In article MlPed.307313$D%.212489@attbi_s51, "Pam - gardengal"
wrote:

Perhaps not as great information as you think, specially pertaining to
plants in the ground. The primary ommission the article makes is that it is
not NECESSARY to regularly fertilize plants established in the ground.
Fertilizing is only necessary if plants are indicating signs of nutrient
deficiency - they are able to get the bulk of the nutrients they need for
optimum growth from the soil they are planted in, specially if that soil is
regularly amended by top dressing with compost or other quality organic
matter. Fertilizing should only be done after a soil test indicates specific
nutrient deficiencies and then only to correct those deficiencies.
Established trees and shrubs generally require NO additional fertilizing and
contrary to common opinion, fertilizing does not make plants grow faster.
Wholesale fertilizing of your garden without purpose can lead to lanky, lush
growth that is more susceptible to insects and diseases, lack of flowering
from excessive nitrogen, build up of fertilizer salts in the soils and
depletion of the soil biomass. Don't fall prey to fertilizer marketing
ploys - your plants will tell you when they require fertilizing.

pam - gardengal



Excellent concise overview. I sometimes feel like a loner for being a
minimalist in the fertilizer department. Most folks seem really to think
they're doing the best possible thing slathering it on just as the
chemical vendors but not necessarily the garden wishes us all to do.

-paghat the ratgirl

--
"Of what are you afraid, my child?" inquired the kindly teacher.
"Oh, sir! The flowers, they are wild," replied the timid creature.
-from Peter Newell's "Wild Flowers"
Visit the Garden of Paghat the Ratgirl: http://www.paghat.com