Ask the Experts, Fertilization Programs

The Benefits of Deep Root Fertilization

October 27, 2020

We may not think too much about it, but your turf isn’t the only part of your landscape that needs to be fertilized! Those huge, shady trees also enjoy a boost of nutrition every now and then.  However, it’s not as simple as sprinkling some fertilizer around the roots. 

Trees need our help to stay healthy, especially in urban settings. Trees that grow in the wild – in their natural habitat – have access to all the nutrients they require to grow and survive. The thickest, healthiest trees in nature are that way because they’ve developed a competitive advantage. Their natural adaptation allows them to thrive in those conditions. 

Landscape tree plantings, on the other hand, are typically considered artificial. This means that the soil doesn’t have the natural nutrients needed to protect the tree from environmental conditions, pests, and other aggressors. Most trees in an urban landscape do not have the ideal conditions for the tree to grow, bloom, and bear fruit.

Root systems are the heart and soul of trees. And trees have a complicated root system. It proliferates the soil and goes deep into the ground to absorb nutrients and water. In fact, the tree’s roots can spread twice as far as its branches above ground!

The tree roots are up against a lot of factors in an urban setting: air pollution, compacted ground, and competition with your turf grass and nearby shrubs and plants. Hence, deep root fertilization is needed. 

Deep root fertilization mimics the natural soil nutrients that help trees grow thick, healthy, and tall. By fertilizing the trees in your landscape, you’re helping them overcome conditions that would otherwise inhibit growth.  

Feeding the deepest-reaching roots of your trees will recreate the favorable growing conditions found in nature. Keep reading to learn more about deep root fertilization and why it’s essential for the health of your trees.

What is Deep Root Fertilization?

Deep root fertilization provides nutrition by injecting the soil with fertilizer. The high-pressure injection process helps ensure that the fertilizer is able to reach the deepest tree roots. This feeds trees from the root up, providing far more nutrient absorption than traditional methods of fertilization.

Deep root fertilization is an important step in tree care, especially when trees and shrubs are planted outside of their natural habitat. Trees grown on private and commercial properties do not have the same soil conditions that you’d find in the wild. Because of this, trees often need supplemental nutrition in order to be at their healthiest.

While surface fertilization might be beneficial for grass and smaller landscape plants, trees that have deep-reaching roots can’t be effectively fertilized from the surface. This makes fertilizing them harder because you are unable to reach the entire root system of the tree,  where it needs nutrients the most.

Signs Your Trees Need Fertilization

There are certain signs that indicate that your trees are especially in need of deep root fertilization treatment. If you wait too long, your trees could become malnourished or even die without supplemental nutrition.

Here are some key signs that your trees need to be fertilized:

• Reduced, foliage, and floral output
• Leaves that are smaller than normal
• Yellowing or light green leaves
• Dead spots on leaves
• Thinning or dying tips of branches
• Little to no annual growth

If you notice that the trees on your lawn are displaying these signs, then it’s crucial to start a tree fertilization schedule. By feeding nutrients directly at the root, deep root fertilization will help restore your trees and keep them healthy for years to come.

The Benefits of Deep Root Fertilization

Deep root fertilization is the best way to keep your trees healthy and vibrant outside of their natural habitat. This is because it helps recreate the natural nutrient cycles the tree would normally have in nature.

Through the process of deep root fertilization, nutrients are delivered right to the root for an immediate boost. Over time, the nutrients are transported to the rest of the tree. As a result, the trees grow healthier, bearing more florals and greenery.

By getting vital nutrients directly to the roots of trees and shrubs, they can grow healthy from the root upward. Unlike surface fertilization, deep root fertilization distributes the fertilizer right to the tree’s foundation. This allows the tree’s entire root system to absorb the nutrients, rather than just the roots near the soil’s surface. 

Fertilizing your trees doesn’t just help them grow better foliage. It also helps them stave off environmental aggressors as well, such as harsh weather and pest infestations. Again, this is due to the fertilizer’s nutrients mimicking the competitive advantages that the tree would have in nature.

