Fertilizing for newbies

[AllyRodrigues]

I want to be able to give my garden everything it needs, but I'm a little overwhelmed by reading about different plants needing different ratios in fertilizers.. Most of my plants are in raised beds, but some are in the ground. This is my first year with a garden that I actually planned and worked at...Is there any fertilizer I can buy that can be used on at least most plants or is that wishful thinking? What's the safest way to do it? I see pellets, sprays, etc.

Right now I have or WILL have:

tomatoes
snap peas
pole beans
brussel sprouts
broccoli
lettuce
garlic
onions
cabbage
squash

 

[Ridgerunner]

I think its wishful thinking. I'll stay away from commenting on chemical fertilizers made from hydrocarbons to all kinds of more natural fertilizers other than to say there are a whole lot of options out there and some people feel pretty strongly about some of them.

Each vegetable has its own nutrient requirements as well as pH requirements. Some things do better in an acidic soil, some on an alkaline soil, and some need it fairly neutral. Also, they need differing amounts of the different nutrients. I suggest you get a soils analysis to determine where your soil stands. Probably the best way is to call your county extension agent and see what they say about how to do it. There might be a charge. I have not done it for a couple of years, but when I did it was free. A good soils analysis will tell you the pH of your soil and what nutrients it has. Mine usually gives recommendations of what to add and how much if I tell them which specific crop I am growing.

I divide vegetables into three categories based on nitrogen demand. Things that mostly consist of leaves are usually high nitrogen users. On your list, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, lettuce, garlic, onions and cabbage would fall into this category.

Some things don't really need much nitrogen. The legumes like beans and peas pretty much make their own if a certain bacteria is in the ground, and it usually is. It's not a bad idea to have some nitrogen in the ground to help them get a good start, but they don't need much. Too much can actually hurt them by causing them to grow huge vines but not put any real energy into producing seeds.

Then you have the others, like tomatoes and squash. They need some nitrogen to grow and produce, but they do best with a balanced approach.

The basic fertilizer formula gives you Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium. A 15-5-10 would have 15% Nitrogen, 5% Phosphorus, and 10% Potassium. There are other trace elements that certain plants need more than others. For example, I usually put a little Epsom salt in with the tomatoes to provide magnesium.

As you can see, it can get pretty complicated. I can make it even worse. Some nutrients are more water soluble than others. That means that certain elements will leach away faster than others if you get much rain. Your soil type enters into it too. Sands are pretty much inert as far as electrical charges and dont hold onto the nutrients very well. Clays are highly ionic and will hold some nutrients and keep them available to the plants.

I dont like complicated and I definitely think you can overthink it. I also think there is a pretty wide range of what works. So the way I approach it is to keep three types of fertilizers. My basic one is a balanced fertilizer, maybe a 10-10-10 or 13-13-13. Basically everything gets some of this. Then I have a low-nitrogen fertilizer, say a 5-20-10 for my legumes. Those are harder to find. The hardest for me to find are the high-nitrogen fertilizers that are suitable, say something like a 32-2-3. The reason I say a suitable one is hard to find is that most of them are a weed-n-feed type for lawns. Those are made for lawns and kill broad leafed plants or prevent seeds from sprouting. Im not putting something like that in my garden.

 

[The Mama Chicken]

I just use compost, rabbit manure, or nothing . I have a local source for free composted horse manure and another for free rabbit manure, all we have to do is go shovel it. Most things get mulched with compost, anything that looks like it needs a boost gets side dressed with some rabbit pellets, and the root veggies don't get anything. I'm not saying this would work for everyone, it's just what works for me.

 

[thistlebloom]

Ally, as Ridgerunner pointed out so well and as you have discovered with your own research, it can be overwhelming!
Fortunately, unless your soil is extreme in some way it will grow whatever you plant in it. For most of us it's a learn as you go thing.
You plant the garden and observe how everything is doing. Then you tweak it.

I think as RR suggested that a soil analysis is a good start. Someday I'll get mine checked! But I do largely as Mama Chicken does and most things have done well. I do like to use kelp because it has over 60 micronutrients, and I use fish emulsion also. Last year I used an organic granular on my corn and container tomatoes and they did super. Not a lot of ripe tomatoes, but definitely a lot of fruit.

Don't agonize over it. Get your stuff in the ground and enjoy the process. You'll figure it out over time.

 

[AllyRodrigues]

Thanks so much for your responses. So would most people agree that if the plant seems to be ok, I may not need to fertilize at all? Or at minimum, something like a 10-10-10 should give most everything a boost? I tried to start with a really good soil in the raised beds to begin with and I've been tilling in rabbit manure where I plan to start things in the ground.

 

[The Mama Chicken]

I would say yes, if your soil is good and your plants look good and are producing well you don't need to do much.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Thanks so much for your responses. So would most people agree that if the plant seems to be ok, I may not need to fertilize at all? Or at minimum, something like a 10-10-10 should give most everything a boost? I tried to start with a really good soil in the raised beds to begin with and I've been tilling in rabbit manure where I plan to start things in the ground.

That sounds like a plan to me, at least for the first year, then see how it goes. In new ground like you have, the crops are likely to do pretty well without any fertilizer the first year. I'm also cautious about over-fertilizing. That can do more harm than underfertilizing. It's a trial and error thing. You'll have some great successes and some that are not successes. But learn and keep going. You'll get there.

I have not used rabbit manure but I've heard it is mild enough it won't burn your plants. Mixing it in like that should provide nutrients and improve texture.

 

[ninnymary]

Ally, I have been adding my chicken poop compost for the past 3 years. I'm working on improving my sandy soil. I have noticed a big improvement. My heirlooms did super as well as everything else. I couldn't believe my rosa bianca and jalapeno pepper plant. These are heat lovers and they've never done well for me except for last year. I used to think it was because of my cool summers. Now I attribute it to the enriched soil. Good soil wins over crappy weather, at least in my case.

I also add alittle organic fertilizer when I plant my starts or seeds. Other than that, I don't fertilize the rest of the season. This year since I'm trying some 15 gallon container planting, I plan to fertilze with fish emulsion that has kelp. Of course, I will be using good potting soil, some compost, and organic fertlizer at time of planting.

Hope this helps.

Mary