summer helps strengthen the lawn so it can better withstand the heat and drought conditions that summer is famous for. Scotts® Turf Builder® releases its nutrients slowly over time, making it the go-to fertilizer for all grass types.
Mid to late summer are typically too hot to fertilize the lawn. Applying fertilizer in summer is best done with a light hand or when the plant shows signs of low fertility such as paler colors than usual. Then make sure you water the plants before applying fertilizer, and again afterward.
If you forget or are too busy to water your plants on some summer mornings, you can water them at night. However, this should not be your ordinary watering time. Morning is the proper time for watering plants, though you should keep in mind that not all plants need daily watering.
You should check the moisture level around the base of your plants. Determine the watering schedule you need to keep in order to maintain the right level of moisture. Watering every day or every two days doesn't matter nearly as much as consistent watering. Make a schedule and stick to it.
During extremely hot weather (daytime temperatures above 90F and nighttime temperatures above 70F), try to water daily or every other day. In a 10x10-foot garden, this would mean giving your plants 8 to 9 gallons of water each day.
Beginning late summer and through September and into early October is a great time to fertilize many plants. This includes lawns, young trees, shrubs that need to grow more leaves and groundcovers that need to spread and cover.
The November fertilizer application is the second most important time for cultivating a cool season bluegrass or tall fescue lawn, with September being the most important application. The November application helps the lawn flourish in several ways.
Watering after fertilizing washes the fertilizer off of the grass blades and into the soil, where it can get to work nourishing your lawn. It's also important because if fertilizer sits too long without being watered in, it can burn the grass.