To feed or not to feed

maypole

I get a bit confused when I here some gardeners say that some plants flower well on poor soil, and if you feed them too much there is alot of leaf growth and no flowers, never know what to do

Witsend_2

Don't feed wild flowers do feed bedding plants and anything long lasting ie perenials, fruiting bushes /plants. I hope this helps:D

maypole

Witsend wrote: »

Don't feed wild flowers do feed bedding plants and anything long lasting ie perenials, fruiting bushes /plants. I hope this helps:D

Thank you, yes it does:T

Supergirl_3

Nasturtiums like poor soil. Dirty dusty soil and they'll thrive!
Wildflowers I wouldn't even bother watering much, they thrive wherever and whatever conditions I've found.
I don't personally feed anything, you will get a better longer lasting bloom if you do though, just make sure you read the instructions as I've found in the past it is easy to kill off plants with feed (hence why I now don't feed anything!)

maypole

Thank you supergirl. It's just that some people seem to have luscious looking plants in their garden.
My friend planted some lavender, now I thought that it liked poor soil, but they have rich soil and the display is fabulous, I have never had much luck with lavender. I have a sandyish soil, I live by the sea. I have a lot of shrubs suited to the seaside, but I want some colour too.

Davesnave

Also, flowers that give you a double show need a boost of fertilizer mid-season. For example,astrantias, hybrid verbascums, oriental poppies and some campanulas can be cut back after flowering in June/July and they'll give a repeat performance in the autumn.

Not sure it's really good for the plant, but if they're fed it should reduce the stress a bit. They're going to do it anyway. I use Osmacote, raked into the soil, but you could use chicken poo or any slow release product, plus one or two liquid feeds.

Supergirl_3

I keep my 4 yr old lavendar in a big pot and it's survived being moved into the garden several times and back to a pot again, not always had compost so have used not very good soil - it doesnt seem to mind what it's in to be honest. I think the trick might be to keep it potted for a few years till it's a reasonable size then it seems impossible to have a bad showing on it, and I didn't water mine for ages just left it to the rain and elemants and still it grew - wish they were all like that!

maypole

Thanks, might give that a go.