How to Fertilize Perennial Plants

Many people who have a garden choose to keep some their plants perennial so that they can have color to look at throughout the year. Perennials are great for people who do not like to constantly be replacing plants because that can cost you quite a bit of money. In order to make sure that your perennials bloom every year, you need to properly fertilize them.

• Collect soil samples from the planting area to have it tested by a laboratory. You should dig about 6-inch holes throughout the areas so that you know that you got a good enough sample for the lab to test. The laboratory testing may not be free, so you may need to have some extra money ready. The laboratory will test your soil for pH levels so that you know what you need to add to the soil to give your plants the best growing conditions.


• Pour some liquid fertilizer around your perennials at the beginning of spring, which around the end of March. You should follow the instructions as to how much fertilizer you should pour because too much can damage the plants to a point where they will not bloom properly. You should choose a fertilizer based upon the test results of your soil because certain fertilizers are more acidic than others.


• Continue giving your plants fertilizer throughout the summer to help them stay bloomed. Usually, you should give your plants fertilizer at six-week intervals to make sure that they are receiving enough nutrients, but not too much of a certain nutrient. Once you flowers have begun to bloom, you can apply one more round of fertilizer to help the plants stay bloomed for as long as possible.