Title: Explain how to fertilize landscape plantings.
Course: Landscaping I (18054-I) > Section: Maintaining the Landscape

Explanation could include

- identifying PPE required for the task (required)
- describing laws regarding commercial fertilizer application
- identifying types of fertilizers
- interpreting information on a fertilizer label
- describing methods of fertilizing landscape plantings
- determining when plants should be fertilized
- developing a fertilization schedule
- describing how to fertilize plants with granular fertilizer, measuring plants (i.e., caliper or spread), and calculating the quantity of fertilizer needed
- describing how to broadcast fertilizer on the surface.

Teacher Resources:

- Accurate Application and Placement of Chemicals on Lawns, Virginia Cooperative Extension
- An Exercise in Calibration: Accurate Applications of Granular Products without Rotary Spreader Calibration, Virginia Cooperative Extension
- Application without Calibration (video), Virginia Cooperative Extension
- Calibrating Your Lawn Spreader, Virginia Cooperative Extension
- Calibration of Sprayers, Part XVII of Agronomy Handbook 2023, Virginia Cooperative Extension
- Calibration, T. David Reed, Virginia Cooperative Extension
- Fine Tuning a Sprayer with “Ounce” Calibration Method, Virginia Cooperative Extension
- Nutrient Management for Golf Courses, Virginia Cooperative Extension
- VDACS CFA

Process/Skill Questions:

- What are the methods of fertilizing landscape plantings?
- What calculations need to be considered when calibrating rotary and drop spreaders?
- What are the advantages of the rotary and drop spreader?
- Why is it important to select the appropriate fertilizer for a plant?
- What are the benefits of using slow-release fertilizers?
- Why should over-fertilization be avoided?
- When can organic fertilizers be used in the landscape?
- What are the advantages of organic fertilizer?