Do you have saplings or young trees in your yard and care about their proper growth? Pearcy’s expert tree service provides the following advice for determining when and how to apply fertilizer for young trees. While you should always consult an arborist for your fertilizer needs, having basic knowledge helps you know the best time to call them.
Benefits of Using Fertilizer for Your Trees
What are the benefits of tree fertilization for young saplings? After the tree’s first year of growth, applying fertilizer helps impart the following advantages for your trees.
Provides Lacking Nutrients
Because every area’s soil contains slightly different chemicals, it can’t always provide for the nutrient needs of young trees. A certified arborist can determine the composition of your soil and develop a fertilizer that provides all the missing nutrients, so your tree has everything it requires to stay healthy while it grows.
Improves Tree Health
Properly fertilizing young trees for growth helps them avoid diseases and all the problems associated with a lack of nutrients, such as the following:
- Reduced growth
- Wilting or leaf discoloration
- Fungal growth on the trunk
- Reduced crown density
Mitigate Potential Hazards
Correctly feeding young trees for healthy growth helps avoid the hazards of a lack of nutrients. For example, fungal growth can cause instability, making your tree more vulnerable to falling over in high winds. By caring for your tree, you reduce your liability should anything happen and increase your chances of insurance covering any incident.
Signs Your Trees Need Fertilizer
How do you know when to apply fertilizer for young trees? After the tree’s first year of growth, you should apply fertilizer every spring. However, you’d benefit from additional fertilization if you notice any of the following issues.
Minimal Growth
Because fertilizer application for young tree development focuses mostly on optimizing the tree’s growth, one of the first signs your tree needs more fertilizer is if you notice it’s not growing at a preferred rate. Each tree grows at a different rate, with some growing as much as two or three feet a year and others growing as few as 10 inches. If you worry about your tree’s growth, consult an arborist.
Leaf Issues
If your tree’s leaves turn yellow around mid-summer, rather than remaining a lush green, it can indicate a lack of nutrients a fertilizer could provide. Pay attention to the size of your tree’s leaves each year. If you notice them shrinking, it can indicate a lack of nutrients, possibly affecting how well your tree develops.
Premature Abscission
Abscission refers to the process of trees losing their leaves each fall. While the climate and tree type affect when leaves begin turning colors and falling off, if you notice it happening earlier than other trees in your area, you might need fertilizer.
Applying the Fertilizer
Determining the best fertilizer for young tree establishment is an important part of tree equity and helps keep your property beautiful, healthy, and safe. While you shouldn’t under-fertilize your trees, giving them too much fertilizer or the wrong type can seriously damage them. So you should always rely on an arborist to correctly develop and apply fertilizer.
Watch for the following signs your tree has too much fertilizer:
- Crusted fertilizer on your soil
- Unhealthy lower leaves or leaves with brown edges
- Discolored roots
- Damaged sprouts or buds
Contact Your Pearcy Tree Health Experts
When you want the best fertilizer for young trees, rely on the experts at Urban Jacks Tree Service. Whether you need new tree care tips or wonder which trees work best for your yard, our certified arborists can help. To speak with a team member or schedule an appointment, call (501) 547-4018.
