How to Feed Bed and Border Plants

Border plants have dramatic blooms.

Bed and border plants need a balanced diet to grow and develop well. Although they obtain most of their food from the soil and by photosynthesis, they almost always benefit from some extra feeding. Fertilizers are available in several different forms, but whichever type you choose, make sure you apply it at the rate and frequency suggested by the manufacturer, avoiding hot, dry conditions and heavy rain.

Things You'll Need

• Fertilizer Manure Water

Instructions

1. Let the cold weather pass. Feed border plants when they start new growth, usually in early spring. Most fertilizers are best applied when the plant is growing actively, but feeding outside during this period may promote soft growth that is easily damaged in cold weather, therefore be sure the last frost has passed.

2. Check your soil conditions in relation to your bedding plants' needs. The precise makeup of fertilizers varies: those with high nitrogen levels promote foliage production; those with a high proportion of phosphorus encourage flowering and fruiting; those with high potassium levels encourage healthy roots and hardening of growth. Some fertilizers are made especially for use on acid-loving or lime-hating plants.

3. Use foliar fertilizers. Available as powders or liquids, these are diluted and then sprayed onto the foliage; any liquid that runs off is taken up by the roots. Avoid applying in direct sunlight to prevent scorching.

4. Feed border plants with granular fertilizers. These are sprinkled around individual plants or over the whole bed or border. Avoid scattering them directly on a plant, since the leaves may be scorched.

5. Apply liquid fertilizer. Dilute liquid fertilizer before using it on border plants. Apply liquid fertilizer to the root area. Since the fertilizer is already in a soluble form, it is taken up rapidly by the roots.

6. Use fertilizer sticks to feed bed and border plants. These slowly disintegrate when inserted around the root area, releasing the fertilizer.

7. Apply animal manure. Animal manure is organic and contains natural food materials. Sprinkle it around the bed or along the border.

8. Employ slow-release fertilizer granules for long-term effects without having to feed periodically. The granules contain fertilizer that is slowly released from a resin-like shell. They are easily incorporated into the soil at planting. The fertilizer is released over several months into the beds.