How To Add Fertilizer To Soil After Planting?

As plants grow there is a shortage of nutrients in the soil. To fill up this gap you have to apply fertilizer. 

Fertilizers are nutritional supplements that supply nutrients to the soil to the plants through soil. The crops that are grown and harvested in the past take up all the nutrients from the soil. 

Before starting a new growing season you have to add fertilizer or compost to maintain the balance of nutrients. After planting new crops they also need a continuous supply of nutrients that is done by application of fertilizer. 

A soil test will tell you about the basic fertility level of the soil. For instance, if you want to grow tomato plants then you need to know about the calcium level in the soil. 

A soil test will tell you about the calcium level in the soil. In case, there is a shortage of calcium then you can use that type of fertilizer that contains a high amount of calcium. 

Fertilizers help to replace the lost nutrients in the soil. After its application, the nutrients will maintain an acceptable level for the healthy growth of your favorite plants after planting. 

Why Plants Need Fertilizer? 

Human beings need different nutrients from food in the same way plants need nutrients such as nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus for their growth and production desired yield. 

Your plants will stay healthy when they absorb all these micronutrients from the soil. If these micronutrients are not enough in the soil for your plants you will get sad results such as low production of crops,  weak stems, poor color, and fewer flowers. 

The deficiencies of nutrients can be covered by adding fertilizer that contains all the essential micronutrients. 

Types Of Fertilizers

You have different options for providing nutrients to the plants. Different combinations and types of fertilizer can be used for the healthier growth of plants. 

You can correct minor deficiencies and quickly boost them by adding well-aged manure. Granular products are also an option to make a balance of nutrients in the soil. By using small amounts of concentrated fertilizer you will get the best consequences. 

DRY FERTILIZER

You have to do nothing just scatter the dry fertilizer around the plants. You can sprinkle it over the entire garden or down in the row. Individual plants also need a dose of dry fertilizer. 

1 lb of dry fertilizer is in a 400 ft square of garden before planting. After planting when the young plants are established in the ground then they need 2 to 3 inches of side dressing of dry fertilizer. 

You should never apply fertilizer when the foliage is dry. After the application, you should water the plants to remove the excess particles of dry fertilizer on the foliage. 

ANIMAL MANURE

Most gardeners prefer to use organic material for their plants. It is better to use such materials that contain organic materials for your plants rather than using inorganic fertilizers that contain certain chemicals. 

The well-aged animal manure is one of the organic materials that is used to boost the nutrient level of the soil. Inorganic fertilizers easily mix in the soil and your plants will get quick benefit from it. 

But if we talk about animal manure it will decompose slowly with time so your plants continuously get nutrients for a long time.

WATER-SOLUBLE FERTILIZER 

For a quick boost in the yield of vegetable plants water-soluble fertilizer is the best option. Water soluble fertilizer easily dissolves in water and applies directly to the plants. 

This type of fertilizer easily becomes diluted and distributed to the plants during their growth cycle. You can also spray this type of fertilizer for a quick boost.

Simple And Easy Steps To Add Fertilizer To Soil After Planting

You select the sunny location for your plants and make it possible to maintain a frequency of watering. After sunlight and water, the next thing plants need is nutrients. 

For better growth, you should supply a regular dose of important nutrients to the plants. The growth of the plant is not according to your expectations if you’re not amending the soil to make it richer. 

First, you should figure out when and how to fertilize the soil. The quality of the soil and the needs of individual plants are very important before deciding the quantity and type of soil. Following all the easy steps to fertilize the soil after planting.

STEP 1: SOIL TEST

Without a test, you can’t tell about the texture, structure, and level of nutrients in the soil. You can perform a soil test with the help of a soil kit. If you don’t have a kit then you can send a sample to a soil testing laboratory. 

The result will tell you about all the nutrients such as potassium, calcium, phosphorus, and nitrogen levels, and the pH of the soil. This test will help you decide how much quantity of organic matter is needed by the soil. 

STEP 2: USE STARTER FERTILIZER 

Most of the time you prepare seedlings indoors and when they grow up to a certain limit then you have to transplant them to their permanent location. A starter fertilizer is a water-soluble fertilizer that you can use at the time of the transplanting. 

