Summer is a wonderful time if you’re passionate about farming and gardening. You can see fields and gardens in bloom. However, you need to be careful if you’re looking to give any plants a little boost. Generally, using fertiliser in summertime is a bad idea. We want to have a closer look here so you know more about what could happen and what to do.

What happens in summer?

Did you know that all plants have a comfort zone? These are ideal conditions for growth and ensure that they thrive. You need a combination of factors here, including the right soil (with sufficient levels of nutrients), a sufficient level of light, a suitable temperature, and the right level of humidity.

The problem in summer is it can easily push plants out of their comfort zone. If it is too hot and dry, especially if there are drought conditions, it can stress them. It can massively impact the growth and productivity. In some cases, they can go dormant just like in colder months. If conditions are particularly bad or prolonged, it can result in plant death.

It should be relatively easy to see if plants are struggling with the conditions in summer. For example, leaves may wilt and curl. In some cases, they even burn. You can also see premature blooming or premature blossom drop.

Don’t use fertilisers

If you see plants struggling, you’ll probably consider using fertiliser to give them a boost. However, that can be the worst decision here. Overfertilisation can actually make the problems much worse.

The thing to keep in mind is fertilisers can result in excess salts at the roots. This itself can cause damage. If it moves to plant tissues such as leaves, it can lead to dieback. Even worse though, it restricts the movement of water. That is something you want to avoid at all costs, especially in droughts.

One exception

Typically, the only exception is if plants are showing low fertility. Check for paleness. If they are pale and not stressed, fertiliser may help. What you need to do though is water before and after application.

Alternatives

There are a number of things you can do to help plants in summer. Firstly, applying mulch is great for insulating the soil, improving moisture retention, and providing nutrients. Just make sure you choose a high quality one.

Secondly, you may want to consider giving plants some shade to keep them cooler in the hottest periods. Shade cloths and row covers are great options.

Finally, you need to make sure you water plants properly. Drought can actually massively slow down the soil’s and plant’s ability to absorb water. The best practice here is to water plants twice per day, early in the morning and in the evening, when it is cooler. It gets more moisture to the roots and reduces evaporation loss.

Talk to us if you want to order fertiliser

JS Hubbuck Ltd has been supplying fertilisers for a very long time, all the way back to the early days of the business several decades ago. It is an area we specialise in, ensuring we deliver quality products efficiently.

So, if you want to order fertiliser at any time, please contact us. We have all the credentials we need to stock and deliver it.