soil question

[marydmjj]

Hi all,

I have a garden that is planted with bulbs and perennials. When I planted the garden last year I didn't ammend the soil with anything, just planted. Now I'm wondering if I should add some compost/topsoil on top of everything? Or maybe just top with mulch and fertilize when things warm up?

 

[DixieDreamer]

You don't want to add too much high power fertilizer to bulbs in the spring... or you will get lots of vegetation growth and little bloom. However, I would add a couple of inches of good compost and scratch it in... as well as some bone meal which will help with flowering. AFTER the plants have finished blooming this spring... then I would apply a good broad spectrum fertilizer. The idea is to help the bulbs store up nutrients as they go into their hibernation mode. Then all they need is a good cold spell and they will be ready for the following spring!

 

[marydmjj]

Thank you! Will a broad-spectrum fertilizer be o.k. for the perennials I have in there? I'm assuming it will be.

I'm going to try to get my compost pile turned today when it warms up a bit. Every day I see more and more that needs to be done!

 

[DixieDreamer]

Yes, I would scratch in a general purpose fertilizer around the perennial plants. The amount of fertilizer needed is very much a function of the type of plants in the bed.... hardy varieties and xeric plants... actually do better with a fairly LEAN diet of nutrients... so infrequent feedings are best for these. Other more prolific bloomers require fairly frequent feedings throughout the growing season to produce to their optimum - most roses are in this category.

I noticed you are a neighbor of sorts being in Washington! I am on the hot dry side of the state. I envy you your growing conditions.

 

[marydmjj]

DixieDreamer

I saw that you are in Soap Lake but don't know where that is. I suppose I could be smart and check the map!

It is nice over here but I would love to live in the country with a lot of land...A little hard to accomplish with DH working in Seattle. Ah well, maybe someday.

Thanks for the info. I was going to get started on moving and pruning my roses but it has been at freezing the last couple of days. So I think I will wait another couple of weeks. It's hard though when the afternoons are so clear, sunny and beautiful.

 

[DixieDreamer]

marydmjj - we are right in the center of the state. I have forty acres I can slowly encroach upon! LOL!