timing liquid fertilizer application during rainy season

[pandacular]

hey folks! spring is in full swing, which means I’m fertilizing regularly. I use liquid fertilizer quite a bit in my garden, and was curious for input on how to best time my applications—not a schedule, but more for hitting the ideal watering times.

Obviously, the best time to fertilize is when everything needs water. This gets two birds stoned at once as they say, but this isn’t common in my climate this time of year.

Another thought I had was after it rained—in this case everything is already wet, so overwatering is not as likely. I’m not familiar with tradeoffs here however.

If say half the garden needs water, will you fertilize only those? Or fertilize everything, regardless of whether it needs a soil drenching perhaps? Or is it case by case—pines get skipped, spruce get sprayed?

I’m curious to hear thoughts on strategy from those with more experience.

 

[Shogun610]

Depends on your liquid fertilizer I suppose . For example I use fertilizer cakes , or tea bags in spring after first flush hardens off on everything even stuff that is going to be decandles to ramp up strength. Then I switch to fish fertilizer from August through fall on stuff I don’t need finer growth( my pines that do need skipping I skip) , I do spray foliage as well. In my experience the fertilizer liquid greet for root fertilization and starch storage for winter where as the solid fertilizer is a slow burn to help supplement foliage derived metabolism in growing season

 

[Shibui]

I try to apply liquid fert when the pots are wet, or at least damp. If we apply to dry soil, most of it runs either off or through as many soils are hydrophobic when dry, resulting in wasted nutrients. Liquid penetrates much easier into already damp soil so more of what you apply ends up in the pot.
If it's time to fertilise, it's time to fertilise. If you start skipping some species or some areas, your fert cycles get all out of whack and some plants end up missing out. An extra wetting cycle every 2-3 weeks is not going to harm any trees. Overwatering does not happen with a single water cycle. Overwatering is the result of regular, constant soggy soil over months.

 

[BobbyLane]

I just put a small dose of Tomorite in my can at every watering, everything is done, even cuttings.
Since I ran out of Chicken pellets I haven't bought anymore surface pellets. What a relief from all the bluebottles!

 

[Dav4]

If I had to choose between watering before or after it rains, I'd pick after. I actually water everything before applying the fert, as the pre-moistened soil takes the liquid feed up so readily, and would love some morning rain to help me out .

 

[Glaucus]

Liquid fertilizer is what you add to the water when you are watering. When you don't have to water, or can't even water, because there's too much rain, then why would you use liquid fertilizer?

 

[Michael P]

I've always followed the old gardener's rule, "Never fertilize a dry plant." In addition to the reasons above, concentrated fertilizers can change the osmotic balance of the soil and pull water out of already dry roots. This is what causes fertilizer "burn" which my neighbor does every spring to his lawn.