Common Fertilizer Mistakes New Gardeners Make — and How to Avoid Them

An article by Travis Key from Lazy Dog Farm

A quality fertilizer can be one of the most powerful tools in a gardener’s arsenal — but it’s easy to get it wrong! Every spring, new gardeners eagerly plant tomatoes, squash, peppers, and beans, only to end up with slow growth, yellow leaves, or tiny harvests. Often, fertilizer mistakes are part of the problem.
Here’s a look at four common fertilizer mistakes and how using an effective, organic liquid fertilizer like AgroThrive can help you avoid them.

Mistake #1: Fertilizing Too Soon After Transplanting

It’s tempting to dump fertilizer into the hole when you transplant tomatoes or peppers — but too much, too soon can burn tender roots. If you’re a new gardener and not sure how much to use, you should be very careful doing this.

Instead, allow plants a day or two to adjust to the soil, then apply a diluted feeding with AgroThrive. Its gentle, pre-digested organic nutrients are safe for young plants and encourage strong root growth without stressing the seedlings.

Example: After transplanting tomato seedlings, wait about 3–5 days before applying your first light feeding. Start with a couple ounces of AgroThrive per gallon of water and gradually increase as the plants get larger and can tolerate a higher concentration. 

Mistake #2: Overfertilizing Throughout the Season

More fertilizer doesn’t always mean bigger plants! In fact, overfertilizing can cause lush, leafy growth at the expense of fruit production. (This is especially true with tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers.) I’ve seen this happen many times when gardeners plant tomatoes or other fruiting vegetables in an area that has been heavily fertilized with chicken manure. The plants look beautiful, but the fruits are few.

Using a balanced, organic fertilizer like AgroThrive at recommended rates ensures plants get what they need without going overboard. Plus, because it releases nutrients steadily, it reduces the risk of nutrient buildup in the soil.

Tip: Always follow the label and fertilize every 10–14 days during active growth periods — not every time you water!

Mistake #3: Forgetting to Feed Long-Season Crops

Some crops can take longer to mature than others — think pumpkins, watermelons, and indeterminate tomatoes. These plants need a midseason nutrient boost to keep producing through the summer.

Without feeding, you may see:

•    Yellowing lower leaves (especially in corn and tomatoes)
•    Small fruits (in melons and cucumbers)
•    Poor pollination (especially in squash and zucchini)

Midseason is a perfect time to side-dress these crops with AgroThrive — simply water it in at the base of plants during flowering and fruiting stages.

Mistake #4: Using the Wrong Type of Fertilizer

Many new gardeners accidentally grab a synthetic, high-nitrogen fertilizer meant for lawns, not vegetables! These fertilizers can cause explosive leaf growth but poor fruit development — and they don’t feed the soil microbes that make organic gardens thrive.

AgroThrive is specifically designed for organic food production. It's a plant- and fish-based liquid that nourishes plants and builds soil life at the same time — leading to healthier, more resilient gardens year after year.

You’ve Got This!

Gardening is always a learning process, but avoiding these fertilizer mistakes can make your first (or fifth!) vegetable garden much more successful. Whether you’re growing juicy tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, or tender green beans, AgroThrive gives your plants a natural, balanced boost that leads to bigger, tastier harvests — the way nature intended.

Since 2021, thousands of gardeners have been tuning into the Lazy Dog Farm YouTube Channel where Travis covers a variety of topics from starting your own vegetable transplants, in-ground and raised bed gardening tips, and growing over 70 varieties of figs in his backyard orchard. The gardens on his 2-acre homestead are always filled with a wide variety of vegetables, flowers, and herbs, as the southwest Georgia climate allows his family to grow their own food year round.