Hello friends! Today, I will tell you how I fertilize my Coral Bells.
QUICK ANSWER: The best way to feed Coral Bells is to use a slow-release fertilizer along with a liquid fertilizer. In early spring, apply 1 ounce (30 grams) of a slow-release multi-purpose fertilizer per plant. Then, water the plant 2-3 times during the growing season with a liquid fertilizer for perennials.
Read also: Ultimate Coral Bells Care Guide
Type of fertilizer
The first type of fertilizer I use is slow-release pellets. I recommend that you choose a well-known brand product, even if it is a little more expensive.
The composition of the fertilizer should be multi-purpose because Coral Bells do not have any special requirements in this regard. It is important that the fertilizer is balanced and contains nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus. The presence of magnesium and iron will be an advantage.
As for the liquid fertilizer, the requirements are the same: it should contain all the elements necessary for each plant. You can choose both liquid fertilizer and one that needs to be diluted in water.
Time for fertilization
The best time to apply a slow-release fertilizer is in early spring. The fertilizer will take effect and provide the plant with nutrients throughout the months of intensive growth.
Liquid fertilizer should be applied once a month from April to July, no more than four times per season.
Avoid using any type of fertilizer after July. In the second half of the year, plants hardly grow and prepare for hibernation, and using fertilizers at this time can lead to frost damage to the plant.
How to fertilize
The slow-release fertilizer should be used once a year at the beginning of the season. The average amount of fertilizer per bush is 1 ounce.
Spread the pellets evenly in the plant’s root zone, but no further than 4 inches from the center of the bush. Sprinkle a little mulch on top to prevent rain from carrying the pellets outside the root zone.
I recommend applying the liquid fertilizer once a month. The first application should be made when Coral Bells wake up from hibernation, that is, somewhere in April. Then, you need to make three more applications in May, June, and July.
Following the label’s recommendations, dissolve the liquid fertilizer in one gallon of water. Pour this solution over one or two bushes, depending on their size. Water the root zone directly.
Organic fertilizer
I want to say a few words about organic fertilizer for Coral Bells. This is a very good type of fertilizer, but I recommend using it only during planting or transplanting.
When you put the bush in a new place, pour a bucket of high-quality compost into the planting hole and mix it with the native soil.
Such a soil mixture will be a very good feed for your plant, along with the mineral fertilizers I mentioned above.
Overfertilization
Avoid fertilizing too often or exceeding the recommended amount of fertilizer. If you are using slow-release fertilizer, you should not fertilize more than once a year.
If you over-fertilize, the root system will burn. Minerals in fertilizers are usually present in the form of salts, and high salt concentrations can cause significant damage to the root system.
The second is that if you add a lot of fertilizer, the heuchera will grow too fast, becoming soft and weak.
To correct over-fertilization, water Coral Bells once with a few gallons of water to wash the fertilizer from the soil. Do not fertilize it again this year. If the plant continues to feel bad, transplant it into fresh soil.
Fertilizing potted Coral Bells
The difference between potted Coral Bells is that they need to be watered with liquid fertilizer once a month from March to August. The total number of applications of liquid fertilizer per season should be 6.
As for slow-release fertilizer, the recommendations are the same. Apply about one ounce to each pot in early spring.
In addition, use a nutritious potting mix when planting Coral Bells in pots.
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