Fertilizing plants in the fall

In late autumn, summer and early autumn crops disappear from the plots. It is good idea to start the preparations for the next growing season. Find out what are the benefits of fertilizing plants in the fall, when is it best to apply autumn fertilizers, how to dose fertilizers in the fall and which fertilizers are the best for fertilizing plants in the fall.

The fall season for fertilization has many benefits. First of all, we will avoid the possibility of plant burnout, which may occur as a result of too intensive use of fertilizer in spring. During the winter, the fertilizer components will undergo favorable changes, the ballast elements will be washed away and the fertilizer will be well distributed in the soil.

We can also use cheaper forms of fertilizers, the use of which in spring would be ineffective or even harmful to plants. Another argument in favor of fertilization in the fall is to reduce the intensity of work in the garden at this time of the year. In spring we will be able to devote our energy to other gardening works.

What to fertilize plants in the fall

Autumn is a good time to fertilize the soil with potassium and phosphorus. We can also use liming. However, do not use nitrogen as it will be leached from the soil during the winter. In addition, nitrogen given directly to the plants in autumn stimulates their growth and makes it difficult to enter winter dormancy.

The exception is the application of a nitrogen dose in the form of urea under fruit trees, which is performed only after the plants have finished growing, and its main purpose is not nitrogen fertilization, but the fight against the dangerous disease of fruit trees, which is apple scab (fallen leaves are sprayed in order to accelerate their decomposition and destroy the mycelium of scab).

As a rule of thumb, fall fertilizers should be nitrogen-free. A good example of such a fertilizer is wood ash, rich in macro- and microelements necessary for plants, except for nitrogen, which is released into the atmosphere during the combustion process.

Basalt flour is the perfect fall fertilizer as a nitrogen-free fertilizer. It is a mineral fertilizer of natural origin, made of grinding volcanic rock. Basalt flour is rich in many macro- and microelements, and at the same time it does not contain nitrogen and does not pose the risk of over-fertilization (minerals are released very slowly, as the plants need it).

Basalt flour promotes soil fertilization and aeration (supports the development of aerobic microorganisms), and the silicon it contains makes plants resistant to diseases.

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Dosing of fertilizers in the fall

Before applying fertilizers in the fall, it is worth taking soil samples and testing them at one of the chemical-agricultural stations or another gardening laboratory. Such tests should be performed at least every 3 years.

By using fertilizers “by eye”, we risk that we will use the wrong doses of individual fertilizers, which may be very unfavorable for our crops. The differences in the content of nutrients in individual fertilizers applied in autumn are presented in the table below.

However, since most people in amateur crops use fertilizers intuitively, I will try to indicate below what symptoms may indicate the lack of individual components in the soil. In the case of amateur fertilization “by eye”, I also suggest choosing fertilizers that are safe and do not pose the risk of over-fertilization, such as basalt flour.

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Fertilizing plants in the fall with potassium

Potassium is especially needed by young plants, so it is worth introducing it into the soil in autumn. If there was a shortage of potassium in the soil on our plot – plant growth was inhibited, shoots became slender and thin, and leaves could be discolored.

To replenish the lack of potassium in the soil, when fertilizing plants in the fall, we can use potassium (sulphate and chloride) salts, which dissolve easily in water and are absorbed by plants.

On heavier soils, we apply all potassium fertilizers in the fall. On lighter soils, partial fertilization is recommended in autumn (e.g. 50% of the dose), and partial fertilization in spring, due to the possibility of washing away potassium by water. The fertilizer should be well mixed with the soil.

Fertilization in autumn with phosphorus

Lack of phosphorus in the soil is manifested by a purple or reddish discoloration of the leaves. The leaves have brown tips and curve downwards. Among the phosphorus fertilizers, superphosphates, as well as phosphate rock flour and bone meals are suitable for autumn chewing.

Phosphorus bone meals are slow-acting fertilizers (even up to several years). They should be used on acidic and moist soils. The application on alkaline and dry soils is ineffective. To increase the availability of the ingredient, phosphorus fertilizer can be mixed with organic fertilizer, manure or compost, and in the spring, a fertilizer that acidifies the substrate can be applied.

Attention!
To ensure that phosphorus fertilizers are absorbed by plants, they must not be mixed with fertilizers containing calcium.

Liming the soil in the fall

Liming the soil increases its pH. It is therefore obvious that liming should only be done when our soil is too acidic. The pH of neutral soil is 7. A lower pH means that the soil is acidic, a higher one – that we are dealing with an alkaline soil.

When liming, use fertilizers containing magnesium, as soils often lack this nutrient. Therefore, it is best to use dolomite or magnesium lime. Remember to spread the calcium fertilizer only during windless days, and protect your eyes with protective glasses.

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If you do not feel strong enough to choose the doses of the above-mentioned mineral fertilizers on our own, we can use ready-made autumn fertilizer mixtures, universal or intended for specific groups of plants.

Fertilization with manure and compost

Organic fertilizers such as manure and compost are a good idea for fertilizing plants in the fall. We use organic fertilization during the autumn digging of the soil – thanks to this, we will place the fertilizer ingredients deep enough in the soil, in the place where the main mass of the roots develops, and the minerals they contain will be best absorbed in spring.

If we compare organic and mineral fertilizers by weight, it turns out that organic fertilizers contain much less minerals.

However, organic fertilizers are valued in organic farming and also contain other ingredients (organic matter) that have a positive effect on plants. Manure is rich in many micronutrients and is a permanent source of nitrogen. Its addition improves soil structure and water retention.

Remember!
Autumn fertilization of plants with compost and manure, which are fertilizers of natural origin, should be the basic fertilization used in amateur crops in home and allotment gardens. In the case of excessive acidification of the soil, it is also worth using natural calcium fertilizer resulting from the milling of dolomite rocks.