Re: Re: CULT: ?fall fertilizing

--- Autmirislvr@aol.com wrote:

>>>  A general gardening rule, without regard to zone, is to not
fertilize within 6 weeks of your normal first freeze date. <<<

That is why the Zone 3 folks (and there are several on this
list), have to prepare their beds in July. Or at least I do...we
have had frost in every month of the year, including July. That,
of course, is not the norm - Sept. is the norm. The upper
mid-continent Zone 3ers have that awful heat in July-Sept. that
we don't. 

The colder zones do have different soils, pests and different
first-frost dates and more importantly, first HARD FREEZE dates.
Usually when that hard freeze happens, you can forget about
digging (like planting bulbs) until May. But I have used an
electric drill to plant bulbs in Oct. and so have most of my
neighbors wearing ski gloves (not a pretty sight :-).

>>> Compost is a slow release fertilizer and should be used with
care in the fall. <<<

I have never had any misfortune in using compost or humus....not
to say it wouldn't happen but I have taken chances before or I
wouldn't have any flowers. :-) 

*** I don't plant irises in the fall except the ones from Canada
that only arrived after Sept. 1st. Those two gardens are both at
least one zone warmer than we are from what I can gather.  

Ellen / Northern New Hampshire / USDA Zone 3

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