Why do people recommend to fertilize in the spring and warm months. Don't roots need some food during Autumn?

Question

I laid some pine bark mulch down and sprinked it with some slow release food because I just planted a bunch of baby plants. About half I expect to transplant to a new location next Spring so maybe they wont even reap all the slow release benifits.

I don't have the balance numbers in front of me, but it was an all purpose fertilizer. I recall also it was ok for house plants. I'm not really read up on the slow release granular fertilizers, but I remembering hearing not go crazy with the stuff (for that matter, not to go crazy with watering) because plants should not be babied over the long haul. They need to be ready to survive the honest conditions of their environment. Since this was a late planting, and the soil is crap I did it anyway.

But, I read that Fall is when the plant roots really start exploring the dirt. I figured I would give them a reason to explore.

With other clients, I used a liquid salmon spray from "Tom's of Maine". Whats the difference between them?

Answer 1

If you are going to fertilize in the fall, go with a fertilizer that is higher in iron and lower in nitrogen. (I'm blanking on the one that we use, but I believe its 5-5-10 + iron) Iron is good for the roots while nitrogen is what makes your grass (and other plants) all green and lush but at the expense of the roots. Its ok to help the roots along in the fall, but in general, yes, its bad to have a plant growing like crazy right before it needs to go dormant. The plant is better served storing its energy in its root system, not in pushing up new green growth.

Answer 2

I agree with Westward.

In general, fertilizing in the fall isn't recommended. Most commercial fertilizers are chemicals that are high in Nitrogen (the first number on the front of the fert. package). Nitrogen encourages top growth, which may be damaged in the winter.

You can selectively apply fertilizer in the fall. First avoid chemical fertilizers, use organics in the fall. Chemical types are released by water dissolving them and in the fall we have a lot of water. Organics are released by bio-organisms that break them down. This only occurs when the soil is warm enough, so when the soil organisms go dormant, so does the fertilizer. Second, Low or No Nitrogen. Third, apply only as the leaves are dropping, or gone. This will prevent any "spurt" of growth.

Fall fertilizer application isn't for the faint of heart.

Oh... and I liked the soil amendment part of Westwards answer too. Iron, Sulpher or whatever could be added safely in the fall, as they do not encourage new growth.

I hope that this helps
Good luck-

Answer 3

Spring and summer are the active growing periods, so that is when food is needed and utilized the most by the plant. In autumn, the plant is taking the food and storing it as it prepares for dormancy, a period of non-vegetative growth, i.e. no more leaves, but roots may still be growing. So the fertilizer would be redundant if given at a time when the plant cannot use it. Hope this helps.

Answer 4

Don't fertilize in fall because it encourages new growt ata time when teh plants are starting to go dormant. Usually they have one last good growth of their own (hopefully from some fertilizer from earlier this year) and they doa good job of bouncing back after the heat subsides abit......dont' we all! ... and then they sleep. If you fertilize now, the tender roots will make even more "New" roots that may freeze. It is like a foot on teh brake and one on the gas...not good for plants! Never fertilize Roses after Aug first either. New roots aren't deep enough to keep from harm from the cold.

Answer 5

Sometimes I'll look up information on my plants when needed, and there had been several times when I came across data on certain plants that say to fertilize in the fall or beginning of winter. So I think it depends on the plant.

Answer 6

If you fertilize in the winter, you are stimulating the plant growth at a time when most plants go somewhat dormant. And new growth is more suseptible to freeze damage.

Answer 7

For outdoor shrubs and trees, nothing beats OSMOCOTE slow-release fertilizer. I use 18-6-12 analysis.