4Rs of Fertilizer Application

4Rs of Fertilizer Application

4RSystemThe old cliché is “April showers bring May flowers”, but April deluges create weak plants and yellow grass. You were following the UF/IFAS recommendations and waited until April 15th to fertilize. You followed the Urban Turf Rule and applied a low-phosphate fertilizer with slow-release nitrogen. Yet, your grass is yellow and the shrubs haven’t put on any new growth. What happened? The 18” + of rainfall that we experienced at the end of April flushed nearly everything out of the soil, including any fertilizer you applied. Nitrogen and potassium are highly leachable. Phosphorus is also depleted under saturated soil conditions.

If you haven’t submitted a soil test since the storm, now is the time to do so. It’s time to apply a summer fertilizer, but it needs to address all the nutrient deficiencies created from the excess rain. Soil test kits can be obtained from your County Extension office. When you get the results from the University of Florida Lab, it is important to remember the 4 Rs when applying fertilizer. It needs to be the Right Source, applied at the Right Rate, at the Right Time, and over the Right Place.

Best Management Practices (BMPs) have been developed to allow individuals to make conscientious decisions regarding fertilizer selection that will reduce the risk of water contamination. The Right Source for a BMP-compliant fertilizer is one that contains a portion of slow-release (water insoluble) nitrogen with little to no phosphorus, and a potassium level similar to the nitrogen percentage (e.g. 15-0-15, that contains 5% coated nitrogen). However, a soil test is the only way to accurately identify the specific nutrients your landscape is lacking. Many soil tests indicate a need for phosphate and currently it is illegal to apply more than 0.25 pounds per 1,000 sq. ft. without a soil test verifying the need.

Next, the fertilizer must be applied at the Right Rate. In order to do that, you must know the square footage of your property and how much you can spread using the settings on your equipment. Individuals walk at varied speeds and the product recommended rates are based on 1,000 sq.ft. areas. For information on calibrating application equipment refer to fertbagthe publication, “How to Calibrate Your Fertilizer Spreader”. Using the 15-0-15 fertilizer mentioned earlier, the Right Rate for one application would be 3 pounds per 1,000 sq.ft.. That 35 pound bag is all that is needed for a nearly 12,000 sq.ft. yard (a large corner lot).

The Right Time for applying fertilizer is when the plants are actively growing and beginning to show nutrient deficiencies. Summer, when rainfall and irrigation is frequent, is often a typical application time. The Right Place is only on living plant areas. Be cautious to avoid getting fertilizer on the sidewalk, driveway and street. A deflector on your spreader is very helpful. Otherwise, be sure to sweep or blow the fertilizer back onto the grass or into the landscape beds. Avoid having fertilizer end up in any water body.

 

What’s Wrong With My Sago Palm?

Is the newest growth on your sago palm turning yellow, brown, frizzy looking and dying – is it a pest or disease or something else?

king sago palm with manganese deficiency symptoms

Photo credit: Mary Derrick

This sago palm is suffering from a classic case of manganese deficiency. When sago palms lack manganese, the newest leaves will develop yellow splotches or be entirely yellow. As the leaves die, they turn brown and take on a frizzled appearance. Sometimes the leaves or fruit may be smaller than normal. If left unchecked, the sago usually dies.

Manganese is a micronutrient required by all plants for normal, healthy growth and is most available for plant uptake when the soil pH is between 5.5 and 6.5. Soils in the Florida panhandle are often naturally low in manganese and then what available manganese is present can be unavailable for the plant to use if the pH of the soil is much above 6.5. Also, manganese tends to be leached from the soil when the pH is below 5.5.  Soil pH and nutrient testing is useful to determine if soils are nutrient deficient. Contact your county Extension office for information on getting that done.

[notice]Before treating, rule out an infestation of Asian cycad scale. Click here for a UF IFAS Extension publication on this damaging insect. Be aware that both are common problems for sago palms and that your sago may be afflicted with both![/notice]

If this is happening to a sago palm, the good news is that it is easy to correct. Manganese sulfate is readily available at garden centers, feed &seed stores and independent nurseries. Just make sure to get manganese sulfate and don’t confuse it with magnesium sulfate (Epson salts). The amount of manganese sulfate necessary to correct this deficiency  will vary with its size, soil type and pH. Sago palms in sandy, acidic soils require less manganese sulfate than those in high pH soils.   One ounce is sufficient for a very small plant in sandy, acidic soil. A very large sago in a high pH soil may require about five pounds, however. Spread the product evenly over the root zone and water in with about a half inch of water.

