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Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just starting out, there’s one thing you’ll need to make your vegetable garden flourish: fertilizer. This material is added to soil and packs it with the nutrients plants and vegetables need to grow. To maximize the growth potential and health of your garden, here are a few simple tips on fertilizing.

4 Helpful Fertilizing Tips for Vegetable Gardens

1. Know Your Heavy Feeders

Some edible plants pull a lot of nutrients from the soil and will quickly deplete it without the help of a fertilizer. If you plan to grow cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, corn, onions, peppers, or other heavy feeders, you’ll need to mix the fertilizer into the soil before planting to ensure they have the food they need during the warmer months.

2. Add Natural Conditioners

fertilizerPlants need three elements to grow. Potassium makes sugar, which is needed for root growth, phosphorous is necessary for fruit and flower growth, and nitrogen helps produce new cells. You can enhance your fertilizer’s effectiveness by also adding natural conditioners to the soil to provide much-needed nutrients. For instance, straw and grass clippings are rich in nitrogen. 

3. Adjust Your Soil’s pH Level

It’s challenging to grow plants and food in highly acidic soil. Vegetable crops should have a soil pH between 6.0 and 6.8, which is why testing the soil before you plant anything is crucial to the success of the garden. However, lime fertilizer can balance out the pH level and add nutrients such as calcium and magnesium to the soil.

4. Create a Fertilizing Schedule

You can fertilize your garden all year long, but each season has different requirements. During the winter, use a slow-release fertilizer and cover the ground with a thick layer of mulch to prepare it for spring, when you’ll need little fertilization because the soil has already been prepped. In the summer, use quick-release fertilizers to give fruit-producing plants the nutrients they need. Use another slow-release application to the top layer of soil if you’re planting a fall garden.

 

When you’re in need of quality garden supplies, you can count on Racine’s Feed, Garden & Supply. This family-owned feed and gardening center in Robertsdale, AL, has everything you need to create a beautiful thriving garden, including live plants, trees, and fertilizer as well as pet and livestock supplies, all at affordable prices. Call (251) 947-3003 or visit their website today to learn more about their impressive product inventory.

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