the first question ... is... what did the soil test show.. that was lacking from your soil ...

the second... what plants are we talking about ...

the third.. why do you believe they are like children.. and need to be fed ...

i have never... fertilized a shrub.. ever ... and i dont believe they ever need it.. in any kind of soil ... [take a deep breath gal ... i made gloriously large 'absolute' statements ... ignore it ... lol]

at this house.. i am in yellow glacial sand ... not the slightest of what might called.. a rich soil ... but lots of drainage ... i insert shrubs.. water for one season.. and they are free range forever after ...

i also ... wasted a hundred dollars on an injector ... and never really was convinced it did anything ... if you want info on such ... look for irrigation websites ... but think long and hard.. if the investment is worth it ... i say no.. for the common homeowner ...

ken

If you have some specific reason you think you need to fertilize, choose a granular fertilizer with the right formulation for your situation and broadcast that around the shrubs, at the recommended rate and water it in.

Do not waste time and money on fertilizing when it is not called for, or applying liquid fertilizers to plants growing in the ground.

It is also not just a matter of applying fertilizer that is not needed being a waste of time, it can also be detrimental - it is quite possible to poison your plants and soil with unneeded fertilizer product ingredients, particularly trace metals and phosphorus.

LOL!! Ken, your comment made me laugh........you are incorrigible!!

And while I won't go to the absolutes that Ken does, I do agree with both of the previous reponses. There is absolutely no need to fertilize shrubs or trees on any sort of routine basis - only when a soil test or the plants themselves tell you something is lacking. Over-fertilizing or fertilizing when not necessary is often more damaging to the plants and surrounding ecology than never fertilizing at all.

I'd suggest you consider mulching annually instead with a good organic mulch. As it breaks down, it will provide nutrient supplementation to the soil as well as prevent rain or irrigation water from leaching out existing nutrients. And I also agree that a granular fert applied to the soil around the root zone of the specific plant, if needed, is a much more efficient delivery system than liquids.

HereâÂÂs the reason I want to fertilize. Two years ago I planted a lot of shrubs (5-6 varieties), tiny ones, since I couldnâÂÂt afford mature ones. One area is pretty small, another one really big. After one year, the plants barely increased size if any at all. This year I fertilized only the ones on the small area with a liquid fertilizer. Both areas have been covered with mulch since the beginning. The difference between the two areas now is really noticeable, with the one that was fed having much bigger plants than the one that wasnâÂÂt fed at all. So next year, before the growing season, I want to feed the shrubs on the large area too. The reason I want to use a liquid fertilizer is because all the ones that are granules say to mix them with the top soil and I am not physically able to do that on so many shrubs.

Can I just sprinkle the granules without mixing them with the soil?

On another note, the comment from gardengal48 reminded me IâÂÂll have mulch reapplied sometime soon. Is there a specific one that you recommend?

Thank you for all your advice!

Generally, fertilizing just to promote more rapid plant growth is not a great idea. Plants that are stimulated by chemical fertilizers into fast growth are typically less drought and cold tolerant and more prone to insect and disease issues.

Plants take time to establish. That means several growing seasons in the ground before they start displaying a typical rate of growth. Usually it is just providing adequate water that facilitates proper establishment. In most cases, the nutrients the plants need for proper growth are already present in the soil, especially if the soil has been amended or improved at all. Supplementing with fertilizers is unnecessary - what you really need is patience :-)

Granular applications are more efficient at delivering nutrients than broadcast spraying. If you use granular organic fertilizers, they do not need to be incorporated into the soil and they are also unlikely to leach into groundwater, as synthetic/chemical ferts are inclined to.

Any plant-based mulch will work fine. Many folks favor woody mulches - bark, wood chips, etc. I prefer a compost type mulch, both for appearance and because it more readily offers a wider nutrient range. There is also no issue with nutrient tie up like you can encounter with wood mulches, should they get inadvertantly mixed into the soil. But it is also very fertile, so a good growing medium for weeds and it needs to be replaced more frequently.

Gardengal48, what brand of compost type mulch do you use?

Thanks you!

Various :-) When I had a large garden, I purchased bulk compost from a local bulk soil provider. I used about 15 yards at a time.

Now with a significantly smaller garden, I use a bagged product from Kelloggs. If you are in CA, look at your local independent garden center (not home improvement store) for Kellogg products, usually sold under the labels Gardner & Bloome or Master Nursery. Same stuff, just different labelling.

Or if available, you can use your own compost.