Fertilizing Calibrachoa

One of the key ways to keep your calibrachoa blooming all season long is a good fertilizer regimen. This plant needs plenty of nutrition to have the energy to produce numerous blooms all gardening season long. Add fertilizer at the initial planting and fertilize regularly throughout the summer for best results. Calibrachoa is primarily grown as an annual plant. They are hardy in zone 9 and warmer. Fertilize less frequently during the winter months if this plant is a perennial in your garden.

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How to Fertilize Calibrachoa

Always follow the instructions on the fertilizer package to avoid over-fertilizing. Excessive fertilizer can burn the plant’s roots. Wear gloves and wash your hands after handling powder or granular fertilizers. Do not apply fertilizer to the leaves unless the fertilizer is designated for application as a foliar feed. Wear a mask when handling powder fertilizers to avoid inhalation.

Best Time To Fertilize Calibrachoa

Mix a slow-release granular fertilizer or compost into the soil at the time of planting. Supplement container-grown plants with a liquid fertilizer every few weeks. Liquid fertilizer is easier to use. Garden plants can be side dressed with granular fertilizer or watered with a liquid fertilizer solution. Always water after applying a powder or granular formulated fertilizer. Do not apply powder-based fertilizers on windy days.

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Best Fertilizer For Calibrachoa

Use an organic fertilizer blend for flowering plants, like Down to Earth Organic Bio-Live Fertilizer Mix. AgroThrive Fruit and Flower Organic Liquid Fertilizer is another gentle formula that will help boost flowering without promoting excess foliage growth. You can use a granular fertilizer at the time of planting. Liquid fertilizers are more convenient to apply to container gardens during the growing season. Follow the directions on the package. Some liquid fertilizers are not meant to be used at full strength. They should be diluted as directed on the packaging. If your calibrachoa is vigorously growing leaves, but not flowering, switch to a fertilizer with a lower nitrogen component until bud production resumes.

Calibrachoa Fertilizing Tips

  • Regularly fertilizing is the key to a continuous blooming calibrachoa
  • Never over-fertilize to avoid burning the plant’s roots
  • Follow the instructions on the fertilizer package
  • Always water after applying a powder or granular formulated fertilizer.

Warnings

-Always wear protective gloves and a face mask when handling chemical fertilizers.

-Closely follow all directions and storage guidelines that are on the fertilizer label.

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 Author Maureen Farmer - Published 01-15-2022