- Are all shrubs fertilized equally?
- What role does the soil play in fertilizing?
- What should I pay attention to when fertilizing shrubs?
If you have shrubs planted in your garden, then of course you want them to grow well and thrive. In addition to a caring pruning, sufficient water and fertilizer are important, depending on the type of your shrubs.
Each shrub has its own needs
Are all shrubs fertilized equally?
Of course, not all types of shrubs have the same nutrient requirements, so not all should be fertilized in the same way. Nevertheless, there are some similarities. In the first years of growth, for example, the need for nutrients is higher than for an older shrub that has already reached its final size. Needs-based fertilization, for example with mature compost, makes sense here.
If your shrubs are not underplanted, a layer of bark mulch will keep weeds down and the soil moist. Mulch (€239.00) is also preferable to bare soil in terms of looks. However, since the mulch layer removes nitrogen from the soil, you should mitigate this effect with the addition of horn shavings (32.93€) before mulching.
What role does the soil play in fertilizing?
The poorer the soil on which your shrubs stand, the more important it is to provide additional nutrients. Fertilizer contributes to rapid growth, especially during the first few years. A humus-rich, loose soil, on the other hand, does not have to be upgraded. Here you should only fertilize shrubs with a very high nutrient requirement. Some shrubs need a special fertilizer, for example to adjust the pH value.
What should I pay attention to when fertilizing shrubs?
Before you liberally spread any fertilizer on your shrub bed, you should first find out what your plants actually need. Ideally, you should even do this before planting, because not only the nutrient requirements can be different, but also the requirements for the pH value, lime tolerance or permeability.
The essentials in brief:
- Fertilizing at first promotes growth
- After a few years, limit fertilizer quantity and frequency
- give horn shavings before mulching
- ideal under older shrubs: lawn clippings
tips
Older shrubs usually no longer need to be fertilized, so mulching with grass clippings is ideal.