Evening star., 1952-03-16
By w. H. Younemon

AlIluS Oh pant 1O0Q 20 give them
the quantities, how often an.
when to apply. Generally speak
ing. it is desirable to feed al
plants in order that they may b
vigorous and healthy in appear.
ance. A well-fed plant is les
likely to be attacked by insect,
and diseases.
Feeding plants is not q Difficult
task, nor is it likely to injure tn,
plant. If properly done. The gen
eral rule is never to apply fer.
tilizer when the soil is dry ant
the plant thirsty. After q water.
ing or rain is the time to appl,
fertilizer. Then water it into thl
soil. If cultivation is impracticable
In this way much larger quantities
Of fertilizer than are general,
recommended may be safely ap.
piled. AS a rule it is good prac,
tice to make several small aDpli
cations rather than one larg,
feeding and expect it to- las
throughout the growing season
There is danger of the solubl,
nitrogen being washed deeply int
the soil, out Of reach of feeding
roots.
Use in Shrubbery.
Fertilizing shrubbery is generally
avoided except while the plant.
are small. They outgrow theil
situation too quickly without thii
aid. Should the plants lack vigol
or appear anemic and weak, al
application of fertilizer will prob
ably be beneficial. Apply 2 to
pounds Of a 5-10-5 fertilizer pc
100 square feet of area to tn,
deciduous shrubs in the earl!
spring (March). This need no
be cultivated into the soil if ap,
piled early. For evergreens, tn,
best fertilizer is the so-callec
azalea and camellia plant food
but ordinary commercial fertilizers
may be safely applied as long a
they do not contact the roots
The rate Of application and tn,
time is the same.
The feeding of the broad-leave,
evergreens (azaleas, rhododen
drons, camellias. lockwood, etc.
should be limited to early sprin,
applications of the specially pre-
pared mixture referred to. TIL,
Importance of early spring feed.
ing cannot be over-emphasizet
because the new growth mus
have ample time to mature before
freezing weather in the fall. Ths
fertilizer should be used at thu
rate of 2 to 8 pounds per 10(
square feet Of area. Do not at.
tempt to cultivate it into the sol
because these plants. as q group
are very shallow-rooted.
The feeding of roses is usually
timed to the growth pattern
an application in the early par
Of March and each month there.
after until the first OF August. A
5-10-5 mixture is generally ap.
piled but many rose fanciers pre-.
fer the special rose plant food.
which contain elements intensity.
ing the colors. Two pounds o1
fertilizer per 100 square feet i.
to keep roses growing
vigorously. Cultivate the fertilizer
into the top 2 inches Of soil.
Feeding the Lawn.
Feeding the lawn is a relatively
uncommon practice, although the
grass plants grow from early
spring to late fall and we are
constantly clipping the tops off
Too many gardeners harvest 9
crop each week and do not re-
place the plant food used up. The
lawn would be much more vigor-
Gus and attractive If it were fed
in early March, again in mid.
June and the third feeding ir
early September. From Is to 81
pounds Of fertilizer per 1000
square feet Of area should be
spread evenly over the lawr
at each feeding. The spring
and summer feelings should
be with a 10-6-4 mixture
while the fall feeding may be
the 5-10-5 fertilizer. Since the
fertilizer cannot be cultivated into
the soil 1t may be washed in with
The hose. Certainly. If the fertil-
izer Is not washed of the grass
blades. they will be burned and
disfigured for a short period.
Because lawn grasses tend tc
grow out Of the ground and be-
cause winters frost action tends
TO push the crowns up out of the
soil. and we dare not roll. the lawn
and push them back into the soil
q top dressing consisting of a mix
ture Of peatmoss. topsoil and
fertilizer may be spread over the
turf. This is the practice Of the
greenskeeper at the golf course
and the home gardener might vel
copy it. It helps to keep the sur.
face smooth, the crowns of thu
plants protected from low-set
lawn mowers, and the plant fooc
applied all in one operation.
The feeding Of bulbs is another
practice that Is frequently neg.
lected. Feeding of the daffodil
crocus,, In fact, all spring. -howerini
bulbs except the tulips, is desir'
able. Apply the 5-10-5 mixture tt
the beds ip late February or earl!
March at the rate of 2 or 8 pound
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