How do you properly fertilize trees?

Table of Contents:

• Reasons to fertilize a tree
• Soil – the foundation of life
• Have a soil sample taken
• Provide the tree with the necessary nutrients
• Which trees need additional nutrients?
• How do I recognize a nutrient deficiency in my tree?
• How do you properly fertilize trees?
• Organic fertilizer vs. mineral fertilizer
• Mulching as a natural soil improvement
• Make your own compost
• Storing biochar
• Use tree watering bags and fertilize trees.
• The tree bath worm compost tree fertilizer

Fertilizing can increase soil fertility and thus promote healthy growth for your tree. And not only that: fertilizing can improve the soil and enhance soil life. On a small scale, it also helps to store carbon in the soil. 

And yet, it's not quite that simple. Not all fertilization is beneficial. Some soils are already over-fertilized. And some fertilizers can do more harm than good. Let's take a closer look:

Reasons to fertilize a tree

If you're considering fertilizing your trees, it's helpful to first determine your reasons for wanting to do so. Different motivations require different approaches and methods. Here are the most common reasons for fertilizing a tree:

• Correction of an acute nutrient deficiency
• Improvement of soil structure and humus content
• Enrichment of soil life 
• Long-term storage of carbon in the soil

To remedy an acute nutrient deficiency, you can use targeted fertilizers. Mulch, compost, and organic fertilizers are suitable for sustainable soil building and enriching soil life.
You can add biochar to the soil for the long-term storage of carbon and the improvement of the soil's capacity to retain water and nutrients.

Short-term nutrient addition and long-term soil improvement are not the same and should therefore be considered separately. 

And then there are also methods that cover all three goals simultaneously. But let's start at the basics: the ground. 

Soil – the foundation of life

Healthy soil is an essential prerequisite for healthy trees. The federal government's definition of soil is:

"Soil is the product of the transformation of mineral and organic substances, permeated with water, air and living organisms, created under the influence of environmental factors on the earth's surface and evolving over time, with its own morphological organization, which is capable of serving as a habitat for higher plants. This enables soil to form a basis for life for animals and humans."

Here are the most important functions of the soil:

• The soil, with its mixture of nutrients, fungal networks, water and microorganisms, forms the basis for plants to grow and thrive. 
• The soil represents a kind of microcosm in which countless living beings share a habitat, from bacteria and other tiny organisms to small animals.
• The soil also acts as a kind of filter for the percolating rainwater, which becomes increasingly cleaner groundwater on its way down, and in many places thus achieves drinking water quality. 
• Vast amounts of carbon are stored in the soil. 

Have a soil sample taken

Since most of us cannot easily determine soil quality simply by looking at it, it can be worthwhile to have a soil sample taken. Because: When you fertilize the soil, you're interfering with a complex process and can potentially cause damage. Many soils are already over-fertilized, especially with nitrogen and phosphate. If you add even more of these through unbalanced fertilization, the natural system may become even more unbalanced, which can also negatively affect the trees.

A soil analysis usually also includes receiving specific tips on optimal fertilization. Furthermore, you will receive additional information about pH value of your soil.

If you want to do without a soil test, we recommend organic fertilizers, mulch, or Worm compost to use. This will bring you closest to the natural nutrient cycle.

Provide the tree with the necessary nutrients

Nutrients are essential for healthy tree growth. A lack of nutrients, or deficiencies, usually manifests as leaf discoloration, stunted growth, reduced yields, and even acute tree diseases. 

Because trees are resilient and long-lived organisms, they can initially survive extended periods of nutrient deficiency without it becoming apparent how severely they are suffering. It is important to understand, however, that weakened trees are significantly more susceptible to all kinds of stress than those with a balanced nutrient supply.

The main nutrients for trees include nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), sulfur (S), and calcium (Ca). In addition, there are a number of trace elements that are essential for healthy metabolism and growth, of which a tree only needs small amounts. This group includes iron (Fe), copper (Cu), boron (B), zinc (Zn), molybdenum (Mo), silicon (Si), and manganese (Mn). Ideally, these nutrients should be available in sufficient quantities in the soil for the tree to absorb.

Important: Nutrient deficiencies can arise not only from a lack of fertilizer but also from an unbalanced nutrient supply. Therefore, we recommend determining in advance which nutrients your soil requires. This is especially important if you are using commercially produced fertilizers. If you only use organic fertilizers (such as your own compost, mulch, or plant-based fertilizer), an unbalanced nutrient supply is much less likely. 

For example, a very high potassium content in the soil can impair magnesium uptake by the roots, even if sufficient magnesium is actually present. Such interactions (antagonisms) are a common cause of hidden deficiency symptoms.

It's also important to note that each tree species has different needs. We therefore recommend that you research the specific requirements of your trees.

Which trees need additional nutrients?

Generally speaking, many trees do not require any additional nutrients. However, there are exceptions:

• Trees growing on barren, nutrient-poor soils
• Fruit trees that are expected to consistently produce a high yield over a long period of time
• In very well-maintained gardens or parks, where, for example, autumn leaves are removed immediately and thus no longer serve as natural fertilizer.
• For young trees that were planted several years ago without soil improvement
• When a tree shows signs of nutrient deficiency

In these cases, it makes sense to optimize the nutrient balance of the soil by regularly using organic fertilizer and mulch in order to create a healthy, growth-promoting environment for trees.

