Fertilizer
Judy Glattstein (Wed, 30 Jan 2008 03:55:34 PST)

There's a soluble fertilizer (one of those blue
crystal-dissolve-in-water kind) with a 10-30-20 ratio. Used to be sold
as Peter's Blossom Booster, now available as Jack's Classic. It has long
been my favorite for potted bulbs and indeed, for most potted plants.

With outdoor plants is not merely healthy growth that I'm concerned
about. Here in deer country Bambi and his relatives love lush,
well-fertilized plants. They'll walk right past the wild-growing,
untended Hemerocallis fulva in order to chow down on cultivated,
fertilized cultivars in the garden. Accordingly, I prefer to grow plants
somewhat on the lean side - gourmet rather than glutton.

I fertilize when planting / transplanting, use a granular 5-10-10
incorporated with the soil and Jack's Classic as an aid to overcome
transplant shock for plants that are in active growth at that time. I've
also used it as a root soak for dormant bulbs with permanent roots prior
to planting - lilies in spring, for example, but not in fall, and also
for hippeastrum.

Anyone else have thoughts about timing of fertilization?

Judy in New Jersey where the days are obviously lengthening and my
mantra is "Every day is another day closer to Spring."