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Fertilizing the Garden

The first summer no extra fertilizing will be required, provided the beds have been made as recommended, but after the first year has elapsed the food supply that is annually drawn from the soil must be replaced each season if it is desired to maintain the fertility of the soil.

No arbitrary rules can be laid down on this subject as the fertilizer used, and the amount it is advisable to apply, vary with the needs of the individual plants, the soil conditions and the season. It has previously been stated that during hot, damp weather plants, especially annuals, grow a pace without extra stimulation applied during the summer, in fact under such conditions additions of fertilizers, especially those rich in nitrogen such as, nitrate of soda, dried blood, sheep and hen manures will only tend to increase the tendency there is of excessive leaf growth at the expense of bloom. Too much feeding is as harmful as too little, and in this phase of garden culture experience is the greatest teacher.

Generally speaking an annual top dressing applied spring or fall, of well-rotted cow manure, is exceedingly [171] beneficial, not only because of the essential plant food elements it contains, but also for the humus it adds to the soil greatly improving its physical condition, making it more retentive of moisture and warmer, besides increasing the activities of soil bacteria. Soils devoid of humus and enriched year after year solely by means of commercial fertilizers become acid, hard and unproductive. No garden should go for more than two years without the addition of either manure or leaf mold. If this top dressing of manure has been applied the previous fall, in the spring after the winter protection has been removed a light sprinkling over the surface of the beds of pulverized sheep manure and wood ashes, mixed in equal proportions, will prove an excellent spring tonic. In soils overly rich in nitrogen omit the sheep manure, using only the wood ashes, which are used chiefly to promote root growth and to strengthen the wood. Sheep manure becomes available quickly and is of use in encouraging a healthy top growth. It is always well to have a supply of it on hand to apply to any backward plants or to those making a poor leaf growth. The amount to give varies from 1 teaspoonful to 2 or 3 tablespoonfuls, depending upon the vigor and size of the plants. Small, spindly, weak plants cannot stand so much rich food as the more healthy ones. In gardens where liquid manure is not used, [172]