Fertilizing During the Winter?! Yes!

It is hard to believe that it is 2019 and that we are one month into winter. Here in Santa Fe, we are experiencing more snow and subzero temperature than we have seen in many years. While your impulse may be to hibernate, it is important to not neglect your outdoors areas during these chilly months.

During winter, the last thing on your mind is probably getting outside to fertilize your plants. However, for optimum growth and plant health in spring, winter fertilizing is a must. But this doesn’t mean you should run out to the store and get the first fertilizer you see. Picking the right fertilizer is vital to your vegetation’s health and can be fairly simple as long as you know what to look for. The goal of our first blog of the year is to help understand what to look for when purchasing fertilizer.

Know Your Numbers

N-P-K…On every bag/bottle of fertilizer you may notice three numbers on the bag, separated by a hyphen. These three numbers tell you the percentage of Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium available in the fertilizer.

What does each of these elements does for your plants?

Nitrogen (the first number) is a major component of chlorophyll which helps the plant produce food via photosynthesis. It also helps with leaf production.

Phosphorus (the middle number) helps store and transfer what is absorbed via photosynthesis and also helps the plant withstand environmental stress. Phosphorus is essential for root development, as well as aids the plant in producing more flowers and fruits.

Potassium (the last number) also aids in root development, helps increase the size and quality of flowers and fruits, and can help slow down the development of disease to the plant.

Desert Rose’s winter preference is Gro-Power Winterizer which is a 2-10-10 slow release granular fertilizer. It breaks down over the course of winter to keep your plants ready for spring. If you are interested in adding this service to your normal visit, please let Phil know and we can handle the winter task of fertilization for you!

We hope that 2018 was a successful year for you and your family. Thank you for your continued patronage and here’s to a happy and healthy 2019!