Do I have to use fertilizer?

[C00KiE46]

If so what should I use? Right now I'm growing pumpkins, cantaloupe, watermelons, radish, carrots and basil. Later on I will be transplanting tomatoes, peppers and chili's to the garden. Do some vegetables not need fertilizer?

[rainbowgardener]

As marlin noted, it depends on the condition of your soil, etc. But most plants will benefit from some added NUTRIENTS. That does not necessarily mean fertilizer, if by that you mean something you buy in a bag (or whatever).

I never use any fertilizer per se in my garden. I do use compost and occasionally compost tea/extract. I plant with compost and then I add more once or twice during the season. I mulch well and the mulch eventually breaks down to add nutrients to the soil.

[C00KiE46]

I have not added anything to my garden. This is the first time I planted anything there. We lived here for about a year before I planted anything but I'm positive the people who lived here had a garden in the same location. I'm not even sure what kind of soil I have all this is new to me. All I know is that I want my garden to be organic.

[Ozark Lady]

I side dress with manure, but I also side dress with bone meal, wood ashes, diatomaceous earth and fish meal. With this added at the edges of the plants, they have a choice to use what they need or not.

I also add liquid fish meal emulsion to my sprayer, and when I rinse milk out of containers I save the water, mix it with the fish meal, add some bt and spray my plants weekly: once, I have worms hit, which is now!

I am also organic, and the items listed are for organic gardening.