Question: What kind of fertilizer is best for my annual garden?

Answer: There are many good options. Water-soluble, high-nitrogen fertilizers work well for young plants, and you can continue using them for the whole life of the crop if you wish. However, you can also use quality, slow-release lawn foods for most flowers in most Texas soils. A soil test will be the best indication of the precise needs. Don’t be surprised if the soil test suggests, even for annual color, that you use a fertilizer that is solely nitrogen, half or more in slow-release form. There also are timed-release fertilizers that could be worked into the top 1/2-inch of soil, to release their nutrients over the entire season.