You should give your trees extra loving care so they can continue providing you with limitless beauty, shade, fruits, and other benefits. Fertilization is just one of the numerous ways to care for your trees and ensure they stay in good shape, but why do trees need fertilizer?
The soil doesn’t always have enough nutrients to meet our trees’ nutritional needs. For this reason, some tree care specialists recommend fertilizing your trees annually to keep them healthy and more resilient to stress.
In this post, we take a deeper look into everything you should know about fertilizing your trees, as advised by reputable arborist services in Marietta, GA.
Why You Should Fertilize Your Trees
The soils in the forests are abundant in nutrients, giving trees all they need to thrive. This isn’t usually the case with your yard. When you sweep away leaves, fallen bark, and twigs, you deprive the soil of potentially recycled nutrients.
The grass in your yard is also unnatural and may outcompete your trees for available water and nutrients. To protect your trees against nutrient deficiency and its detrimental effects, you need to fertilize them regularly. Besides ensuring your tree has all the important nutrients it needs, fertilization also promotes its growth and overall vitality.
Commons Signs That It’s Time for Tree Fertilization
There’s no cause for alarm if your trees are healthy and exhibit no signs of stress. However, if you notice any of the following signs of ill health, the chances are that your soil doesn’t have all the nutrients it needs for healthy tree growth:
- Brown, yellow, or twisted leaves
- Abnormally short annual twig growth
- Yellow leaves with green veins
- Fewer yet undersized leaves, resulting in a thinner canopy
- Branch die-back
- Leaves of most species show other colors like purple or yellow instead of green
- Lack of vigor
If your tree exhibits any of the above signs, call a qualified arborist to inspect the tree, perform a soil test, and recommend the best course of action.
When’s the Best Time To Fertilize Trees?
How often do trees need fertilizer?
Fertilization timing depends on many factors, including the soil condition and the trees you want to fertilize. However, fertilizing in certain seasons can yield more benefits.
Take fall fertilization, for example; it’ll help the soil recover nutrients it lost during summer. Here are some of the benefits of fertilizing during spring:
- Stimulates a fresh flush of growth during the normal growth season
- Keeps the tree leaves green so they can stay healthy and attractive through summer and into fall
- Provides essential nutrients to ensure the tree is healthy enough to fight off infection
What Is the Best Way To Fertilize Trees?
When answering the question, “Why do trees need fertilizer?” you might also want to know how to fertilize your trees correctly for the best results. You can simply apply granular fertilizer to the soil at the base of your tree, but deep-root fertilization is a far more effective process with no adverse environmental impact.
This technique entails injecting nutrients directly into the soil instead of spreading it over the surface. It ensures you place nutrients only where the tree needs them most – the root system. Also, there’s no wastage; besides minimal fertilizer runoff, you only use specific nutrients that the tree needs.
Contact Your Local Tree Experts for Assistance
Now that you know the answer to “Why do trees need fertilizer?” it’s time to find reliable tree care. Our team at SoutheastTree is your trusted local arborist if you need professional help to meet your trees’ fertilizing needs.
Contact us at 770-977-8733 (TREE) for a free quote or to discover the best trees for your front yard.
