Garden Tip 94:

The lush, colorful hanging baskets, window boxes and planters of May often become drab and tired-looking come July and August. Many believe it is the heat that causes this decline of plant quality when, in actuality, it is caused by lack of food.

With constant watering in the heat of summer any slow-release fertilizer that we, or the grower, added to the soil at planting time will be depleted. A quick remedy to this situation, and a means of keeping these plantings looking great into October, is a regimen of feeding using a water-soluble fertilizer. Jack’s General Purpose Plant Food, Miracle Gro Plant Food and fish emulsion are some of the options for feeding plants this time of year.

Containerized plantings and even annuals in the ground will benefit greatly when fertilized weekly using a soluble fertilizer. Some people prefer to make a weak solution and use it at every watering. In either case, turnaround time is quick and plantings can be maintained in good form until frost.