Your Vegetable Garden and Flower Bed

First and foremost, you must prepare your soil before planting. You may want to do a soil test to determine what nutrients your soil has or is lacking. Soil testing will provide you with details on supplying your soil with the right amount of nutrients.

Once you've applied fertilizer before planting, it's just a matter of watching your plants' health as they grow. Keep an eye out for yellowing or slow growth, which indicates a lack of nitrogen, the nutrient plants need most during the growing season. If you spot this, apply a nitrogen fertilizer. Use the directions on the bag for the recommended application amount.

For your flowers, apply a phosphorus fertilizer in the spring before planting to promote strong root development and good blooming and flowering. During their growth, flowers may or may not require additional fertilizer. You should only need to add fertilizer if your soil fertility is low. You can determine what your soil fertility is by taking it in for a soil test.