Fertilizing AND animals underground
- Subject: Fertilizing AND animals underground
- From: A* K* <a*@JPS.NET>
- Date: Wed, 15 Sep 2004 09:57:12 -0700
When we started our planting about 8 years ago here in the Sierra Nevada
forest at 3000', we were told to fertilize every month during the growing
season with 12-12-12 . When the rhododendrons didnt bloom much a nursery
man advised using 0-10-10 every month during the winter. So I did that when
there wasnt snow on the ground, and it seemed to help some. I understand
that mountainous areas have a real lack of nutrients, but I am not sure how
long to keep this up. I have only fertilized a few times this year. And I
found out that the reason my irises were disappearing was that the
fertilizer was too strong for perennials. I did try a foliar feeding a time
or so, but not as regularly. .
I like Marge's "lean and mean" approach, but am not sure if the soil has now
improved, or if I should go on feeding forever. Also - we have some sort of
ground dweller who does pull plants out whole. In the spring I planted a
large tomato, very full and about 18" high. It was gone the next morning
with no trace of a hole or any leaves. It must have been pulled down into
the fluffy dirt. I once saw an iris pulled down while I was watching. The
animal leaves large mounds on top of the ground, and when we can find the
tunnel underneath it is about 1-1/2 inches in diameter. I have had no luck
in identifying it from descriptions in books. We have put those
intermittent beepers in the ground, but they dont seem to bother the
creatures much. Any suggestions about this, or about fertilizing, would be
helpful.
Anelle
