How to Fertilize a Garden
In most areas of the country, it takes fertilizer to have a healthy and successful garden. For the best results, a garden should be fertilized starting in the fall. The extra time spent preparing soil for a garden will result in a garden that is well worth the work.
Purchase a soil testing kit from a garden nursery. Test the soil in the garden bed after it has been tilled under in the fall.
Add lime to the garden if it has a pH of 5.8 or lower. This means it's acidic. Add iron sulfate, powdered sulfur or aluminum sulfate to the soil if the pH is 7.2 or higher, which means it's alkaline.
Add iron sulfate, powdered sulfur, aluminum sulfate, lime and manure to the soil in the fall. Allow the nutrients to soak into the soil during the winter months.
Plant vegetables in groupings according to their fertilizer needs. Plant beans, peas, radishes, watermelons and turnips near each other because they require less fertilizer. Plant cabbage, tomatoes, sweet corn, beets, carrots, onions, celery and potatoes together because they all require more fertilizer.
Apply fertilizer in the spring as soon as the soil is workable. Use a 4-6-4 mixture of fertilizer.
Use organic fertilizer if you prefer. Follow the bag directions carefully to achieve the best balance of nutrients in the soil.
Fertilize the vegetable garden weekly to monthly throughout the summer, depending on the level of nutrients in the soil. Apply fertilizer to the base of the plants and avoid getting it on the foliage.
Article courtesy of eHow.com