What should be noted when fertilizing flowers?
If you want your flowers to grow brightly and beautifully, you need to take even more careful care of them, and fertilizing is an essential part of that. So, what should be noted when fertilizing flowers?
Fertilizing flowers is one of the important measures for growing them well. The key to doing this work well lies in applying fertilizer at the right time and in the right amount. At the right time means fertilizing when the flowers need nutrients. For example, if you notice the leaves becoming pale and the plant growing thin and slowly, fertilizing at this point is like providing timely help, and this counts as the right time. This can be compared to a person eating. When you are hungry and get food, it tastes delicious and benefits your health. On the contrary, if you eat a large amount of food when you are full or about to sleep, it is not only unhelpful to the body but harmful to health. The right amount means controlling well how much fertilizer is applied; applying too little has no effect, while applying too much not only fails to achieve the goal but can burn the flower branches to death. Also note that flowers should be given nitrogen fertilizer at the seedling stage, as this can promote rapid and robust growth of the seedlings, while at the flowering stage phosphorus fertilizer should be applied to help with blooming.
Fertilizing must also take the seasons into account. In spring and summer, flowers grow quickly and vigorously, so more fertilizer can be applied; after the beginning of autumn, flowers grow slowly, so less fertilizer should be applied; by winter, there is no need to fertilize anymore. Mastering the number of fertilizer applications is also very important. For potted flowers, the frequency can be higher, but the amount applied each time should be smaller; never apply too much or too concentrated. From the Beginning of Spring to the Beginning of Autumn, generally a thin fertilizer solution can be applied once every 1-2 weeks; after the Beginning of Autumn, apply a thin fertilizer solution once every 2-3 weeks; after the Beginning of Winter, there is no need to apply anymore.
As for the time of fertilizing, it can generally be done in the evening. Pay special attention that in hot seasons you must not fertilize around noon, because the soil temperature is very high during this period and fertilizing easily damages the roots. In addition, before watering with fertilizer solution, first loosen the potting soil, as this helps the fertilizer solution seep down smoothly and be absorbed by the plant's root system.
Chemical fertilizers such as ammonium sulfate (nitrogen fertilizer), superphosphate (phosphorus fertilizer), and potassium sulfate (potassium fertilizer) are suitable for garden flowers. For potted flowers, they should not be applied frequently, otherwise over time the potting soil will become harder and harder until it becomes compacted.
Fertilizing should also be done according to the variety of flower. The fertilizer used cannot be the same for all. For example, osmanthus and camellia like pig manure and should avoid human urine; camellia, azalea, gardenia, and other flowers native to the south should avoid alkaline fertilizers; flowers that need pruning every year should have the proportion of phosphorus fertilizer and potassium fertilizer increased. For flower-focused flowers such as chrysanthemums and dahlias, an appropriate amount of nutrient fertilizer needs to be applied during the flowering period so that the flowers can be large and beautifully colored; for foliage-focused flowers, the emphasis should be on applying nitrogen fertilizer; for fruit-focused flowers, fertilizer and water should be appropriately reduced during the flowering period, while during the fruit-swelling period sufficient nutrient fertilizer should be applied. For bulbous flowers, more potassium fertilizer should be applied to help the bulbs become plump; for fragrant flowers, phosphorus fertilizer and potassium fertilizer should be applied once they enter the flowering period to promote a strong floral fragrance. When applying organic fertilizers, never use raw fertilizer that has not been fermented; it must first be decomposed and diluted with water before application. For chemical fertilizers, the dosage must be strictly controlled; better less than more, better thin than concentrated, otherwise it can very easily burn the flower roots and cause them to wither and die.
Some experts with many years of flower-growing experience have summarized a practical set of fertilizing guidelines. That is "four more, four less, four not, and three avoid." "Four more" means apply more when the plant is yellow and thin, apply more before sprouting, apply more during the bud stage, and apply more after flowering; "four less" means apply less when the plant is fat and strong, apply less when sprouting, apply less when flowering, and apply less during the rainy season; "four not" means do not apply when the plant is leggy, do not apply when newly planted, do not apply during the height of summer, and do not apply during dormancy. "Three avoid" means first avoid concentrated fertilizer, second avoid hot fertilizer (meaning avoid fertilizing when the soil temperature is very high around noon in summer), and third avoid sitting fertilizer (meaning when planting flowers, do not place the flower roots directly on the base fertilizer at the bottom of the pot; instead, use a layer of soil to separate them from the base fertilizer).