The affected leaves cannot be cured but new growth should return to normal. If the new growth is still affected, an additional application of manganese sulfate may be needed.  Once sago palms have suffered from a manganese deficiency, half the initial rate should be applied yearly to prevent the deficiency from re-occurring.

Even though sago palms are not true palms – they are cycads – their nutritional needs are very similar to palms. Most of the time they grow well without any supplemental fertilization, but if they do need fertilizing, use a 8-2-12-4 (the fourth number is magnesium) palm fertilizer with micronutrients and avoid using other fertilizer products in their root zones.

For more information on sago palms please see:

Cycas revoluta, Sago Palm

Palm Care Tips

Many landscape managers and home owners, especially on the gulf coast, wants to add the tropical feel to their landscape.  The chief way to achieve this is by incorporating Palms and other tropical plants to their surroundings.  Like with any other plant one would like to care for it properly.  The improper care of Palms, I would like to blame on simple lack of “know how” and nothing else.  Some palm care practices are a real problem in Northwest Florida; whether it is pruning, installing, or fertilizing.  University of Florida has some great resources available on Palm care and maintenance.  Let’s hit some highlights and use these tips to improve Palm care in northwest Florida.

First, installation is very important with Palms, as it is with all plants.  One practice that ultimately results in death to a Palm is planting too deeply.  Some have done this in the past to help secure the Palm from falling over.  This may seem like a good idea but will harm the plant in many ways.  Look at these two palms that were planted at the same time, see the difference?

Make sure when your planting to dig the hole twice as wide as the rootball and only as deep as the rootball is tall.  Then for support build a supporting structure, but do not nail directly into the trunk (this will allow an entry point for disease).  Once planted, water the palm in thoroughly, allowing for all the air pockets to be compromised   If the fronds are tied up, untie them as soon as your palm is planted.

The next issue that faces palm lovers is pruning palms.  Many prune a palm too much for a variety of reasons.  Take a look at this palm for an example of a palm that has been pruned too much.

 

Follow the 9 to 3 clock rule, only pruning above the horizontal line of the crown of the palm.  If you follow this rule you will generally be pruning correctly.

Read more about pruninginstalling and general palm information for northwest Florida.

Photo Credits, University of Florida.

Why Fertilize Your Vegetable Garden Soil

Eddie Powell
Extension Horticultural Courtesy Agent I
Walton County
pep5@ufl.edu

With spring in full swing many Florida homeowners are gearing up to grow their own vegetables. The most frequently asked question this time of year is, “why do I need to fertilize my soil?” The answer is simple – – not all nutrients are present in the right amounts to support good plant health. North Florida is a prime example of an area lacking certain nutrients, since the soils in this area are generally infertile and acidic. Therefore, ample amounts of lime and fertilizer must be applied to the soil for adequate plant growth. If this is not done then the crops will suffer from inadequate plant growth and food supply.

Most vegetable crops grow and perform best at a pH range, 6.0-7.0. A soil sample must be taken to determine soil pH. Feel free to bring one of those samples by your local University of Florida Extension office for your soils pH results. Now if the pH extends far below or above this range, then crop productivity will be significantly reduced. This happens because the crop cannot utilize the fertilizer properly. In other words, this causes the plant to use too much of some nutrients (like manganese, zinc, and iron) that are required in very small amounts and too little of some nutrients (like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) that are required in larger amounts. The plant system becomes upset so to speak and does not function well and some plants may even die.

To avoid having your crop suffer because of a lack of fertilizer, contact your local University of Florida Extension Agent and ask he/she to help you select the best kind of fertilizer for your crop. After you have selected the correct fertilizer, make sure to ask your agent to assist you with following:  to figure the correct amount to be applied to the area where you plan to grow your vegetable crops and also how to apply the fertilizer to the soil so that your plants will use it properly for an excellent crop yield.

Things to remember:

To keep your soil pH range between 6.0 -7.0 so that your crop can uptake the fertilizer properly and make sure to apply the correct amounts of fertilizer to the soil so that your plants will not suffer but produce high quality produce.