How do I recognize a nutrient deficiency in my tree?

Typical signs of nutrient deficiency include:

• Leaf whitening or yellowing
• Premature leaf drop
• Weak or absent flowering
• Low fruit set
• Reduced growth

These signs are also similar to those of the so-called Drought stressTherefore, as a first step, it might be helpful to simply provide the tree with sufficient water. 

How do you properly fertilize trees?

Here are the most important guidelines for fertilizing trees:

• Don't use fertilizer carelessly; ideally, have a soil sample tested beforehand. This is especially important if you're buying commercially produced fertilizer. 
• Apply fertilizer preferably in spring (March to May) at the beginning of the growing season, as the trees have the highest nutrient requirements for growth and bud break at this time.
• Avoid applying fertilizers with a high nitrogen content in late summer and autumn.
• Use organic fertilizers whenever possible, as these also contribute to improving soil quality.
• Use mineral fertilizers only if a deficiency has been clearly diagnosed.
• Adjust fertilization to the tree species, location, and soil condition.

Keep in mind that different tree species have different nutrient requirements. Fertilization should always be adjusted based on the specific type of tree and its environment.

If you want to fertilize your tree, you can follow these steps:

• First, check the condition of the soil: If it is dry or heavily compacted, we recommend watering it first.
• Apply the fertilizer to the outer crown area. That's where most of the tree's fine roots are located.
• Avoid applying fertilizer directly to the trunk.
• Then thoroughly water the area so that the nutrients reach the root zone.
  

Organic fertilizer vs. mineral fertilizer

Basically, there are two types of fertilizer: organic and mineral fertilizer. Organic fertilizer is produced by the slow decomposition of organic matter, for example through composting or Worm compost. 

Organic fertilization increases the amount of humus, improves the soil and improves soil life. Organic fertilizers not only contain individual elements such as nitrogen, but usually a whole range of important nutrients and trace elements that a tree needs.

Mineral fertilizers, on the other hand, are usually designed for specific substances. For example, there is a fertilizer containing nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, also known as NPK fertilizer.

Important: Mineral fertilizers should be used with more caution than organic fertilizers. With organic fertilizers, it is much more difficult to achieve one-sided over-fertilization than with mineral fertilizers.

We recommend the following as an organic fertilizer: Baumbad liquid fertilizer made from worm compostIt In addition to important plant-available substances, it also contains humic acids and living microorganisms that enhance soil life. 

Mulching as a natural soil improvement

Mulching is a word that is often only known to gardeners. Unjustly, because it is something very simple and reflects a principle from nature. In forests, for example, the soil is covered with a layer of leaves.

Mulching is the covering of soil with plant material. It is one way to help improve soil quality. A layer of mulch also improves soil life and protects the soil from drying out.

A layer of mulch brings you these advantages:

• Slowly and steadily delivers nutrients to the soil and thus builds it up
• Provides food for soil organisms
• Promotes the favourable crumb structure of the soil. This also allows the soil to absorb water better
• Protects the soil from drying out
• Balances soil moisture
• Suppresses other plants (including so-called weeds)
• Prevents surface soil loss (run-off of nutrients)

What materials can you use for mulching?

• Laub
• grass clippings
• shredded bark material 
• semi-mature compost covered with a thin layer of organic material
• chopped straw
• Nettles or other medicinal wild herbs

How to use mulch:

• Green material is only applied thinly, otherwise it will easily rot. It can be renewed more often
• Dry material can be applied 2 to 10 cm thick.
• In heavy soils, mulch carefully to prevent waterlogging and rot.

In this article you will find more information about the Mulching trees. 

Make your own compost

You create a compost for the entire garden ecosystem. In doing so, you promote local biodiversity, improve the soil and store carbon in the earth. At the same time, you minimize waste from the kitchen by returning it to the earth. 

If you have space in your garden, we definitely recommend creating your own compost pile. You can then use the mature compost to fertilize your trees. In this article, you'll find the most important information about composting. composting. 

Storing biochar

Due to its porous structure, the biochar over a large surface area. This allows for particularly good storage of water and nutrients. Furthermore, by incorporating biochar into the soil, you can also benefit from its ability to reduce water consumption on a small scale.ßThey help to store carbon in the soil. 

If you're storing biochar, we recommend activating it with good worm compost. The combination of these two materials creates a highly effective product. You can find more information in the article. Biochar and worm compost: A power duo.

Use tree watering bags and fertilize trees.

Tree watering bags are a helpful tool for efficiently watering trees. The water is released drop by drop into the soil, allowing it to seep into the deeper layers where the tree can absorb it. 

You can consider the following points when fertilizing trees and using tree watering bags:

• Use only liquid fertilizer that does not damage the material.
• Do not put any solid items in the bag.
• Avoid using liquid manure or fertilizer teas in bags.
• Remove the bag before using strong-smelling fertilizers.

If you want to fertilize your tree with a tree watering bag, we recommend the specialized range from baumbad for a Liquid fertilizer made from worm compost.

If this topic interests you, you will find more information in this article on how to... Fertilize your tree with a tree watering bag. 

The tree bath worm compost tree fertilizer