“I want my plants to really grow fast and fill in, should I fertilize them during or right after planting?” The answer is no!
As much as we want our plants to grow, the goal of a plant’s first year is not to grow above ground but to grow below ground. We want our plants to spend their first summer developing a strong root system to support its growth for years to come. Fertilization (especially with large amounts of nitrogen) will encourage a plant to grow leaves and stems at the expense of its roots-just the opposite of our stated goal.
Instead of fertilizing at the time of planting we recommend applying water soluble root stimulators. Root stimulator will encourage new root formation, root development, reduce transplant shock and develop a greener more vigorous plant in the long run.
We would recommend one application at the time of planting followed by a monthly application for the remainder of the first year. Once established its time to begin regular fertilization, but that’s a topic for a future article.
Vande Hey Design Center
