Evening star., 1951-01-28
Fertilizer for the Garden
knowledge Of the Analysis of Commercial
Brands Important to Proper Usage of Them
BY W. n. Toungmon
The Stor's Garden Editor

Younemon
Sarden Editor
fertilize our plants. Now the ques.
ton is what kind of fertilizer
should we buy. The standard for.
mula generally available in the
stores is 5-10-5 mixture. This il
considered to be an all-aroune
mixture and will serve the usua
needs without too much waste Of
too great deficiency. Actually il
does work we'll under most con,
ditions. 1t is bit high in nitro.
gen (the first figure in the for.
mula) for potatoes and tomatoes
More nitrogen is needed for {
spring application to the lawn OF
for feeding leafy vegetables such
as lettuce, chard and cabbage. DR.
Fred Grau, director of grass re-
search at the 'Beltsville Plant In
dustry Station, recommends a 10
ga formula for lawn feeding in
the spring.
Shrubbery seldom needs feeding
as that would cause it to make a
rank growth which soon becomes
too thick for the best appearance
Where feeding deciduous shrubs is
needed, we should use one that is
relatively low in nitrogen and
fairly high in phosphate (the mid
die figure in the formula) and OF
moderate richness in potash (the
third figure). For ripening wood
such as roses in the fall, a higher
proportion is desirable, perhaps
straight potash such as muriate of
potash or sulphate of potash
should be used. Dahlia growers
tobacco farmers and rose growers
are all strong believers in the
use of potash. However. most
gardeners who have their wood
ashes have enough to take care
of these special needs.
The quantity of fertilizer to ap-
ply to the lawn. the shrubs, flow
ers and vegetables will vary some
what. Where a rich compost is
constantly being added to the
soil. light applications-2 or
pounds per 100 square feet are
ample Lacking the rich compost
a higher rate of feeding will be
needed, 3 to pounds per 100
square feet. These are the rates
for single application. Generally
speaking it is better for the plants
and there is less likelihood of loss
of plant food if the applications
are lighter and more frequent.
Need for Frequent Feeding.
Plants d, not do their best if
given a shot in the arm" feeding
once a seaso OF course a good
mixture of commercial fertilizer
has the nitrogen in several forms,
some of which is Immediately
available, and the balance becom-
ing available to the plants at
varying periods of time. Such a
fertilizer would provide the plants
with a steady diet, but unfor-
tunately not all fertilizers are
prepared in such a desirable form.
Hence the gardener might we'll try
making smaller applications at
intervals of three weeks or a
month. The total feeding gen.
orally need not exceed to 6
pounds per 100 square feet on
the average soil in this area. OF
course trees and shrubs do not
need such a heavy feeding. while
the lawn which must make a
rapid growth to provide the de-
sired cover needs a heavier feed
ing-6 to pounds.
The above indicates that for
best results the gardener will need
both a 5-10-5 and a 1864 COM
mercial mixture for the usual
gardening activities. The feeding
of the deciduous shrubs was men
toned, but in many cases the
feeding of evergreens is also i'm
portant. Some evergreens will
benefit from these commercial
mixtures. There are others,
though, that seem to suffer from,
careless applications and it is
better to use a specially prepared
mixture. one which is patterned
after their needs. Such mix
lures are normally sold as azalea
and camellia fertilizers. However,
the gardener may buy cottonseed
meal. sulphate of potash and
superphosphate and mix his own,
using peatmoss for a filler. Com
post made without the use of
limestone and enriched with
nitrogen, and phosphate will ac-
complish the same purposes.
Apply After a Rain.
In applying fertilizer there is
one rule which should never be
ignored. Do not feed a thirsty
plant. The first rain that comes
after such an application will
carry too much of the soluble
plant food to the hungry. thirsty
roots and the plant will suffer.
Apply fertilizers after a rain or
watering and then mix them into
the soil with a hoe or with the
hose.
A second rule, when feeding
woody plants. apply fertilizers in
the early spring so that the wood
will have ample time in which to
mature before cold weather in
the fall. This is especially i'm
portant in the care of lockwood
and roses and to other semi
tender plants in this area.
In most cases the fertilizers
should be applied away from the
crown of the plant-but over the
area in which the roots are feed
ing. In so doing avoid injuring
the roots when mixing the
fertilizer with the soil. Uniform
distribution of the application of
plant food over the area is i'm