Fertilizing Annual Plantings
Feed Those Hungry Annuals
Planting annual flowers at your commercial property is a quick and easy way to add color and interest to your landscape. Unlike perennials, annuals don’t get a second chance to strut their stuff so proper fertilization is important and has a huge impact on the quality and quantity of flowers. Annuals grow rapidly and require plenty of fuel to thrive so once your annuals start blooming – feed ’em.
What’s for Lunch: Which Fertilizer Do I Need?
Fertilizer has 3 basic components – each bringing their own benefit to the party.
N = Nitrogen promotes healthy leaf growth by stimulating the main chemical involved in photosynthesis (chlorophyll) – how plants convert sunlight to food
P = Phosphorus supports development of roots, stems and blossoms
K = Potassium is key in helping plants digest and manufacture their foods
Feed Me, Seymour
There are two types of fertilizer – granular and liquid.
- Granular fertilizers do well for annual beds and borders and are great for season-long feeding. Granular fertilizers are spread over the soil around the plants. It may take more time for the nutrients to become available but this type of application reduces the need for return applications or additional feeding throughout the summer or fall planting season.
- Liquid fertilizers are ideal for potted plants and are a great boost for “heavy feeders” like Begonias and Petunias. Liquid fertilizers require more frequent application since they don’t offer any residual.
Helpful Tips:
- Don’t fertilize dry plants. If plants and soil are dry or suffering from drought stress, fertilizer can “burn” delicate plant tissues.
- More is not better. You can overfeed your plants causing permanent damage.
- Ask your landscape contractor for their care plan prior to the annual color installation so you know what to expect.
If you are interested in getting a proposal from Complete Landscaping for your seasonal plantings and landscape maintenance, contact us.
Contact UsThis blog is part 2 of a series. Read Part 1 here – Healthy Annuals for Your Commercial Property.
