Tree nutrients make all the difference between healthy growth and a sickly specimen. They’re so vital that the tree dies when the nutrient deficiency is severe enough. In this post, the leading Marietta tree trimming service team from SoutheastTree discusses the signs that it’s time to perform a soil test and buy granular fertilizer.
What Does a Deficiency in Tree Nutrients Mean?
This means that your planted trees cannot find enough nutrition within their root area to grow optimally. A nutrient deficiency means a less hardy tree and one that is less able to recover from pest damage or diseases.
What Nutrients Do Plants Require?
Every plant needs its preferred combination of macronutrients to ensure optimal growth. These include:
- Potassium
- Nitrogen
- Calcium
- Phosphorus
- Magnesium
- Sulfur
The home gardener must also perform a soil test to check the levels of the following micronutrients.
- Zinc
- Molybdenum
- Manganese
- Iron
- Copper
- Boron
What Causes Deficiencies?
There are several potential reasons for nutrient deficiencies, and they all boil down to environmental issues.
Overworked Soil
Every year the savvy vegetable gardener plans out their patches carefully. They may leave a bit of land to give it a rest. They’ll move their patches around to ensure they plant heavy feeders after plants that draw up a particular nutrient.
Changing the layout and allowing some soil to rest creates a more sustainable and healthy vegetable garden.
Unfavorable Growing Factors
The soil may have more than enough nutrients, but this makes no difference if the other growth elements are lacking. Trees require:
- A healthy soil biome with worms that naturally aerate it and fertilize it
- Soil with the correct pH balance
- Sufficient water to thrive
- Enough drainage in the root area to prevent waterlogging
- The right balance of nutrients as too much of a mineral is as dangerous as too little
- Protection from parasitic organisms and other pests
Your trees will never thrive unless you replenish the soil with granular fertilizer using optimal application methods. In contrast, they’ll stop flowering, fruiting, growing healthy leaves, and eventually die.
Signs that Indicate You Need to Test the Soil
You are likely to be reading this article because one of your trees is ailing. Maybe it’s less lush than before, or the leaves are a strange color. Signs that you need to feed the soil include:
- A yellowing of the leaves bark that is abnormal
- Changes in the bark color
- Leaves that seem singed
- An unusual red or purple tone
- Stunted growth
- Misshapen leaves
- Crop failure
- Spotting on a few leaves
- A drop in yield quantity or quality
- An underdeveloped root system
These symptoms are relatively easy to spot but also generic in nature. They all seem so alike that you cannot be sure what the deficiency is for unless you run diagnostics on the dirt.
How to Hack Measuring for Nutrient Shortages
Would you like to monitor your soil but feel it would take too long. Cut your studies down to these three primary indicators:
- pH analysis
- Temperature
- Electric conductivity
These are the most important parameters when maintaining your garden’s health. The advantage of regular testing is that you can catch small insufficiencies in time before they become a big issue.
Speak to the SoutheastTree Team Today
Starting with the proper tree nutrients ensures that your saplings have the best chance of growing big and strong. If you want to know more about tips on caring for new trees, check out our blog today.
Are you unsure of where to start? Maybe your trees are already in trouble. Call the SoutheastTree rescue squad at (770) 977-8733 to receive professional advice about the tree nutrients you should buy.