Maggie's Farm

We are a commune of inquiring, skeptical, politically centrist, capitalist, anglophile, traditionalist New England Yankee humans, humanoids, and animals with many interests beyond and above politics. Each of us has had a high-school education (or GED), but all had ADD so didn't pay attention very well, especially the dogs. Each one of us does "try my best to be just like I am," and none of us enjoys working for others, including for Maggie, from whom we receive neither a nickel nor a dime. Freedom from nags, cranks, government, do-gooders, control-freaks and idiots is all that we ask for.

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Sunday, March 21. 2021

Time to fertilize shrubs and young trees


In the northern half of the US anyway. Definitely, before any green emerges because the roots are already growing and hungry for weeks before any green shows.


I fertilized our garden beds last week. It will take some rain to sink it in.  A good time to put down crabgrass preventer, and fert your nice lawns too.


I spread Preen at the same time in the flower and shrub borders. It works, sort-of.



Posted by The Barrister in Gardens, Plants, etc. at 13:05 | Comments (6) | Trackbacks (0)

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Check with your local feed co-ops. Sometimes the bigger/better ones will have a fertilizer mix that is specifically developed for the soils in your areas, containing amendments and trace minerals that will help build up your soil and nourish plants. And don't forget the mulch! A layer of hardwood mulch will degrade over time, retain moisture, and help regulate pH while adding organic matter.

The native (Mexican) plums are in bloom right now, so our back yard has an intoxicating fragrance. Next up: Wisteria.
#1 Aggie on 2021-03-21 13:46 (Reply)
Turning over for the first time soil that is gravel, clay, and some sand. Any suggestions as to how to get started and first additions? Thank you
#1.1 Apple Pie on 2021-03-21 16:33 (Reply)
Your local county extension service may have basic soil testing kits, or offer the service. This is the best way to get local advice and to learn what your soil precisely needs for what you want to grow. If there's lots of clay, we use cottonseed hulls in Texas to add organic matter and break up the clays a little. Turning in powdered peat moss can help too, but it's expensive. I compost our vegetable scraps with layers of fine sand and composted cow manure, both available a Lowe's/Home Depot. Add some earthworms to this and it is a great additive of organic content. Good Luck!
#1.1.1 Aggie on 2021-03-21 17:09 (Reply)
years ago in the semi desert region of Southern California I would regularly spend some time at a local bar. A really interesting place and really interesting clientele. One of the regulars would go outside to pee after being primed with a few beers. So every night he peed in the same place a couple times a night. There was a little tree there, a Palo Verde I think. It was lush while everything else in the area was dead or looked dead. A testament to fertilization and watering regularly.
#2 IdahoBob on 2021-03-21 17:50 (Reply)
I moved from Colorado to Oklahoma a year and a half ago and the biggest adjustment is to the weather. Last weekend Denver got 27" of snow and I was mowing my lawn. I called my old neighbors to let them know. It is yard work/cleanup and getting ready to plant time here.
#3 rocdoctom on 2021-03-21 18:15 (Reply)
Last weekend Denver got 27" of snow and I was mowing my lawn. I called my old neighbors to let them know.

They'll call you back in July, when you both have 95° but their humidity is 20-30 points lower than yours in OK.
#4 CapitalistRoader on 2021-03-22 11:22 (Reply)

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