Pensacola News Journal

For: Saturday, April 6, 2002

By: Daniel E. Mullins

Extension Horticulture Agent

Santa Rosa County

Overcome the Scrawny Flower and Vegetable Syndrome

Transplanted northerners and westerners encounter gardening challenges soon after moving to the Gulf Coast. “I can’t grow flowers here” or, “I can’t grow vegetables here” are among the most frequent comments.

Last Tuesday at the plant clinic was no exception. Two different gardeners made such comments. As it turned out, one was from Iowa and the other from New Jersey. Anyone can garden successfully where there is rich, loamy soil and a short growing season.

A northerner once asked a local tomato grower how long he would be selling. He said that he would have tomatoes for about six weeks. “Up north we have them all summer”, was the reply. His answer was “Yeah, both weeks”.

The Florida transplant must learn how to manage soil fertility in order to successfully grow flowers and vegetables. Since most gardeners reside along the coast, deep infertile sands are the norm. These sands don’t hold certain plant nutrients for long periods of time and must be supplemented periodically.

I know that “up north” all that you have to do is spread some fertilizer, prepare and plant. Some of those rich soils have a great buffering capacity and are able to slowly release nutrients over the entire season (both weeks!) as needed. Try that here, and within 5 or 6 weeks you will have pale, anemic plants.

Supplemental fertilization is the key to having vigorous, productive flowers and vegetables. This practice is known as sidedressing by local farmers. On sandy sites nitrogen and potassium should be supplemented approximately once each month during the growing season, or after every heavy rainy period.

A basic, balanced garden fertilizer can be used when preparing to plant. For supplemental applications during the season then use a product without phosphorus. Examples include fertilizer with an analysis such as 15-0-15, 15-0-14 and 20-0-20.

Think “spoon feeding” when sidedressing or making these light, more frequent fertilizer applications. It does no good to apply large amounts. They don’t last any longer and can burn plants.

Sidedressing Tips

n Granular fertilizer of these analyses can be sprinkled lightly at the edge of each plant’s canopy and watered in. Use about 1 pound per 100 square feet or per 100 feet of row.

n Liquid, or soluble fertilizer also works well if applied correctly. Read the label carefully before mixing because some soluble products are used for both soil and leaf application. Mix at the soil application rate and soak the soil around plants with the solution. Foliar applications, using low rates, might green up plants, but the effects are shorter lived.

n Gardeners with limited time should consider the coated or slow release products. Some of these, though more expensive than standard dry fertilizers, can release nutrients for months.

n Organic gardeners can sidedress with such products as cottonseed, soybean alfalfa meal. They are not likely to burn plants, but are slow acting. The meals should be applied about 2 or 3 weeks before the plants are projected to need the nutrients.

n It is possible to amend even a sandy site to the point that supplemental fertilizer applications are not required. This is often done by organic gardeners and others who incorporate large amounts of organic amendments such as composts and manures. Though it normally takes years to amend the soil to such an extent, many say that it is worth the effort.

Question of the Week: How can I be sure that the danger of a late frost has passed?

Answer: You won’t get a guarantee from anyone, but there are a couple of common local plants that are rarely fooled. Pecan trees and muscadine grapes generally don’t sprout spring growth until after the last frost.