Ask the Experts, Soil & Plant Analysis Learn How Your Tree Can Benefit from a Deep Root Feeding February 21, 2020 We at Southern Botanical, your Dallas commercial landscaping services company, always recommend deep root fertilization for trees. You might be wondering, does it really work? Our expert answer: YES! Strap in, we’ll tell you why. Like people, trees need essential nutrients to develop and survive. The trees in your property might appear a lot like their forest-dwelling, self-sufficient brothers, however, there’s one huge difference: their environment. Forest trees do not mature unless they have taken root in an area that meets their basic needs. Trees in an urban environment are typically subjected a lot of stresses (1): landscape changes, transplanting, and often would need to compete with grass and other plants for nutrients. If the trees in your property are not properly landscaped, there is a big chance that they are not getting all the nutrients they need. The result? A tree that is more susceptible to disease and insect infestation, grows slower, and have a shorter lifespan. Your plants are probably struggling if: (2) Your trees come from a nurseryYour tree is growing in very compacted soilYou live in a suburb or cityYou remove dead leaves on the ground before they have a chance to break down (dead leaves are natural fertilizers!)The branches and leaves are showing signs of growth stressYou grow trees and plants that are not native to your area Deep root fertilization to the rescue Deep root fertilization involves injecting fertilizer deep into the soil, so that it will reach the tree’s deepest roots. After careful analysis by our ISA-certified arborists, a special industrial tool is used to drill a grid of holes spaced two to three feet apart, deep into the soil surrounding the tree’s roots, (3) then we will inject a slow-release deep root fertilizer into those holes. Our special blend of fertilizers and other added nutritional products will aid in the recovery and development of small fibrous roots needed to transfer water, minerals and oxygen into trees’ vascular systems. Your best option is to get in touch with one of our ISA-certified arborists for expert advice. You may contact Southern Botanical, your Dallas commercial landscaping services provider at 214.366.2103. Sources: (1) “Fertilizing Urban Trees.” Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, https://www.maine.gov/dacf/mfs/forest_health/misc/fertilizing_urban_trees.htm. (2) “How Do You Know if Your Trees Need Deep Root Fertilization?” AAA Tree Experts, https://aaatrees.net/tree-care-advice/know-trees-need-deep-root-fertilization/. (3) “Fertilizing Trees and Shrubs.” The Center for Agriculture, Food, and the Environment, https://ag.umass.edu/landscape/fact-sheets/fertilizing-trees-shrubs.