How Often Do I Fertilize a Garden With Miracle-Gro®?

When you want the very best vegetable garden for your hard work, using a fertilizer such as Miracle-GroŽ can help bring the right balance of nutrients to the soil and create more vibrant, healthy and productive plants. Different plants do have different fertilization requirements, and your soil may need other additives such as lime or sulfur to adjust acidity levels.

The best time to fertilize the garden is in the fall after the current year's crops have been tilled under. A soil test kit, which is available at most garden centers, can determine what your garden will need for optimum growth conditions during the next season. When you fertilize in the fall, this allows all the nutrients to work into the soil through the winter months, so that you start your crops with the best soil possible.

Some plants require more fertilizer than others. Vegetables such as tomatoes, cabbage, sweet corn, onions and potatoes need more fertilizer than do watermelons, turnips, peas or beans. Fertilizers should not be applied directly to the plant, but instead in a circle around the base, so that the root system can soak up the valuable nutrients.

In addition to the initial soil application in the fall, you should feed your garden every seven to 14 days, depending upon the specific plant needs. Miracle-GroŽ offers a wide range of foods that come in powders, spikes and sprays. Follow the directions for the specific product being used, and consult with gardening experts if you are uncertain of how much fertilizer a specific fruit or vegetable will need. A local agricultural extension office can provide quick answers to these types of gardening questions.