Fertilizer

The soil should be prepared by digging in home-made compost - you could add well-rotted manure, too. Then plant. If you have no manure available, you can buy chicken manure pellets - you add these to the compost and dig them in (small quantities).You can also mulch any established plants with a layer of compost in the spring, or sprinkle a handful of blood, fish and bone around the plants. If you prune a shrub hard, it is always a good idea to give it a feed, too.

Hi Ashleygirl,
Perhaps it's best to consider it feeding your soil..not your plants..lol. Spritzhenry has good advice... all I would add is: If you are starting a new garden bed and you have the opportunity and time it's a good idea to put the compost, manure or other, in late in the season and let the freeze/thaw cycle help break it down for your plants...and it gives the microflora a chance to get cooking!! The best guarantee of gardening success in my opinion is good soil!! It's not just dirt.