Fertilizers provide nutrients and minerals to your trees so they can stay healthy. Many fertilizers include nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Most often, these chemicals are not present in soils. Before you attempt to fertilize trees, it is important to know how to do so.
Your tree’s health is not guaranteed by fertilizer. Regardless of whether fertilizer is used, it’s important to take the necessary steps to ensure your tree stays healthy. Fertilizer won’t work if you have pest or drought problems. Despite this, fertilizer can still be beneficial to tree health. Let’s discuss the steps and knowledge that you need before fertilizing.
When should you fertilize trees?
Learning when to fertilize trees is an important step in learning how to fertilize them. Trees that are still in growth should be fertilized throughout each year. Trees require nitrogen-based fertilizer as they grow. Young trees should be fertilized from March to June. They will grow if they are fertilized in the spring months. Your leaves will be greener due to this fertilization. Spring fertilization is good for your tree’s health and helps to prevent infection. Fall fertilization has many benefits. Fall fertilization will help your tree survive the winter. It helps to recover nutrients from the soil that was lost in the summer.
To stay healthy, a tree will need less fertilizer as it gets older. However, they will still require some fertilizer throughout the year. To determine the amount of phosphorus and potassium in your tree, you might consider a soil test. This will allow you to determine how much fertilizer your tree needs.
Signs Your Tree Needs Fertilizing:
- Dead branches
- Leaves can turn a discolored color
- Twigs are very short
- A smaller amount of leaves
What amount of fertilizer should you use on trees?
There are many factors that affect how much fertilizer you should give your tree. It all depends on the stage of your tree and what kind of fertilizer you use. A good rule of thumb is to use a measurement of.1 to 0.2 pounds of nitrogen per 100 feet. The measurement on your fertilizer bag should be easy to follow. This measurement will give you a better idea of the fertilizer’s accuracy and how it is being applied to your tree. If your tree is still not well-nourished, you can space your fertilizing out a few months. Your lawn’s tolerance for nitrogen should not be exceeded.
Baby Trees
Baby trees do not need to be fertilized for their first year. They still require very little fertilizer after the first year. Your baby tree’s roots will be damaged if you use too much fertilizer, particularly with nitrogen. Use slow-release fertilizers on young trees. Slow-release fertilizers are organic fertilizers. They can be obtained from both animal and plant sources. Inorganic fertilizers can be more expensive than organic fertilizers.
Growing trees:
Your tree needs to be at its peak growth stage, so it will need to receive a good amount of fertilizer. To keep your tree healthy, you should check the fertilizer bag twice per year.
Mature Trees
As we have already mentioned, mature trees require very little fertilizer if any. Your trees should not overproduce. The soil and minerals will be fertilized by mature trees.
How do I fertilize trees?
Mulch is often mistaken for fertilizing trees. This is a mistake. Spread the fertilizer evenly over the root zone, making sure to not get into the tree trunk. You shouldn’t apply too much fertilizer. Make sure you water the fertilizer well so that it absorbs into soil but doesn’t damage your tree’s root system. Consider aerating your soil before applying fertilizer if it is too compacted.
What makes a good fruit tree fertilizer?
Fruit trees require nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, just like other tree fertilizers. These nutrients are found in most fruit tree fertilizers. A lot of nitrogen is needed for fruit trees. The nitrogen helps fruit trees grow by assisting with photosynthesis. Phosphorus is essential for the transfer of energy and strong roots. Potassium controls water pressure and helps to grow strong roots. These nutrients can be found in many fertilizers. They will help to keep your fruit tree healthy.
Your trees will need fertilizers. However, if you require professional assistance in this area, your local landscaping contractors can help. For over 20 years, we have provided tree and landscape care services . Contact us to make your life better!
This post was written by a professional arborist at Arbor Wise Professional Tree Care. Robert Miller is the owner of Arbor Wise Professional Tree Care, a locally owned and operated tree service company that offers superb lawn care by the most experienced Arborists. Arborwise Tree Services is a tree removal company that offers stump removal, tree pruning, stump grinding, fertilization, and tree restoration. We have an extraordinary lawn care industry notoriety covering the Pinellas county area.