Fertilizer Fundamentals: A Lush Lawn and Blooming Garden Start Now

As winter loosens its grip, a thoughtful spring fertilizing plan can mean stronger roots, brighter blooms, and more abundant harvests.
Fertilizer Fundamentals: A Lush Lawn and Blooming Garden Start Now
Early spring is a critical time for fertilizing, as plants begin active growth and require nutrients to support root and leaf development. schulzie/Getty Images
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Spring is a unique opportunity to take the yard and garden from simply attractive to flourishing, just by providing essential nutrients as plants start growing again after the winter season. Even the southernmost gardens can benefit—while growth might not completely stop in USDA plant hardiness zones 9 and above, it does slow down during the shorter days of winter.

In addition to healthy growth, this feeding can help buff up immunity to pests and disease and add resilience in extreme weather, such as high summer heat. The right fertilizer supports strong root development (the foundation of the yard and garden) and leads to more abundant blooms as well as higher yield/better quality fruits and veggies in the garden.

Sandy Lindsey
Sandy Lindsey
Author
Sandy Lindsey is an award-winning writer who covers home, gardening, DIY projects, pets, and boating. She has two books with McGraw-Hill.