Guide for Fertilizing

 

Hello,

I'm looking for a general guide as to time of year and type of fertilizer,
for feeding all outdoor permanent shrubs, large and small trees, some
ornamental,  plants and the lawns.   I have some Dogwoods, ornamental fruit
trees, shade trees, azaleas, English Ivy, Pachysandra,  Rhododendrons,
hollies, and other shrubs around the house.   I live in the Louisville KY
area.

I was thinking I couldn't go seriously wrong just using a typical lawn
fertilizer for all the above and begin applying it within the next month.
For the trees, drive a metal 1 inch diameter pipe about a foot into the
ground outside the drip line and fill with the fertilizer.

Comments?

Thanks,
John

 

wrote:

All of the above get along just fine in nature without anyone
fertilizing them.   One of the problems many homeowners face is
landscaping that grows so fast it takes a lot of work to keep it under
control.  Giving it more fertilizer just makes it grow even faster.
I have a wide assortment of trees, shrubs, etc, and the only things I
fertilize are the lawn and any other plant that needs it for some
specific reason, ie it's not doing well, I want it to grow faster,
etc.    For the lawn, I fertilize twice, once in Spring at the time
for crabgrass pre-emergent, once in early Sept, once in mid Oct.

 

Thanks for the comments.  I still have crabgrass spouting throughout the
yard, garden and lawn.  I did not put apply a pre-emergent this spring for
crabgrass.  My question, if I had, would it still be working to prevent the
germination of crabgrass and other noxious weeds at this late date.  I
re-seeded about weeks ago with a tall  fescue which is really taking off.
If a pre-emergent was still in the soil, I think the germination of the
fescue would have been significantly reduced, yes?

Thanks,
John


wrote:

All of the above get along just fine in nature without anyone
fertilizing them.   One of the problems many homeowners face is
landscaping that grows so fast it takes a lot of work to keep it under
control.  Giving it more fertilizer just makes it grow even faster.
I have a wide assortment of trees, shrubs, etc, and the only things I
fertilize are the lawn and any other plant that needs it for some
specific reason, ie it's not doing well, I want it to grow faster,
etc.    For the lawn, I fertilize twice, once in Spring at the time
for crabgrass pre-emergent, once in early Sept, once in mid Oct.

 

wrote:

You didn't tell us where you're located, but unless it's someplace
really warm, crabgrass isn't germinating now, as it's Fall.   Pre-
emergent works by preventing germination for a month or so in late
Spring during the window when it does germinate with rising temps.
And the typical pre-emergent inhibits the germination of many other
weeds, grass, etc during that period.   If you're seeding at the same
time or recently, there are pre-emergents, eg Tupersan that you can
still use that will not interfere with the grass germinating.

 


wrote:

You didn't tell us where you're located, but unless it's someplace
really warm, crabgrass isn't germinating now, as it's Fall.   Pre-
emergent works by preventing germination for a month or so in late
Spring during the window when it does germinate with rising temps.
And the typical pre-emergent inhibits the germination of many other
weeds, grass, etc during that period.   If you're seeding at the same
time or recently, there are pre-emergents, eg Tupersan that you can
still use that will not interfere with the grass germinating.

I live in the Louisville, KY area.  I was still pulling young weeds and crab
grss from my garden this week.  I don't expect a killing frost for a few
weeks.    Thanks, John