As spring approaches, we look forward to colors in the landscape that remind us of spring. The days are longer, the temperatures are on the rise. This is when our plants ” wake up” from their winter hibernation. Too many times our plants come out of hibernation hungry with no nutrition source.
It is important to fertilize your plants early so the fertilizer will be incorporated into the soil and available to the roots when the plant is ready to produce a spring flush. With Floridas’ sandy soils, any nitrogen and potassium applied to the plants in the fall is likely gone by spring. For this reason, slow release fertilizers are always a good choice to ensure consistent plant nutrition as well as better for the environment.
Finally, for flowering plants, a fertilizer with a high percentage of phosphorous, (the second number of the fertilizer analysis, which is always listed on the bag), is a good choice. For example, an 8-10-10 fertilizer would be a good choice for most flowering plants. Your efforts will be visually rewarding !