Fertilizer 101: What Every Floridian Needs to Know

Looking for Natural Fertilizer methods and when to fertilize for Florida? Check out this video on the basics of what you need to know for fertilizer and florida gardening.
_________
FREE SEASONAL GARDENING GUIDE

WILD FLORIDIAN GARDEN PLANNER
_________
LINK TO VEGEGA RAISED BEDS

10% COUPON CODE
WILDFLORIDIAN
_________
GARDEN TOOLS

MOVING MULCH

DIGGING HOLES

GARDEN GEAR

PRUNING PLANTS

COMPOSTING

HARVESTING

WILD FLORIDIAN GARDEN PLANNER
_________
IN THE KITCHEN

FILMING EQUIPMENT
________
SUPPORT

DISCLAIMER: This video and description contain affiliate links. As an affiliate associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
_________
CONNECT

[-jd]

I am always drawn in when you go full on science like, garden geek, and I mean that as the highest complement. It’s always common sensical to learn the actual facts whether we like them or not. Oh, and thanks, Destiny, for the comment/questions to get this conversation underway. More like this please.

[smartinez]

Something I’ve heard from other gardeners that I really like: You don’t need to focus soo much on the plant, you need to take care of the soil and the soil will take care of the plant. Of course something else very important to remember is the right plant in the right place 🙂. For mulch I try to use what I have at hand (twigs, leaves, grass cuttings, ChipDrop, hey) knowing these will eventually decompose. Thank you for the very valuable information you’re providing.

[DC-rdoq]

I am sure these daily videos are a lot of work, but they are wonderful, so thank you. I've been using biochar in my garden for a few seasons now and it is helping a lot. I don't add anything to my garden during the growing seasons, only when prepping beds, so I need something that both holds onto nutrients and improves the soil structure. I do charge the biochar first using rainwater, homemade compost, and soil from the garden.

[DUFFYSaraxian]

In JAX, I have a dedicated space to put dead water oak leaves. It is aesthetically worked into the landscape. I have a natural retaining wall of jasmine- large 20’x 6’. No chemical treatments on yard.
If you dig under these, it’s rich dark soil and earthworms are dense.

[oreopaksun]

Another home-run! Such thorough coverage, and good argument for why everyone should care about the environment, even if you are totally inward focused.
And bottled water, yeah, even "natural" spring water in Florida HAS to come from the aquifer. I chaperoned a field trip and saw Zepherhills, Nestle (back then) and a private store brand, all being pumped and packaged from the same spring source, which leads back to the Floridan. Since we don't have glacial springs, we are ALL drinking from the same water resource, tap or bottle. Lets not mess it up.

[SouthernLatitudesFL]

Oh my, I talked on fertilizer today. Great minds think alike. You did a great job of explaining the environmental impact.

[nativeceltbirdog]

The golf courses, fancy gated neighborhoods, all spray chemicals

[howdyEB]

I want to start vermicomposting, but I'm nervous it will bring more pests and bugs in the summer. I'm also worried about keeping the worms cool. I don't want to have to put frozen water bottles and such in my bins every day. I don't have the freezer space for that. I started burying my vegetable scraps to break down over time. I'm just digging holes in my garden, putting in the vegetable scraps, and covering it up. It's a start 😅😂

[Bareness]

Thanks so much for sharing all your knowledge! You've helped a lot!

[BinkyNoss]

Great info! The science of fertilizer has always confused me, so I don't bother. Survival of the fittest! :)

[debbiescholes]

Rabbit manure is wonderful! It can be added immediately it’s not hot. Can be dried and powdered also. Rabbits are easy to raise and produce lots of manure!

[McPeg]

Thanks for another wonderful and informative video.

[LaRa-youknowit]

Wow, best vlog ever. You are spot on!!!

[grumpy_ken]

thanks for another great vid. I live in a condo and do mostly container gardening and I've been experimenting with something I saw on youtube- fermented plant juice. I don't have the space for a compost pile so this has been an easier way to break down some of the goodness locked up in plant trimmings and make it immediately available back to the plants that are still growing 🙂

[gardenintheruff]

I am right there with you when it comes to lawns. Last month I just moved here to Florida from Michigan. Even back in Michigan my goal was to remove all the grass in my yards. I do not like grass. I have been watching your channel to learn about gardening down here. A lot to learn. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.

[gailcorley]

The best argument for raised bed gardens is that the fertilizers, even the organic plant food, is somewhat contained limiting runoff.

[georgecarlin]

I see tomatoes in your background. I think you'll be pleased to know that tomatoes like biochar better than compost. I advise for any new tomato raised beds using like 20-40% (inoculated/charged) biochar, your CEC would go thru the roof, many composts can't compete with biochar in terms of CEC and sandy soils have a very low CEC.

Sandy soils benefit from biochar the most. I have heavy clay soil and use it mainly to fix compaction issue once and for all. Sand would work too but it's a much worse solution.
Biochar is good for sandy soil because:

- Increases the CEC, which is one of the main reasons you're not leaking nearly as much liquid carbon (liquid OM) and gasses.
- Home to microbes and fungi, does same as point 1.
- Biochar retains up to 7 times its weight in water, compost retains up to 10 times so biochar is pretty close.
- Aerates the soil, which is why for people with heavy clay soil it could be a good thing not crushing the biochar so it aerates your soil even more.
- All this goodness is pretty much eternal, lasts from hundreds to thousands of years, or as the scientists like to say, it's recalcitrant.

[shirleyk]

@Life With Eric. I've been vermicomposting for many years. (Over 40 years in the same place.) Glad to say I've only ever had 1 rat issue. There is random insects that live in my compost including black solder flies. But they are all good. I cannot however include cardboard in my bins because that invites wood ants to make their home in it. Not good, but a little DE and removing the cardboard got rid of them and didn't hurt any other critters that I know of.
It's very rewarding to pile a bunch of weeds and lawn clippings in a bin along with some food scraps. When decomp starts I add my worms and 6 months to a year (depends on the size of your bin) you will have lots of worms and beautiful black gold to add to your veggie garden. It is a slow process, be patient and you will be rewarded in the end. Happy vermicomposting. 🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋

[TheTrapperGuy]

I grew up in Seminole and used to regularly go to swim in local springs. There was one directly behind the St Pete College library and the other was at end of Ulmerton Rd by the beaches (that may be Largo). All since dried up to a trickle (assuming Ulmerton one is also since it is on private property and can't check it). I hear a lot of blame on agriculture for the blooms and water quality. Although they still play a large part...we have to remember they have been around in the state for a loooong time at roughly the same size. In the past few decades the size of agriculture farms has been roughly the same. Our population on the other hand has grown by almost a quarter in just the past 20 years. All you have to do is drive around the state and when you see natural areas getting torn down...they are building neighborhoods and not more farms. Most are strict HOA type of neighborhoods that have lawns. Seems logical to me where the blame for water quality declines lies. I'm hoping native plant movement catches on more rapidly. Your channel certainly helps. Great video!

[emilymorgan]

Thanks for the amazing video! Where did you get your T-shirt?