Things You'll Need:
- Soil pH test kit
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Step 1
Contact your county extension office or pick up a soil test kit at the local garden supply store. A pH test is the best way to find out what nutrients are missing from the soil in your yard. You can supplement soil nutrients by selecting the right combination of nourishing ingredients.
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Step 2
Learn how to read fertilizer packages. Most commercial fertilizers come with three different numbers on the label. Each number represents the percentage of one of the three key nutrients present in the mixture. If the label says 14-14-16, then you know the fertilizer contains 14 percent nitrogen, 14 percent phosphates and 16 percent potassium.
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Step 3
Dig a hole measuring roughly three times the diameter of your bulb. Add a small amount of plant food or nourishing fertilizer to the hole, and add about 1/2 an inch of potting soil. Plant the bulb and completely cover it with potting soil. A small amount of fertilizer in the soil helps nourish the plant as the roots grow. Be sure to cover the fertilizer with soil so the bulb doesn't come in contact with it.
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Step 4
Feed and fertilize perennial flowers when the first blooms start to appear in the early spring months. Be sure to read the directions carefully to achieve the proper concentration levels. Don't pour fertilizer directly over the top of blooms. Make sure to keep it at least 1 inch away from plant stems as well.
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Step 5
Fertilize your flowers every 3 weeks as needed during the peak growth season in the spring. Look for a high phosphorous fertilizer if you want your spring flowers to come back even stronger next year. Look for an all-purpose fertilizer if you want to feed several different types of flowers and plants.
