What do i feed my perenial borders with

Discussion in 'General Gardening Discussion' started by Kennyhicks, Apr 14, 2020.

  1. Kennyhicks

    Kennyhicks Gardener

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    Morning i have mulched my beds with compost. Ive never fed them with anything before they are only two years old. They are perenial boarders ehat should i feed them with to get best growth and flowering plants.

    Plants in the beds include geum, ice plants, rudbekea, nepeter, verbena, just normal cottage garden plants
     
  2. rustyroots

    rustyroots Total Gardener

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    Morning Kennyhicks,

    It probably would have been better to feed before mulching as the feed will need tickling into the ground an inch or so and will mean disturbing the mulch. Whereas you could have just scattered the fed and mulched over the top. You can still feed now though. I personally use chicken manure pellets but BFB or growmore would be fine. The compost that you mulched with will add nutrients to the ground as it breaks down so you may not need any feed. I am running a trial in my borders this year. One has just been mulched and one has been fed.

    Rusty
     
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    • Kennyhicks

      Kennyhicks Gardener

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      Ah right okay. Shall i leave it 6 months then and feed again eith the chicken pellets maybe. Ive been gardening for years for my auntie but only had free rane on my owm for two years so still learning
       
    • Kristen

      Kristen Under gardener

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      better not to feed (with Nitrogen, such as Chicken Pellets) into the Autumn, as it will encourage soft growth.

      I would feed now regardless of the mulch already added. I agree with @rustyroots that feed before mulch would get it to the plants more quickly, and mulching in the Spring would not only allow fertiliser-under-mulch, but also allow the soil to warm up first - instead of insulating-the-cold in. Needs-must in my case and I tend to mulch in the Winter 'coz too many jobs in the spring ...
       
    • Kennyhicks

      Kennyhicks Gardener

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      Okay thanks ill get some grow more. You have to make. Mistakes to get the right answers!
       
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