Does Miracle-Gro All Purpose Plant Food Work for Strawberries?

Miracle-Gro

• Miracle-Gro All Purpose Plant Food dissolves in water for weekly or bi-weekly feedings throughout the year. Miracle-Gro's formula of 24-8-16 emphasizes nitrogen and potassium. Potassium stimulates growth in all parts of plants by improving nutrient flow. Nitrogen increases the amount of top growth and gives plants a dark green color. Too much nitrogen creates top-heavy plants without an equally strong root system. In strawberries, Miracle-Gro's formula could produce lush stands of weak plants. Applied during fruiting season, this imbalanced fertilizer could shift the plant's energy to vegetative growth and stunt berry development.

Fertility Needs

• Testing the garden soil six months before planting allows accurate adjustments of soil nutrients to meet the specific needs of strawberries. Adding nitrogen, potassium or phosphorous to the soil changes the acidity, which should remain between 5.5 to 6.5 for strawberries. A proper soil test and advice from an extension service agent provide enough information to add the proper amounts of missing nutrients. Without a soil test, use a balanced fertilizer such as 10-10-10, recommends E. Barclay Poling of the North Carolina State University Extension. One month after planting, scatter 5 lbs. of 10-10-10 fertilizer over a 100-foot row. In August, before next year's buds form, repeat with only 2-1/2 lbs. of 10-10-10 fertilizer.

Lawn Runoff

• In home gardens, strawberries sometimes receive extra nutrients from lawn runoff. Strawberries planted along the edges of lawns could grow well with less fertilizer than usual. Where fertilizer applications could overlap, fertilize berry beds with 5-10-5 fertilizer at a rate of 5 lbs. for every 100 feet of row, says Ronald C. Smith of the North Dakota State University Extension. Border plantings don't need spring fertilizer if the lawn receives a spring fertilizer treatment, but feed second-year plants after the berry harvest in June, and again in August. If strawberries show light green leaf color and poor growth in the spring, the bed needs fertilizer.

Applying Nitrogen

• In soils already well-supplied with phosphorous and potassium, strawberries still grow better with light applications of nitrogen. Use a side dressing of only 1-1/2 lbs. of 33-0-0 ammonium nitrate fertilizer for 100 feet of strawberry bed, a month after planting the bed. Keep the fertilizer off leaves and stems to prevent burning the plants. Cut the August application to only 3/4 lb. of 33-0-0 fertilizer. A light application of nitrogen in late summer provides essential nourishment while the plant forms next year's flower buds.