Your Area, BC arborist offers tree owners advice about nutritional supplements for their trees.
Trees add lots of value to homes and businesses. Studies routinely show that properties with established trees sell for as much as 20% more than their un-treed counterparts. Just like a homeowner would renovate their home or a commercial property owner would opt for a new roof, trees should be treated like the assets they are.
To give trees the care that they need, sometimes they need professional tree care and other times some DIY attention can help. One of the most important things that tree owners can do is to remember to fertilize their trees. This is a quick guide to tree and shrub fertilization from local plant health care professionals.
Choosing the Right Fertilizer
Picking the right fertilizer is usually the first hangup when it comes to tree owners taking care of their trees. Fertilizers come in a variety of concentrations that are intended to treat trees and shrubs differently based on their needs. Fertilizers are differentiated by a special number that demonstrates the nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium balance in the mix. For example, a 4-18-38 fertilizer contains 4% nitrogen, 18% phosphorus and 38% potassium.
Each individual nutrient contributes something different to what the tree needs.
- Nitrogen: In nature, nitrogen is provided slowly as bacteria break down dead plant matter. Nitrogen is a limiting factor for trees because it is the backbone of any amino acid the tree produces. When an abundance of nitrogen is available rapid, strong growth occurs with bright green foliage.
- Phosphorus: Phosphorus is a naturally-occurring mineral that is necessary for DNA production in a tree. This is vital for the growth of the tree but it is even more necessary for flowering when trees produce loads of DNA to propagate.
- Potassium: Trees have immune systems that protect them from disease and invasion. Potassium is critical for a tree to be able to protect itself as it fights invaders over the summer.
Why is Fertilizer Beneficial?
Fertilizer is food for a tree. So it can help to think of the effects of fertilizer like the effects of food for a human. When a person is deprived of food they lose weight and are generally unhealthy. The same goes for a tree. On the contrary, when someone is well-fed they look healthy and stay well. When trees are given fertilizer they:
- Set leaves and blooms more strongly
- Grow with better stability
- Stave off infection and infestation
- Provide more shade and habitat for wildlife
When to Fertilize Trees
Fertilizing trees can be done at different times to achieve different goals. Fertilizing a flowering tree with a high-phosphorus fertilizer right before they flower can result in a burst of blooms far more vigorous than last year. However, this form of fertilization doesn’t help the tree all year long.
For a simple and balanced approach that will lead to an all-around healthy tree, apply fertilizer in the early spring or fall. The idea is to introduce nutrients to the tree before the tree needs them so it can prepare for winter or rapid spring growth. Applying a general fertilizer once or twice a year every year will keep the tree well-supplied with nutrients and allow the tree to display all of the benefits of fertilization.
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