Are Your Trees and Shrubs Getting the Nutrients They Need?
It’s common knowledge that people need certain essential vitamins and minerals to stay healthy, but did you know that plants do too? In fact, they require 17 essential nutrients just to sustain normal growth! These nutrients come from three primary sources: air, water, and soil.
Are your trees getting the nutrients they need? Keep reading to find out!!
Let’s start with where your trees and shrubs get their nutrients. Plants get the hydrogen, carbon, and oxygen they need from the air and water around them. The 14 remaining essentials are a combination of macro-nutrients and micro-nutrients that plants get from the soil, all of which contribute to their health. Macro-nutrients consist of nitrogen, potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorous, and sulfur, while micro-nutrients include trace amounts of iron, zinc, molybdenum, manganese, boron, copper, cobalt, and chlorine.
The pH of Soil Matters to Your Plants
Because the majority of the essential nutrients trees and shrubs need come from the ground, we have to consider the soil in our area to determine the need to fertilize. pH levels will affect the availability of minerals and nutrients. Nutrients are more accessible in acidic soil (low pH) than they are in alkaline soil (high pH). Here in Northeast Kansas, the pH levels of the soil are high, making fertilizers a great way to ensure your trees and shrubs are able to get the nutrients they need.
You and Your Plants Will Be Happier
Fertilizers essentially act as a multi-vitamin for your trees and shrubs and will stimulate robust and vigorous growth! When plants are getting the proper amount of nutrients, you’ll benefit by:
- Improving their overall health
- Enhancing their seasonal color
- Improving the shade coverage they are able to provide
- Providing a natural habitat for wildlife
That said, there is such thing as “too much” when it comes to fertilization. Important factors to consider before making a decision about fertilizing include whether the tree or shrub is newly installed or if it’s already well established, the age and size of the planting, and the location of the tree or shrub.
It’s Okay to Seek Professional Help to Get Your Trees and Shrubs the Nutrients They Need!
Our fertilization programs have the macro and micro-nutrients needed to aid in all aspects of plant growth. Our treatments also include general insecticides to help protect your plants from invasive insects from the inside out. Remember that pesky Emerald Ash Borer? We can help keep them out of your trees!
Our nutrient packages and insecticide treatments last about 4 – 6 months, so we recommend treatments in the spring and fall to ensure year round coverage and control. Late April and early May are great times to get started with fertilization – let our team of experts help you get it taken care of. Contact us today!