Reminder: Fertilize Spring Blooming Shrubs Now

Andromeda (Pieris Japonica)covered in spring blooms.



Spring-flowering shrubs set their flower buds on new growth. This usually happens during the summer. If you prune back the forsythia, lilacs, azaleas, Andromeda, or rhododendron last fall, you would have been removing many of this spring's flowers. (Spring-flowering shrubs, should be pruned back immediately after they flower in the spring.)

But now is the time to fertilize spring-flowering plants to encourage new growth and the setting of next year's buds.

You can use an all purpose fertilizer, like Plant-tone or for acid loving shrubs like Azaleas, Rhododendrons, Andromeda (Peiris), and Mountain Laurel, you can use Holly-tone.

Another option is a top dressing of compost, compost tea, or composted manure. We love a new product called Moo-plus. It is organic, dehydrated, composted manure with more available nitrogen, phosphate and potash.