Plant Care Myths - Plant Beds Should be Fertilized Every Year (and Mushroom Compost)

The following is a preface, perhaps a caveat for this series on Plant Care Myths.

This series is brought to you to help you avoid wasted time, false hopes and perhaps understand some of the myths about plant care and all that which may have been wrongfully handed down to you or marketed by those who will tell you anything to sell their products.

So many things I hear about plants and their care, not that which I research and study, are mostly anecdotal. In other words, someone experienced some result by doing whatever and the results were positive, most likely nominal or non-existent - no true cause-and-effect with measured results, in mostly isolated situations. Simply hopeful and wishful thinking.

A more profound example: A friend who has a physical ailment tells you that ailment has improved because they took a pain reliever; yet, the ailment or cause of the ailment still exists.

As I constantly study or read from some of the best sources, I must recognize them. 

In this case (and will be in many instances for this series), it is Robert Pavlis, author of Garden Myths, Book 1 and 2.

I will use my experiences, studies and writings intertwined with his much more vast experiences, studies and writings. He is notably recognized and given credit. I will use quotations or show notice where I use his written work.

Plant Beds Should be Fertilized Every Year

After taking many soil samples from lawns, submitting them for testing, analyzing and providing the results for customers, I began to do the same, occasionally, for plant beds or areas to be planted. Or, more so, for plant beds where it appeared most or all the plants were struggling. 

And, then I thought, I would begin to offer such service for any plant bed for which a customer saw concern for the health of their plants.

And, then I thought, "Stop". Lawns and turf grasses are different than all those lovely annuals, herbaceous plants, shrubs and trees we have on our properties.

Grass (of whatever ilk) is a leaf and lawns are thousands of leaves. Ornamentals and vegetables are more individualized - they perform as independent, more organized structures with deeper roots and other resources (more complex foliage) to aid in their growth. They want to grow upward and outward, produce flower, fruit or both. In other words, it's in their DNA to do it on their own. 

Also, we don't mow down our ornamental plants every two to three weeks during the growing season.

But, more importantly, most proper ornamental plant beds are mulched with some type of decomposing material while the plants themselves may also provide their own compost over time. This aids the whole process of nutrient rejuvenation.

Edible vegetation, which we harvest, is another case as we are basically removing part of its earthly environment when we do so or prepare the soil for the next planting.

Basically, I was finding that customers were wanting to fertilize a well-established plant bed of many plants because one or two plants were failing, but later to find, not to their ultimate demise. We humans are of the same anatomy and physiology; yet, we also have varying maladies. So do plants. You don't treat the entire population for a few illnesses.

From Robert Pavlis:

"Most books and websites tell you to fertilize gardens regularly. This follows the practice used on farms, but home gardens are very different from farms. Landscapes have permanent plants, and even in vegetable gardens, it is less important to maximize yields. A lot of farming know-how does not apply to gardens, and this myth is a good example.

Plants need a certain amount of nutrients as they grow. Fortunately for us, most soil has enough nutrients, and it is not necessary to keep adding more. The goal of fertilizing plants is to top up the missing nutrients and not add more than is required. [This can actually lead to detrimental consequences.]

I almost never fertilize landscape plants, and I grow several thousand different species. They grow just fine."...

If I am re-doing a bed or an area that has been covered with pine straw or other natural debris, I rarely amend the soil for the entire area. I do use mushroom compost for all plantings, roughly a 1 to 3 ratio of existing soil, except for succulents and arid-loving plants.

Another Myth - Mushroom Compost Contains Mushroom

• It simply does not contain mushroom. No one is going to waste such a valuable food product to help you grow better plants. It is the by-product of the mixture used to grow mushrooms; which is fantastic because mushrooms are difficult to grow beyond the wild. In fact, if you have mushrooms growing on your property, don't panic. It's a good sign - that area probably has some great soil.
• Eco-friendly because it would be a waste product otherwise.
• It promotes water retention, which is great for our mostly sandy soils here in the Midlands.
• It can raise the alkaline level which is also a benefit to the soil here in the Midlands. Although most plants prefer more acidic soil, ours is usually on the higher end of acidity.

In summary, if you have a well-established plant bed and most plants seem to be doing just fine, leave it alone and quit fertilizing. You're probably wasting effort and money. You may also create a problem.

Healthy plants, even some ailing plants, don't need our assistance. Spend some time on planning your next garden instead of worrying about the little stuff nature will care for. 

The plant world (and even its parasites) is very symbiotic, from pollination to the ways plants protect themselves in the slightest ways from predators to the beneficial mycorrhizal relationship they have with fungi in their root system.

Plants have evolved, creatively. Think of it. You (if a plant) are basically stationary, set in one location for life. You can't move to find a more favorable location (I've spoken enough about this, on where we place plants.) and you can't run away to avoid danger. And, you can't hunt or forage for food. Yet, plants continue on.

This is why we cherish and adore so many plants. They are beautiful and some so incredibly strong, majestic and enduring. They either have to attract those that help them flourish with flowers and/or fruit or they have to reach for the skies and gain the sunlight they need. 

Oh God, could our lives be so symbiotic, if not for the predators? Unfortunately we were given brains which can be influenced by the ill wills of others.

These plants have fed and housed us, and helped us build transportation and industries.

Sir, I'll take a tequila agave, two mimosa plants and three goat cheese filled olives, on the rocks. Oh, and a wedge of lime.