Fertilize your perennials (bulbs & tubers)

Perennials should be fertilized not only in the spring but throughout the growing season.
Ideally, fertilizer should be applied in the early spring before the plants emerge. If plants have already emerged, don't worry. Apply the bulb food at a rate of one cup per ten square feet of bedding. Repeat this application every eight weeks. After the first freeze put down one last application and repeat the process next spring.

Spring lawn care

If you haven't already done so, it is time to apply a pre-emergent weed killer on your lawn. Choose one that has fertilizer to help jump start your lawn. Remember it must be watered in within twenty-four to thirty-six hours after application. If you do not have an underground sprinkler system or are not inclined to drag out the water sprinkler and move it around, have your pre-emergent on hand and be ready to get it down just ahead of a rain.

Planting and caring for annuals

Your annuals will grow bigger and produce more flowers if you use a root starter. Root starter is a type of liquid fertilizer that promotes quick and robust root development and at the same time provides nutrients for good top growth.

When you are ready to plant your annuals mix enough root starter according to package directions to water each plant at the time you place it in the ground. Continue to use the root starter every three weeks for the first three months then switch to Miracle Grow.

Transplanting perennials such as day lilies

“Transplant shock” can occur when transplanting any type of plant. To minimize the shock for day lilies and other perennials that have already emerged, do the following:

• Leave a small ball of soil around the plant when removing it from the ground
• Keep the soil ball a little moist
• Transport it in a container that will allow the ball to stay intact

The new bed where the lilies will be transplanted should be filled with good fertile dirt or a type of premixed bedding soil.

The next step is very important and will greatly increase your lilies chances of becoming well established in their new bed: only use root starter at the time of planting. Root starter is a type of liquid fertilizer that promotes quick and robust root development and at the same time provides nutrients for good top growth. Continue to use root starter once a week for six weeks, thereafter use a granular bulb food (I like Johnson’s Bulb Food) at a rate of one cup per ten square feet of bedding. Repeat the granular bulb food again in eight weeks.

See my blog entry about Fertilizer for bulbs and tubers for more information on caring for established perennials

Fertilizer for bulbs and tubers

For your daffodils and other bulb type perennials I recommend Howard Johnson’s Bulb Food. No, I am not suggesting you go to the nearest Howard Johnson Motel and steal their fertilizer! This is a brand of bulb food I purchased a few years ago and have been pleased with the results.

The primary nutrients your bulbs and/or tubers need are found in this product. These nutrients are phosphorus, potash, and nitrogen in a 9-8-6 formulary, ideal for new or established flower beds.

The product is clean and easy to use. It is granular, not liquid, and can be sprinkled directly in your garden. The package includes additional instructions for soil preparation and planting new flowers or vegetables.

Drop spreaders vs. rotary spreaders

Application of granular type pesticides, fertilizers, and grass seed is most commonly done using either a drop spreader or a rotary spreader. The drop spreader distributes product straight down on the ground with a coverage pattern only as wide as the spreader hopper. Compared to a rotary spreader, application time is increased with a drop spreader and makes it difficult to get even coverage. If a slight bit of overlap of each pass is not accomplished the edge of the spread lines will show. If you have ever seen a lawn that looks like it has broad darker stripes and narrow lighter stripes it usually means that a nitrogen rich fertilizer was applied with a drop spreader.

Rotary spreaders have a spreading spinner under the hopper which broadcasts the product being used six feet across and three feet forward. Less time is needed for application and there is no concern with “edge of spread lines” showing.