Usually, this type of fertilizer contains a high amount of phosphorus. But you should select one that also contains nitrogen and potassium. 

The common water-soluble fertilizers are 10-52-17, 8-32-16, 12,24,12, 15,30,15, and 13-26-13. You can choose one of them according to the current nutrition situation of the soil. Its application is very easy. 

You need two tablespoons of water-soluble fertilizer and mix it in 1 gallon of water. Now pour 1 cup of water around each hole after transplanting the young plants. 

STEP 3: MAINTAIN THE FERTILITY BY APPLICATION OF FERTILIZER

You will be aware of the deficiencies within the soil after a soil test. Now you can amend the soil and maintain fertility. There are different combinations of mixed fertilizer bags available such as 5-10-5, 12-12-12, or 6-24-24. 

These numbers show how much nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium are present in the 100-pound fertilizer bag. The first number shows the amount of nitrogen, the second number represents the amount of phosphorus and the third number tells you about the amount of potassium per 100 pounds of fertilizer. 

For instance, you have bought 100 lb of 5-10-5 fertilizer which contains 5 lb of nitrogen, 10 lb of phosphorus, and 5 lb of potassium.

You will get all the instructions on the bags you have to follow them. The method of application of fertilizer is very easy. You just put half of the recommended fertilizer and with the help of a spade mix it deeply. 

Now sprinkle the remaining half of the fertilizer and mix it with the help of a rake. In this way, the fertilizer is mixed up to 7 inches of the soil. 

STEP 4: HOW OFTEN TO FERTILIZE DIFFERENT PLANTS AFTER PLANTING

We take vitamins to stay healthy but plants don’t need to fertilize regularly. The frequency of fertilizing depends upon the type of plant and time of the year. 

Before selecting the plants for your garden you must do some research about the need for nutrients for those plants. This will help you with the amount and type of fertilizer you can apply. 

• Heavy feeders need more nutrients and some plants need less amount of organic material. You can amend the soil according to the needs of your plants. Heavy feeders such as annuals, veggies, fruits, and some flowering plants grow fast and bloom a lot so they must be fertilized monthly during the growing season. 
• Some plants like perennials, shrubs, and trees don’t need plenty of nutrients especially when you amend the soil before planting them. You can fertilize these plants only in the spring. 
• Many leafy and flowering plants don’t need nutrients in winter because their growth is slower in these months. Their growth is active in spring and summer so you can add a small amount of liquid fertilizer once a month. If you can’t do so you can use slow-release granular fertilizer. Its application is needed after a few months.
• Indoor cacti and succulents need only one or two doses of liquid fertilizer per year. This amount of fertilizer is sufficient for them. 

Related Articles:

1. 15 Simple And Inexpensive Homemade Fertilizers
2. How To Make Liquid Fertilizer From Kitchen Waste
3. 10 Magical And Organic Fertilizers For Your Vegetable Garden
4. How To Fertilize Soil For A Vegetable Garden

General Rules To Follow When You Are Fertilizing

You have to follow some rules when you are applying fertilizer in your garden. These simple rules will help you to be successful in the growth of plants especially if you are a beginner. 

• The young seedlings don’t need the dose of feed until they are established. If you apply fertilizer then the young plants will become weak and leggy due to new growth.
• When you see pale yellow leaves, slow growth, and low yields then it means your plants are facing a shortage of nutrients and they need the application of fertilizer. 
• You should follow all the instructions that are mentioned by manufacturers. After reading them, you will come to know how much fertilizer you can apply. These tips and instructions will tell you about the ratio of fertilizer that can be added to different types of soil for different types of plants.
• If you are living in a hot climate then the ideal time of adding fertilizer is in the morning or the evening. These are the cool parts of the day that are best for the application. 
• After the application of fertilizer, you must water them so the plants will not burn. This will also help in the evenly distribution of nutrients within the soil.
• A soil test is compulsory on an annual basis so you will get all the information about soil. In this way, you will be aware of what type of nutrients are needed by soil and according to the results, you can add fertilizer.
• You should avoid over-fertilizing. You will see abnormal growth of plants then they absorb more nutrients than they need. 
• Avoid applying fertilizer in the wrong season. During the dormancy period, you should not amend the soil because it can damage the plants.