The need to feed
Amateur Gardening|August 20, 2022
There’s plenty of life left in several crops, so make the most of them and give veg a helping hand, says Bob
Bob Flowerdew
The need to feed

THERE’S a widely held principle that we shouldn’t continue feeding regimes once summer’s over. The point was that with frosts on the way, growth needed to slow so the shoots could ‘harden’ and be ready for winter.

Certainly, adding nitrogenous feeds would be counterproductive by promoting softer growth. Similarly, adding nitrogen now will make annual crops such as potatoes and carrots grow more lushly (more watery), so they are more easily damaged and less suitable for long storage. However, there is less reason for withholding potassium and phosphate fertilisers as these could be helpful.

It was once thought that feeds were not worth applying as much of their value would be wasted as winter washed them away. But times have changed…

This story is from the August 20, 2022 edition of Amateur Gardening.

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This story is from the August 20, 2022 edition of Amateur Gardening.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.