Here are some key benefits of deep root fertilization:

• Promotes thick, healthy, vibrant foliage
• Optimizes soil condition and nutrient content
• Stimulates development of canopy and blooms
• Helps prevent weather damage from frost and sunburn
• Maximizes resistance to pests and disease
• Reduces soil compaction
• Aerates the soil for optimal growth
• Trees are more aesthetically pleasing = Boosts your home value
• Prevents yellowing of leaves caused by chlorosis (lack of chlorophyll)
• Aids in the growth of new plant shoots

To provide the best conditions for the trees and shrubs in your landscaping, deep root fertilization should be an essential part of your maintenance routine. This will help ensure that your plants have the ideal soil conditions to grow thick and healthy. 

What Is the Proper Way to Do Tree Fertilization?

Proper tree fertilization is a more complex process than what you might expect from other home and garden plants. In order to make sure it’s done correctly, several factors need to be taken into consideration.

First of all, a detailed soil analysis will determine the best timing for deep root fertilization. This involves noting the soil’s acidity or alkalinity and using this information to decide when to fertilize. The pH level of the soil will tell when it’s at the prime condition to absorb the fertilizer’s nutrients.

There’s no single pH level that will be ideal for every tree or shrub. Depending on the types of trees in your landscaping, different soil pH levels will work better. For example, if you’re growing oak trees, you’ll need a soil pH level in the 5 to 7 range for the tree to absorb the nutrients of the fertilizer.

Other conditions will be noted as well, including the condition of trees and shrubs that will be fertilized. The health and age of the trees or shrubs are also factors in when determining the best timing and nutrients for deep root fertilization.

Fertilizers must contain the right balance of potassium, nitrogen, phosphorus, and other elements according to the specific needs of the trees. In order to know what to use, a detailed soil analysis is crucial.

Overall, this can be a complex process that will be difficult to accomplish without advanced knowledge of tree growth. For optimal results, it’s best to have your Dallas landscaping expert perform an evaluation for you.  Professional tree experts know how to properly determine the condition of your soil and the trees of your property. They’ll also have the best, most effective fertilizers for deep root tree fertilization.

When is the Best Time for Deep Root Fertilization?

The best time for deep root fertilization to take place in northern Texas is during the early fall.  For best results, you should schedule your deep root fertilization twice every year, as suggested by our tree and landscaping experts. 

Keeping Up with Deep Root Tree Fertilization and Shrub Fertilization

Once you’ve had your tree fertilization service, it’s important to keep it up on a regular basis to ensure your trees and shrubs stay healthy. By providing your soil with the proper nutrition, it will help supplement what your landscaping soil might be lacking during each yearly cycle.

Southern Botanical makes this process easy with a Tree and Shrub Fertilization Program, which is designed to help you maintain an effective tree fertilization schedule. 

The SoBo Tree and Shrub Fertilization Program includes these services:

• Two deep root fertilization treatments per year
• Annual tree assessment by an ISA-certified arborist
• Application of deep root fertilizer by Southern Botanical’s tree experts

By enrolling in Southern Botanical’s tree and shrub fertilization program, you’re locking in all the services needed to keep your landscaping looking happy and healthy. Plus, you’ll be getting the additional support of ISA-certified arborists that can expertly identify what’s best for the trees and shrubs on your property. All of this will be done in the ideal timeframe to get the most out of the soil fertilization.

Fertilizing Your Trees and Shrubs

Fertilizing your trees might sound like an unusual concept at first, but it’s important to do it regularly. This helps ensure your soil has the optimal balance of nutrients to grow the healthiest trees and shrubs that naturally resist harsh environmental conditions.

While trees and shrubs might not require fertilizer in nature, it’s important to recreate those favorable conditions within your landscaping soil. The best way to do this is with deep root fertilization, which helps carry vital nutrients throughout the entire root system. By feeding the plants from the root up, you’ll be providing the best nutrition possible for your trees and shrubs to thrive.

Fall is the best time of year to get your professional deep root fertilization in northern Texas. Contact us now to schedule an appointment with the tree experts at Southern Botanical.

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Sources:
“Fertilizing Trees and Shrubs,” University of Massachusetts Amherst – The Center for Agriculture, Food, and the Environment, https://ag.umass.edu/landscape/fact-sheets/fertilizing-trees-shrubs

“N-P-K Ratio: What do the Numbers of Fertilizer Mean?” The Old Farmer’s Almanac, https://www.almanac.com/content/npk-ratio-what-do-numbers-fertilizer-mean

“Deep Root Fertilization,” Sunday Gardener, https://www.sundaygardener.net/deep-root-fertilization/