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Blog // Spread the Love: Tree Fertilization

Spread the Love: Tree Fertilization

We often view trees as hardy, able to withstand the elements and outlive just about everything we plant ourselves, but they need and thrive on fertilizer too! It doesn’t matter if your trees are oak, ash, birch, poplar, maple, apple, pine, or spruce — they all need tree fertilization at some point.

It may seem like a bit of an afterthought, what with Winnipeg’s sunny summers and high amounts of precipitation, but the extra nutrients that tree fertilizer can provide go a long way in maintaining your trees’ health so that they remain luxuriant and strong for years (and maybe generations) to come.

Just like proper human nutrition, the added nutrients fertilizer provides to trees have many research-supported benefits, such as:

  • Greater resistance to tree disease
  • Increased overall strength
  • Denser, more luxuriant foliage
  • Healthier, more robust root systems

What nutrients do trees need for healthy growth?

The three main needs of a tree are nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Without these three basic nutrients, plants generally don’t survive. While trees found in dense forests benefit from nutrient-rich soil, as well as other natural fertilizers, the soil around our homes is lacking. It’s like having a bowl of Lucky Charms for breakfast instead of some hearty oatmeal and berries. Yes, the cereal will fill you up for a short time and should get you to lunch, but the oatmeal provides you with much more of what you need in a healthier package.

What do these elements do to support your trees?

  1. Nitrogen: Gives trees and other plants their dark green colour. It also promotes growth by building amino acids, which then go on to create proteins that are necessary for growth and all around strength.
  2. Phosphorus promotes cell division, which helps roots grow, defends against disease, and facilitates the growth of flowers and seeds.
  3. Potassium is a key nutrient that is necessary for the creation of chlorophyll in plants, which is essential for photosynthesis. Potassium also protects them from disease and promotes root growth.

When is the best time for tree fertilization?

Though you may find conflicting information regarding when and how to fertilize your trees, there are some general guidelines that apply. First and foremost, damaged trees (those that require fertilizer the most) should be fertilized early during the first spring after the damage occurs.

April or May is generally the best time to fertilize most trees, especially after a harsh Manitoba winter. You can also fertilize in the late fall once trees are dormant, which lets new growth harden before it gets too cold. Young trees should be fertilized yearly, starting two or three years after planting, though not too early, which can cause them to grow shallow roots.

How does Kildonan Tree Service fertilize trees?

We use commercial-grade tree fertilizer, which is enhanced with organic nitrogen, an especially necessary nutrient during the growing season. We pressure inject the fertilizer near the tree’s roots, helping to feed the plant where it matters most. Our fertilizer contains no chloride or nitrates and is good for the environment, with no risk of pollution from run-off.

We’re passionate about tree care and would love to help you create beautiful, robust trees using a fertilization plan that fits you best.

Does my landscaped commercial property need to have its trees fertilized?

If you own commercial property, manage an apartment complex, or are in charge of the grounds for a hospital, school, or other institution, then you likely take care of or have a company see to your landscaping needs.

While proper landscaping takes care of many of the health needs of your grass, shrubs, and trees, only a certified arborist can give your trees what they need in terms of pruning, disease diagnosis, removal, and fertilization.

As well, the more trees you have on your property, the more competition there will be for nutrients. Regular fertilization by Kildonan Tree Services ensures that all of the trees on your property get the nutrition they need.

Fertilizing your trees can help you save in the long run

Fertilizing the trees on your commercial or institutional property helps maintain their health, which helps prevent future issues, including limb breakage that may result in property damage.

It can also increase resistance to tree disease, which means fewer treatments in the future, and fewer removals. This is especially important, as certain diseases may spread to your other trees, which could lead to mass removal.

Save time and money and have your trees regularly fertilized by Kildonan Tree Service.

Questions?

To learn more about the best fertilizer for your trees that will keep them happy and healthy, request an online quote or contact one of our certified specialists by calling us at 204-233-9337 or emailing us at [email protected].

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