Fall Fertilization: What Your Garden Really Needs Now
Gardens need nutrients to thrive, but when’s the right time to fertilize? Though spring is generally the best season for feeding, you can fertilize your plants in the fall, with a few exceptions. Learn what your garden really needs now with seasoned grower and former landscaper Jerad Bryant.
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We rarely stop to think about the nutrients sitting in the soil, but they’re crucial to the health of our gardens. Nutrients enable grasses to push out fresh blades, and they help longstanding shrubs put down thick, strong roots.
Without nutrients, your plants will look tired and worn by the end of the season. They’ll need some help to look good for next year. Fall fertilization helps woody perennials prepare for the winter, and it encourages a green lawn for future seasons.
Though it’s good to fertilize in the fall, overfertilizing has drastic consequences you’ll want to avoid. A little fertilization goes a long way. Overfertilized perennials grow floppy and weak, and they’ll produce tender growth now that’ll turn mushy after the first frost.
Here, we’ll guide you through the process of fall fertilization to make sure you get it right. Let’s dig in!
The Garden Needs Mulch
Rather than focusing on fall fertilization now, consider adding mulch instead! Mulch is a term for any soil amendment that you use to cover and feed the ground. Common mulches include compost, wood chips, and straw.
As mulch decays and breaks down, it leaches nutrients into the soil. Worms break down the particles into humus, a valuable soil byproduct. Humus is porous and absorbent. It holds onto air and water for plant roots to access.
The more you mulch, the better your garden will be. Bare soil leads to frost damage, pests, and diseases, and it threatens the health of your plants. Start the fall season right with a fresh layer of mulch.
Keep It Low and Slow
Mulch is ideal to add because it decays slowly over time, unlike fertilizer, which is quick-acting. It has additional benefits, too, like protecting plant roots from cold weather. With regular mulching, your perennials will require little fall fertilization to thrive.
Two or three additions of mulch a year will suffice. Add a layer two to three inches thick, and rake it so it’s level throughout the site. Water the amendment well to help it settle in your garden.
Fertilizers feed plants, while mulches feed the soil, which feeds the plants. It’s better to feed the soil than the plants. Healthy soils are resilient to harsh extremes. They foster worms, fungi, bacteria, and other organisms that create a thriving ecosystem belowground.
Use Organic Mulch
So, what mulches should you use? It’s best to use an organic mulch, not a synthetic one. Synthetic, inorganic mulches, like plastic sheeting, don’t decay. They sit on the soil and protect it, but they don’t nourish and feed it.
You may use a synthetic type if you’d like, though I recommend going with organic mulches when possible. Organic types decay readily; simply put them in the garden and watch them break down. With synthetic sheets, you’ll need to replace them once a year or more often before they break into tiny pieces.
Aside from compost, try any of these organic mulches:
- Leaf mold
- Fallen leaves
- Plant clippings
- Straw
- Coco coir
- Wood chips (for woody perennials)
- Composted manure
- Grass trimmings
Or, instead of mulch, grow a cover crop! Cover crops feed the soil while they grow, and you can till their top growth into the ground in spring. Legumes, like fava beans and winter peas, boost the soil by converting nitrogen from the atmosphere into a form that’s usable by garden plants.
Fertilize Lawns, Trees, and Shrubs
Some plants benefit from fall fertilization, namely, woody perennials and grass lawns. These plants are actively preparing for the winter season. Once the days begin shortening and temperatures fall, plants respond to the changes by making some of their own.
Trees begin pulling in nutrients from their leaves to store in their roots, which is why leaves change colors during the fall season. Lawns push out fresh green growth before pulling their nutrients into the roots for the winter. A fall fertilizer application helps these species grow ample roots in time for the oncoming harsh winter weather.
When fertilizing, follow the package’s instructions for proper application rates. Avoid overfertilizing, and consider testing the soil first if you’re unsure how fertile it is. The test will tell you how many or few nutrients are in the ground, so you can add ones that are missing.
When fertilizing, use a well-balanced organic type with a formulation like 5-5-5 or 10-10-10. Water the site well to help the product leach into the ground.
Avoid Salt-Based Fertilizer
Synthetic fertilizers are salt-based and quick-acting. They feed plant roots, whereas organic fertilizers feed the soil. They work well for quick relief; however, they have lasting effects on the soil food web.
Fertilization with salt-based products kills organisms, which can lead to plants being fertilizer-dependent in your garden. The fewer bacteria and fungi there are to break down macromolecules, the fewer nutrients there will be for your garden in the long run. You’ll need to fertilize more often and in higher doses.
Instead, opt for organic fertilizers. It’s more difficult to overfertilize with them, as they decay over time like mulches do. They contain things like bone, blood, and feather meal, or vegan options like alfalfa meal.
Warm Climate Exceptions
Some growers may want to fertilize year-round! Growers in sunny Southern California, Florida, Puerto Rico, and Hawaii may grow crops through the winter season. The winter in these regions is considerably mild, and it’s a great season to grow cold crops.
If you garden in the winter in one of these regions, you may fertilize through fall and winter. Pair fall fertilization with mulching for expert results.
Some plants are heavy feeders, while others need little or no fertilization. First, research what your plants prefer, then give them what they need to thrive. Overfertilizing is just as deadly as underfertilizing, and it’s easy to do during the fall season. A little research goes a long way!
Key Takeaways
- Fall fertilization helps garden plants survive the winter.
- Woody trees and shrubs, and grass lawns benefit from fall fertilization.
- When in doubt, add compost. Mulching in the fall is a great way to deliver nutrients.
- Mulching has many more benefits than fertilization, though they both have their places. Use whichever method works best for your garden, or try both to help hungry specimens.
- Warm-weather gardeners are lucky! You may cultivate the garden and fertilize year-round for endless harvests.
Frequently Asked Questions
How late is too late for fall fertilization?
You may fertilize up until the first harsh frost. After the frost, plants will enter dormancy, and they won’t require fertilization until spring. Some more sensitive plants like hydrangeas and roses should receive their last fertilization no later than one month before frost.
What fertilizer should I use in the fall?
Use an organic, well-balanced type. A 5-5-5 or 10-10-10 formulation should work well for most garden species.
Can I fertilize my lawn in October?
If the lawn is still actively growing, then yes, you may! Don’t fertilize the lawn if it’s no longer growing and frosts are abundant in your region.
