You might nurture a tree from when it’s a small sapling and take pride in watching it thrive. If so, you’ll want to do everything properly, but there’s so much conflicting information out there.
Do trees need fertilizer periodically to prevent nutrient deficiencies, or can they find their own supply? When do you apply these products to your plants and trees? What format do your trees need?
In this post, Green Acres Tree Service & Land Clearing, Leesburg’s premier tree service, goes over fertilizer basics.
Why Do Trees Need Fertilizer?
Trees growing in the wild don’t have timely applications of fertilizer. You’d be right to put that point across. If you can replicate the natural conditions exactly, you wouldn’t need to feed your trees anything beyond what nature already gives them.
Of course, that would also mean an entire forest in your backyard that you would have to let grow wild. Most of us would rather pull garden trees out of their natural environment and enjoy their shade and grandeur.
How Should You Feed Your Trees?
Do trees need fertilizer? Yes, but different trees exhibit different needs. Hardwoods and ornamental species have very different needs, so you need to find out what those are first.
Also, it’s also not just newly planted trees that need help. Still, while older ones can suck all the nutrients out of the soil they’re in, you shouldn’t just apply any old slow-release fertilizer. A soil test can tell you what nutrients are deficient in that patch of soil so that you can bulk up what it lacks.
For example, let’s say that you add too much nitrogen fertilizer to a fruit tree. You might end up with wonderful foliage at the expense of fruit. You might need to add potassium to sort fruiting, but you won’t know what to add without that soil test.
How to Add Your Granular Fertilizer
When you go with granular fertilization, be sure to spread it in an even layer about a foot away from the tree’s trunk. Go until the outer circumference of the branches (the drip line).
Then, water it thoroughly to help it soak in.
When is the Best Time to Fertilize Trees?
The best time to fertilize trees depends on your point of view. Traditionally, gardeners add the product in the early spring before the growth season. The idea behind this is that it gives the tree the nutrients it needs to grow.
However, many experts now say it’s better to fertilize in early fall or late fall. You should wait until a month after the first deathly frost. The reason behind this is to give the tree the nutrients it needs to survive the cold and disease.
The tree stores the excess nutrients in its roots, so they’ll be available for the growing season anyway.
Would You Like Expert Advice on Tree Fertilizers?
Do trees need fertilizer? Do your garden’s trees have issues, like some trees with no leaves?
Green Acres Tree Service & Land Clearing has the answers, so call 229-881-2538 to schedule a professional consultation today!
