When Is The Best Time to Fertilize Trees

The best time to fertilize trees is either in spring or fall. There are benefits to either season which we explain in detail below.

Fertilizing trees is kind of a foreign concept for most people. Most people are usually concerned with their front lawn, and trees (if there are any) are usually an afterthought.

That is the exact reason why you don't need to fertilize your trees. Most people don't and the trees usually do fine. But fertilizing can definitely keep your tree healthy.

But fertilizer doesn't hurt. And their are signs and symptoms you need to look out for that are red flag indicators your tree could use some fertilizer:

• Undersized leaves
• Fewer leaves than normal
• Thinning canopy
• Dead branches
• Dead branch tips
• Darkened leaf veins compared to the margins
• Yellow or purple leaves (i.e., not green)

Fertilization gives your trees nutrients and supports the trees growth which increases the overall vitality of the tree.

Think about your landscape for a second. It is a beautiful patch of green grass that is (hopefully) pest and debris free. While this is amazing to most people, it is a nutrient barren landscape for a tree.

Most trees are forest trees which are trees that reside in forests. Forests are full of nutrients (other animals, branches, fungus, etc.) that are there for the tree to utilize. This is why its important to consider fertilizing trees in your landscape, like your front yard. They are getting the same nutrients as they would from decaying plant matter.

If your trees exhibit any of the symptoms above, then you should have an arborist come out and do a soil test. A good soil test will be able to tell you how healthy the ground is and the nutrients that you are getting to your tree. Get your soil tested!

It used to be thought that you should only fertilize trees in Spring. But lately, more and more people are fertilizing trees in Fall. Why is that? Truth is, there are benefits to both seasons.

Spring

Spring is a great time to fertilize trees. It's much more intuitive than Fall fertilization, and has numerous benefits for you trees:

• Get those leaves a beautiful green for the summer and into the fall
• Supply the tree with nutrients to help fight off infections usually seen in Spring and Summer months
• Spring is growing season, and you want to support the tree's growth

Fall

Fertilizing in Fall is good for a few reasons:

• Recover nutrients lost during summer time
• Get nutrients to the tree while it is going dormant (all energy goes towards the root system)

The main three reasons you wouldn't fertilize your trees are:

• Dry soil
• Frozen ground (winter)
• Soil is saturated with rainwater



Other than that, it's a common sense approach. Using a slow release fertilizer in the Fall will make sure you tree gets nutrients through the Spring. Don't apply fertilizer if the earth is scorched and dry.

How To Fertilize Trees

Different trees are going to have different fertilization needs. You can expect slight variations between:

• Hardwoods
• Fruit trees
• Ornamentals
• Evergreens

Deep Root Fertilization

Deep root fertilization is a bit of a complex (and controversial top). In short, it's a fertilization method that applies nutrients directly to the tree's roots, rather than surface layer fertilization most people are familiar with.

We recommend you find a slow release fertilizer for your tree. You want the release mechanism to be slow and controlled to give your tree nutrients over a longer time frame. The type you chose will vary by your location.

Northern Regions

Look for a fertilizer that blends the three key macro-nutrients a tree requires:

• Nitrogen
• Phosphorus
• Potassium

Anything to enhance nutrient availability while reducing nutrient loss from drainage. Most fertilizers have a slightly different balance depending on the trees: palm tree fertilizer is geared towards palm trees; fruit tree fertilizer is geared towards fruit trees.

Southern Regions

Southern regions trees are more susceptible to micro-nutrient deficiency symptoms rather than the macro nutrients listed above. Things like:

• Magnesium
• Boron
• Manganese
  

Should You Call An Arborist to Fertilize Your Tree?

Most people don't know where to begin when it comes to fertilizing their trees. That's why we always recommend contacting a local arborist at least one time who can come out and show you how to fertilize the tree, the best time to fertilize it, and the best fertilizer for the tree.



Once you've learned the basics from a professional, you could then go ahead and do your own fertilization for the next year. As trees should be fertilized with slow release fertilizers, this isn't a terribly complicated process but it its something you need to get right.

Sweet New Earth's Final Word

As usual, we recommended contacting a professional before doing any extensive tree fertilization - especially if those trees are just "on" your lawn (they've always there). If you've transplanted trees, or created lawn with landscape trees, then you should definitely contact an arborist for a plan on fertilizing your trees.

Trees are the sturdiest and toughest part of your landscape. They are resilient beings that have withstood the test of time.

They add different colors, and structures to your landscape, and beautiful delicate flowers in different seasons. From Springtime to Autumn, trees give vibrance to your lawn or shade from the heat. They protect you from wind chill and... can give you a lot of leaves.



Stick to an annual, slow release fertilization and you can't go wrong. If you are worried, then definitely contact a professional.

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