# General Purpose Flower Bed Fert



## JayGo (Jun 13, 2019)

Is there a general fertilizer for flower beds? I've got a mix of the usual Texas flowers/plants....nothing exotic. Or do most of you guys rely on your turf fert?


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## gm560 (Feb 22, 2018)

I use the Espoma line and/or Osmocote for extended feed. Mix it in with the soil when planting annuals and give a little hit to ornamentals and perennials in the spring. For the heavy feeding annuals, I continue to feed throughout the season with a water soluble 20-20-20. I am also not shy about letting some lawn fertilizer make its way into the beds.


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## corneliani (Apr 2, 2019)

Typically a slow release 1-1-1 is what's used on shrubs and flower beds as a general fertilizer. You can get more specific to your planting needs where you go high on Phosphorous (for flowering) and lower on N (for reduced foiiage/growth), for example... but that requires know-how of your particular plantings.

For annuals the soluble ferts really work wonders!


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## FATC1TY (Jul 12, 2017)

The soluble stuff, what are y'all using? Spraying and then giving it a good watering immediately after?


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## gm560 (Feb 22, 2018)

I bought 25 lbs of this stuff a few years back and have it in a big ol' tub.

https://www.amazon.com/Grow-More-5010-Fertilizer-20-20-20/dp/B00S7IM3UC

Nothing special about this. It's probably the same thing as MiracleGro, Jack's, etc. It was just really cheap to buy in bulk.

I spray it with an ortho hose end. Every week or two. I dont wash it in. It feeds foliar, too.


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## JayGo (Jun 13, 2019)

I'm glad I'm getting into the sprayer game. It's encouraging to hear that you guys are using it to feed the flower beds.
Now, if my sprayer would just get here.


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## Cluelessone (Sep 23, 2020)

I wouldn't go X-X-X on a fertilizer, I'd go X-X*2-X.

That's just what I use personally. I will use specific fertilizers on shrubs and trees, because their needs are different.

Same way you wouldn't fertilize veggies with an X-X-X, unless you want lots of leaves.


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## gm560 (Feb 22, 2018)

Cluelessone said:


> I wouldn't go X-X-X on a fertilizer, I'd go X-X*2-X.
> 
> That's just what I use personally. I will use specific fertilizers on shrubs and trees, because their needs are different.
> 
> Same way you wouldn't fertilize veggies with an X-X-X, unless you want lots of leaves.


I used to try to get the "right" product for each plant type and growth stage... bloom boosters, starters, etc. Until I met a neighbor who is a master gardener. She told me its, for the most part, a ploy to sell more fertilizer. Especially for annuals. She used 20-20-20 and had garden to die for. Since then I have followed her lead and just use 20-20-20 on all my annuals as fast release with no noticeable drop off. I am still particular in the Veggie Garden, and use a different product for acid loving plants, etc.


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## Cluelessone (Sep 23, 2020)

gm560 said:


> Cluelessone said:
> 
> 
> > I wouldn't go X-X-X on a fertilizer, I'd go X-X*2-X.
> ...


Oh I don't go that crazy. Starting out, plants get (typically) a 4-4-4. Once established and I want more blooms, everything gets a 5-10-5. I add blood/bone meal for specific plants (woody flowering), but otherwise they all get the same.

Some plants also *want* poor soil, so I skip the fert around them.


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