William Moss: Fertilizers are like vitamins for your plants, they stuck to soil with all the necessary nutrients for healthy garden.

Hi! I am William Moss, a Master Gardener with the National Gardening Association and today, I'm at the Historic Oatlands in Leesburg, Virginia. I'm going to give you some tips on how to keep your garden fertilized and healthy all season.

First, do no harm. Always follow the directions on your fertilizer packet and don't over fertilize. Some people think if it says one tablespoon then three has to be great. Well no, that actually causes a lot of problems for the plant, and can damage the environment overall. So follow the directions closely and don't over fertilize.

Second, if you are working in a vegetable garden try some organic fertilizers, they actually contain a broader spectrum of nutrients that will help the plants fight of disease a little bit better and also grow a little bit more productively for you.

And third, kill two birds with one stone. While you are mulching, think about mulching with a compost, it will serve the same purposes for keeping the weeds down, also keeping the soil moisture a little bit more consistent. But as the compost breaks down it feeds the plant with all the best possible nutrients, so that way you know you are doing two things on trip to the garden.

All those tips will keep your garden healthy and a well fertilized garden has less pest, less disease and is more productive as far as flowers and veggies for you. Get out and grow.