Page 52 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 126

52 Issue #126 July 2023 www.sportsenergynews.com

Let It Grow – Boost me up, Buttercup!

By Marion Daley Cabbage, cauliflower, and broccoli can
benefit from more fertilizer three weeks after
transplanting. Peas, beans, cucumbers, and
e like to fortify our own vitality level
Wwith java, energy drinks, and nutrient muskmelons can benefit after blossoming
packed smoothies. Some plants may also begins. Peppers, eggplant, and tomatoes
need a boost during the growing season. benefit after the first fruit sets. Tomatoes
Truly the best way to determine what could also use more after picking your first
your soil needs are is to watch your plants tomato, and then another time a month later.
growth and determine the success of that Sweet corn can benefit when plants are 8
growth. If your plants are doing well in the to 10 inches tall, and then one week after
soil that they are planted in, in the area that tassels appear. Spinach, kale, mustard, and
it is planted in, leave well enough alone. turnip greens can benefit when plants are
Amending your soil at the beginning and about one-third grown.
end of the growing season is often the You can make your own organic
most effective way to provide the proper fertilizers with ingredients that you already
nutrients. have on hand.
Vegetable gardens are more likely to Eggshells are 93% calcium carbonate,
benefit from some additional fertilizing which is the scientific name for lime.
during the growing season. Because the Simply wash out your eggshells, then crush
plants use up the nutrients already found in them and throw them into your garden. Or,
the soil as they work at producing their fruits if you prefer not to have the shells in your
during the summer months, giving them gardens, you can make a tea. Pour boiling
a boost is often recommended. The most water over the shells and let them sit for
supportive organic fertilizers are composted several days. Then strain the shells out and
manure, bone meal, worm castings, and pour the ‘tea’ on the base of the plants.
household compost. Additionally, you could Use the weeds that you have pulled from
add rock dust, blood meal, fish emulsion. your gardens to make weed tea. To do this,
If you wish to use a bag of commercially fill a five-gallon bucket no more than 1/4
produced fertilizer, look for one that has full of weeds that you’ve pulled. Then fill
nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus in the the bucket the rest of the way with water and Photo Submitted
package. let the weeds soak for a week or two. Once the water turns nice and brown (like tea), the nutrients, but for the organic matter
pour over the base of the plants. This that will improve the soil health.
nutrient-rich weed tea can benefit almost On the other hand, perennial flowers,
any plant. ground covers, and grasses generally
Coffee grounds will benefit plants don’t need a lot of fertilizer, and, in fact,
such as blueberries, rhododendron, some will react negatively if too much is
azaleas, roses, hydrangeas, radishes, applied. An over-fertilized perennial will
carrots, and tomatoes. These plants reward gardeners with excess growth that
thrive in acidic soils. You can either top flops over and becomes leggy half-way
dress by sprinkling the used grounds over through the season. Over-fertilization
the surface of the soil, or you can make can also affect bloom performance,
“coffee” to pour on your gardens. Soak producing ample foliage at the expense
up to six cups of used coffee grounds for of blooms. And many gardeners prefer
up to a week to make garden coffee, then to sprinkle a fertilizer pellet, ‘shake
use it to water your acid-loving plants. and feed,’ over the gardens and in their
Epsom salt, which is high in the planters once every couple of weeks. This
mineral magnesium, can help plants in is a slow-release fertilizer that requires
a vegetable garden produce larger, more water to release the nutrients.
flavorful fruits and vegetables. The more
chlorophyll a plant produces, the more In conclusion, just like humans,
sugar it produces, which results in sweeter gardens have some specific needs, and we
and more flavorful fruits and vegetables. have to choose carefully. Pay attention
This is particularly good for pepper and to how well your plants grow, keep a
tomato plants and rose bushes. little diary to record your successes and
Adding a bit of compost or manure failures, and keep on moving on.
from time to time is a good idea – not for Happy Plotting!