| Maintenance plans should be produced for trees | | | | around each tree. This will assure a satisfactory |
| and shrubs in your landscape. A effective care | | | | supply for continued development. Don't apply |
| program includes monitoring and keeping insect | | | | fertilizer within 12 inches of the stem of the tree |
| and disease problems in line along with restraining | | | | since fertilizer can burn and injure young stem |
| weed competition, and giving well timed | | | | tissue. |
| applications of water, mulch, and fertilizer. | | | | How to Determine Whether to Fertilize |
| Tree and bush fertilization is particularly crucial in | | | | Visual inspection of trees and shrubs is often the |
| urban and suburban areas of the country where | | | | best overall factor to use in making fertilization |
| soils have been changed due to building. These | | | | decisions. Look for: |
| urban lands incline to be heavily compressed, | | | | - Poor leaf color (pale green to yellow) |
| poorly oxygenated, poorly drained, and short of | | | | - Reduced leaf size and retention |
| organic matter. Even where soils haven't been | | | | - Premature fall coloration and leaf drop |
| stricken, fertilization is possibly needed as part of | | | | - Soil Test |
| a sustainment program to step-up plant vigor or | | | | Eighteen nutrients are essential for |
| to improve root or crest growth. | | | | plants:carbon,oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, |
| Trees and bushes in residential and commercial | | | | phosphorus, potassium , calcium, magnesium, |
| landscape plantings are frequently fertilized to | | | | sulfur and nine trace minerals: iron , boron, copper, |
| keep them flourishing and attractive. | | | | manganese, molybdenum, zinc, cobalt, nickel and |
| Over-fertilization is frequent, inducing excessive | | | | chlorine. Carbon, oxygen and hydrogen function in |
| growth, particularly in immature nursery stock. | | | | the formation of plant cells and food creation, the |
| Trees growing in lawn expanses usually get some | | | | first two obtained from the atmosphere and the |
| nutrients when the grass is fertilized. This is | | | | latter gotten from water absorbed by roots. |
| normally adequate to maintain most trees in | | | | A soil test furnishes specialised data on the |
| prolific soil. However, fertilization could be required | | | | potential for plant reaction to agricultural limestone |
| on altered soils wherever unconsolidated fill | | | | and to phosphorus and potassium fertilizers. In |
| material has been superimposed or the topsoil has | | | | addition it provides a verifiable basis for |
| been removed. Managed urban areas where fallen | | | | ascertaining how much of those elements to add |
| leaves are dispatched may also call for a | | | | once they are found to be lacking. A |
| fertilization program to enrich soil and replenish | | | | representative soil sampling can be a challenge to |
| nutrients. | | | | get, because most nutrient-absorbing roots of |
| Plant nutrition is no stand-in for environmental | | | | trees and bushes are in the upper six inches of |
| factors, such as sunshine and water, which must | | | | the soil and may stretch out two or three times |
| be in equilibrium if a tree or bush is to acquire its | | | | beyond the radius of the crown. Consequently, in |
| full potential. Trees or bushes that are healthy and | | | | determining the nutritional demands of trees and |
| flourishing are more insusceptible to assault by | | | | shrubs, it's also essential to look at soil and |
| insects and diseases. An application of fertilizer | | | | moisture conditions; the species, age and vigor of |
| might, in a few cases, improve the plant's | | | | the plants; and previous fertilization. |
| resistance to additional infestations of certain | | | | Nitrogen, the most frequently deficient soil |
| pests. For instance, maple trees will recoup from | | | | nutrient, provides the greatest growth reaction. |
| mild cases of Verticillium wilt after applications of | | | | Regrettably, soil tests or analysis for available |
| nitrogen fertilizer. | | | | nitrogen are not very reliable. Nitrogen is at hand |
| Fertilizer Objectives | | | | in several forms (e.g. nitrate, ammonium, urea) |
| How and when to fertilize landscape trees and | | | | and these forms can change rapidly in the soil. |
| shrubs depends on: | | | | However, overall tree growth, particularly root |
| - Maintenance objectives (stimulate new vs. | | | | and shoot elongation, leaf color and leaf size, can |
| maintain existing growth) | | | | be enhanced with additions of nitrogen. Be careful |
| - Tree and shrub ages (generally more for | | | | not to over-fertilize with nitrogen. Do not |
| younger and less for older plants) | | | | overcompensate with higher amounts of nitrogen |
| - Plant stress levels | | | | when fertilizing grass, shrubs and trees. Nitrate |
| - Time to Fertilize | | | | leaches readily from many soils and can cause |
| The top time to fertilize trees extends from late | | | | water pollution troubles. |
| fall, after the leaves have fallen, through the | | | | Selecting a Fertilizer |
| winter and into early spring before vigorous new | | | | An assortment of fertilizer types exist: |
| growth occurs. Fertilizer applied in the fall has a | | | | - Complete (N-P-K) vs. Partial (one or additional |
| longer time period to penetrate the soil enabling | | | | select nutrients) |
| the roots to more efficiently absorb it. The | | | | - Organic vs. inorganic |
| fertilizer is taken up by the roots during the | | | | - Fast release vs. slow release |
| winter and is available to the plant for growth in | | | | - Dry (grained, pelletized, spikes, powdered, |
| the spring. | | | | encapsulated) vs. liquid |
| Trees that are fast growing should be fertilized | | | | To help determine the type of fertilizer to apply, |
| yearly. Well-established, mature trees usually | | | | consider the following: type of plant, time of year, |
| require fertilizer once every three to four years. | | | | desired rate of plant reaction, application methods |
| Newly Planted Trees Fertilizer Use | | | | and equipment cost, proximity to water sources, |
| Freshly planted trees typically do not need | | | | effect of soil type and pH, type of deficiency, and |
| fertilizer during the 1st growing season. Almost all | | | | results of a soil test or other sampling |
| transplanted trees produced in the nursery have | | | | method.Most landscape plants benefit from a slow |
| elevated levels of nutrients that last through the | | | | release nitrogen fertilizer that may be organic or |
| 1st growing season. Exuberant fertilization during | | | | inorganic. Keep in mind that nitrogen is readily |
| the first year could harm the tree and cut back | | | | leached, but phosphorus and potassium are not, |
| its rate of development. After the 1st year, | | | | meaning they require less frequent application. |
| nitrogen can be utilized in a roughly 3ft area | | | | |