# How do I fertlize shrubs?



## Movingshrub (Jun 12, 2017)

As a shrub, you would think I would know. Oddly enough, steak and whiskey doesn't work for my plants.

I have ligustrums that I'm trying to fertilize.
http://www.clemson.edu/extension/hgic/plants/pdf/hgic1000.pdf

My understanding is that for ligustrums, they will take a pound of nitrogen, two or three times a year, such as March, May, and July.

My questions are pertaining to the applications.

Can I put the fertilizer over the mulch or do I need to scrape back the mulch, apply fertilizer, water-in, and then reapply the mulch?
Do I need to use a slow release fertilizer, and if so are talking organic or something like PCU/SCU, or can I get away with an all purpose or ammonium sulfate fast release? Lastly, do I need to apply any kind of micronutrient package? Thank you.

These were just planted Fall of 2017, so they are less than a year old, in terms of being transplanted. There were 3-4 gallon sized plants if that gives any indication of actual age.


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## chrismar (May 25, 2017)

I'm probably the worst shrub fertilizerer ever, but whatever I do seems to work for me. I simply toss a handful of 10-10-10 around them in June and late-August/early-September. Besides that they also get whatever milo overthrow there is that gets in their area.

The only things that get special treatment are my fruit trees and hydrangeas. The hydrangeas get ammonium sulfate and sometimes sulfur instead of the 10-10-10. The fruit trees get fertilized a little more often than twice a year.

Oh, and I just toss mine on top of the mulch ahead of a forecasted rain. Seems to work just fine.


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## pennstater2005 (Jul 17, 2017)

I've always just thrown handfuls of Milorganite at the base of all trees and shrubs on my property. It has rates for that on the back of the bag but my handful method hasn't killed anything yet!


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## Mightyquinn (Jan 31, 2017)

I got a bag of "shrub" fertilizer many many years ago from JDL(SiteOne now) and I just throw out a few handfuls of fertilizer in the flower beds in the Spring and maybe late Summer/early Fall if remember. Seems to do the trick, once they are established they really don't need too much to keep them alive.


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

I just intentionally 'overthrow' a little of whatever fertilizer I'm spreading with my broadcast spreader into the beds.


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## Mightyquinn (Jan 31, 2017)

Ware said:


> I just intentionally 'overthrow' a little of whatever fertilizer I'm spreading with my broadcast spreader into the beds.


I've done this too  :thumbup:


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## SGrabs33 (Feb 13, 2017)

+1 handful of 10-10-10 in the spring


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## rockinmylawn (Mar 25, 2018)

Milo or 10-10-10 for my 20 + Green Giants & 10+ shrub varieties around our beds.


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