# Fertilizer for shrubs



## kur1j (Jul 2, 2017)

Any particular recommendation? Could I just use a balanced fertilizer that I use for my lawn?


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## chrismar (May 25, 2017)

You sure can. I don't get fancy. I just toss a handful of milo around the shrubs when i'm out spreading. Seems to work for me.


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## kur1j (Jul 2, 2017)

I have bermuda so it's extremely hungry for N. Reading labels on boxes of miracle grow has insane amounts of P and K (like 50+) sometimes. Is that more common to push in flowerbed plants?


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## Ecks from Tex (Apr 26, 2018)

kur1j said:


> I have bermuda so it's extremely hungry for N. Reading labels on boxes of miracle grow has insane amounts of P and K (like 50+) sometimes. Is that more common to push in flowerbed plants?


For flowering plants, not for general shrub fertilizer.


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## kur1j (Jul 2, 2017)

@Ecks from Tex

So are there any rules of thumb of amount NPK and how frequently shrubs need fertilizer ? For example we have some azaleas, monkey grass, cyprus shrub thing (kind of like a box wood) only gets 4-5ft tall , gardenias and a few others that have no clue what they are.


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## Ecks from Tex (Apr 26, 2018)

kur1j said:


> So are there any rules of thumb of amount NPK and how frequently shrubs need fertilizer ?


Just keep in mind, not everything needs fertilizer. Not everything needs more N. Organically occurring N is sometimes the healthiest thing for long-term growth. Your lawn is born and dies every year, so lots of nitrogen can be a good thing. Trees and shrubs need to be looked at in the long term.

I do not fertilize many of my mature, established shrubs and trees, although I always make a point to hit my general ornamental shrubs with overspread of Milorganite. Milo is actually a great general purpose fertilizer, so you can actually just let some rip over the landscape barrier and call it "done" for many shrubs and almost all trees. I will fertilize a shrub if I am trying to accomplish some form of growth, if it is a young plant, or if it has chlorosis not related to disease or insects. In those cases, I will use a general purpose tree and shrub fert like Fertilome Tree and Shrub 19-8-10. I use it in conjunction with plant growth regulator to obtain optimal thickness and lateral branching.

A word of caution, before you go laying fert on everything, understand that every species of tree/shrub has a different growing season. You need to understand the growing season because you can harm the shrub with an improperly timed application - do not apply until after growing season has gone into full swing and do not apply late in the growing season. I typically apply a light dose mid-spring and another early summer.

One thing I do on occassion is just mix my backpack sprayer with a 20-20-20 liquid fertilizer and spray some of my shrubs. Gives them a little boost during the growing season and helps them green up/thicken up. This is more of a quick release fert., as opposed to the general fert which is slow release.



> For example we have some azaleas,


These are unique and require special fertilizer that is highly acidic. You can find "azalea fertilizer" in a lot of places, but I have about 50-100 of them and use Fertilome Azalea Systemic Fertilizer (has systemic insect prevention).

Do NOT fertilize azaleas in your hardiness zone after June. And do not prune after June. They need fertilizer within the month after they bloom, and then leave them alone. Their buds begin to set after June, and if you fertilize you are going to push growth and prevent the buds from setting, and they won't bloom properly (or if they do, they won't be timed closely together).



> monkey grass,


Almost impossible to kill so I would never fertilize it anyway. Leave it alone.



> cyprus shrub thing (kind of like a box wood) only gets 4-5ft tall


This is where the general shrub fert. would come into play. If the plant is healthy, though, just let the spreader hit it with some Milo. Don't fertilize for the sake of fertilizing. Save that for the grass.



> gardenias and a few others that have no clue what they are.


When my gardenias are blooming, I will apply a typical shrub fertilizer during their growing season, but I will also apply a 20-20-20 foliar fertilizer to encourage blooming during the season.


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