Q. Why should I fertilize? 

A. Because fertilization bolsters tree health, enabling trees to fight off disease, pests and environmental stresses. Trees growing in a forest are naturally fertilized with decaying plant matter. Not so in our urban landscapes.

Q. When should I fertilize?

A. Apply fertilizer in the spring, after the last frost. Bradley Tree and Landscape now offers deep root tree and shrub fertilization.  

Q. Fertilizers seem a bit confusing….. can you explain it?

A. Fertilizers mainly provide a combination of three essential nutrients: nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P), and potassium (K). While shopping for fertilizers, you’ll see that different fertilizers contain varying amounts of N, P and K based on a ratio of 100 pounds. A balanced fertilizer might be marked 10-10-10, indicating an equal amount (ten pounds) of nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium in that fertilizer. (The remaining 70 pounds is filler.) Complete fertilizers contain some of each nutrient, and fertilizers labeled incomplete indicate that one or two of the three nutrients are not present in that particular variety. Most trees prefer a fertilizer ratio of 2-1-1, which translates to a fertilizer analysis of 20-10-10. (20% nitrogen, 5% available phosphates, 5% water soluble potash.)

Q. Are trees fertilized differently from lawns?

A. Yes they are.When trees are in urban or suburban environments they often experience high stress conditions because of soil compaction, construction, physical damage & competition from other trees, shrubs and turf.Lawns are fertilized more than any other aspect of our landscapes. And they’re often fertilized too much…. with the excess running off into water supplies. Tree feeder roots are below the grass roots and are deprived of the topically applied fertilizers. That’s why we recommend ‘Deep Root Tree Fertilization’.

Q. How is it done?

A. Small holes are made in the soil around the tree, with liquid fertilizer injected, which is accessed by the tree’s fine absorbing roots. Application holes, depth, spacing, fertilizer rate and tree type are all calculated for maximum efficacy.The advantage of deep root fertilization is that nutrients become immediately available to the tree. 

Contact us to schedule fertilizing and maintenance of your Trees and Shrubs.

Bradley Tree & Landscape 886-1550 or 669-0707