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Solid feeds
Sprinkle granular or powdered fertilisers thinly over beds and borders in spring, and fork in lightly prior to planting or to ‘top up’ soil nutrient levels as the new growing season begins. (often referred to as a top dressing as opposed to a base dressing, which is applied to the soil and worked in prior to sowing or planting.)
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Solid fertilisers must be dissolved before the nutrients become ‘accessible’ to plants, so water them in well if the soil is dry. The best time to feed beds and borders is in early spring, prior to plant growth.
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‘Greedy’ plants such as sweet peas, clematis, roses and vegetables, will benefit from a mid-summer ‘top up’ - sprinkle fertiliser around plants and water in.
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Don’t bother feeding in late summer. This only encourages a flush of late, lush growth that’ll get hit hard by frosts.
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 | Liquid and soluble feeds
Powders and liquids that are dissolved or diluted with water are more suitable for plants in containers and pots. Nutrients are immediately accessible and applied in the right concentrations.
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This is much easier than working out how much solid feed to apply – a risky occupation. Too much will make a very concentrated solution and burn the roots; too little and the plants will go hungry!
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