After The Frost

After the frost it’s time to fertilize

There, it’s done. This is how I spent my Saturday morning.

Liquid seaweed (kelp extract) is a natural growth stimulant after those plants have gone latent. A little will cause a vigorous root and stem growth. And remember, just a little dabble do ya !! Follow directions on the bottle for our area zone 9b-10a.

Also good now is fish emulsion. It gets nutrition to salt sensitive plants without damaging them. Use fish emulsion for lawns, for green leafy vegetables and any plant that likes nitrogen, including house plants, such as philodendron.

Chelated iron is an essential nutrient needed by plants. The iron is used for a plants vital function. This product provided chlorophyll and enzyme productions, helps with nitrogen fixations and give the plant the metabolism for growth and development. The deficiency of iron is notices by the yellow leaves. They will have a whiteish powdered finish to the leaved and their growth seems stunted. I clean off the whitish stain with a damp cloth when possible. The chelated iron is easy to apply and counteracts alkaline soil as well as overcomes chlorosis caused by iron deficiency. It causes plants to achieve their normal deep green leaf color. It is especially effective in warm season applications so reapply again in August/September timeframe.

Blood meal is a nitrogen amendment that you can add to your garden. Adding blood meal to garden soil will help raise the level of nitrogen and will help plants to grow more lush and green. The nitrogen in blood meal can also help raise the acid level of your soil, which is beneficial to some kinds of plants that prefer soils with low pH (acidic soil). Be careful to closely follow the instructions on how to apply the blood meal.
Blood meal is a deterrent to squirrels and deer which we don’t have to worry about in the valley, but would be the case in the high country during the summer; and it attracts things such as raccoons and dogs, although only the latter should be a problem to consider in metro Phoenix. Blood Meal is the best for strengthening those plants with woody stems, such as lantana, but most beneficial for dark green leaves.

Read more at Gardening Know How: Using Blood Meal To Improve Your Garden Soil https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/soil-fertilizers/blood-meal-fertilizer.htm
Give our plants a treat after those cold frosty nights last week.