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Feeding and Maintenance

Trees need feeding just like us. In their natural environment trees get all the nutrients they need from the forest floor (and the atmosphere), an organic layer realeases the needed macro and micro elements the trees require. In urban areas often the natural cycle is disrupted, leaves are cleared away, water runs off paved areas and the trees can often be left lacking vital nutrients they need to stay healthy. The nutrients we provide do not feed the tree, but are used by the tree to create its own food through photosynthesis.

Trees require three elements in relatively large amounts.

 

Nitrogen (N)

Phosphorus (phosphoric acid P2O2)

Potassium (soluable potash K2O)

 

A 'complete' fertiliser will be made up of these three elements.

Trees also require smaller amounts of secondary nutrients which are normally available in the soil, such as Calcium, Magnesium and Sulfur. Micronutrients are also required, but in much smaller quantities to maintain a healthy tree.

When to apply fertiliser

Fertaliser can be applied any time of the year, but it may not be used by the tree until early spring/late winter when the tree begins to grow. Trees absorb dissolved nutrients through their roots system, so the soil must be moist for the tree to make the most of the available elements.Slow realeasing fertalisers can be applied any time of the year and fast realeasing fertalisers should be applied between spring and autumn when the roots are actively growing.

How to apply

The easiest way to feed your tree is to add a slow natural, slow release fertaliser to the surface. Wood chip, mulch and animal manure are all natural means of realeasing nutrients into the soil slowly. In many cases this is not a viable option, the tree may be surrounded by grass for example. Trees will compete directly with grass in the top few inches of soil. It is possible to apply fertaliser to the subsurface, using holes drilled into the soil to apply a granular feed or improved soil, a soluable fertaliser can be injected into the soil under pressure or a fertaliser spray may be applied to the foliage (normally used as a quick temporary fix for certain deficiencies).