When to apply fertilizer?
The practice of automatically adding fertilizer in the spring is no longer considered a best practice. Excess fertilizing can cause excessive growth resulting in higher water needs, and might well contribute to softer growth which can make plants more open to insect infestations, etc. We now recommend holding off on fertilization unless we think there is an actual nutrient deficiency. Here is a link to an article from the University of California about
Fertilizing and Watering that provides more information about fertilizing plants.
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