When to Fertilize Your Trees and Shrubs in Northeast Ohio

In forest environments, trees grow happy and healthy. 

Why? Because they live in soil rich in natural humus that is continually replenished by decaying tree leaves. This natural process returns nutrients to the soil. Organic matter that naturally occurs in forests enables trees to thrive. This is basically a form of fertilization. 

But in urban and suburban landscapes like those in Northeast Ohio, trees and shrubs grow in much harsher environments. We rake away leaves and forest floor debris that nourish the soil after home building and construction removes the rich topsoil full of organic matter that was present. 

This is why fertilizing trees is important. While trees are strong when they are part of natural forests, trees in built environments need a little more help and care to thrive and reach their full potential.

Let’s talk about the best time to fertilize trees and discuss some of the basics on fertilization timing to ensure your trees get what they need. 

Fertilizing Trees In Spring and Fall

When is the best time of year to fertilize trees?

In fact, fertilizing trees twice per season – once in spring and once in fall – is ideal. 

Spring fertilization replenishes nutrients used up in the winter and helps provide nutrients the plants can use for producing healthy buds and flowers at the start of the growing season. 

In fall, fertilization is done to help tree and shrub root development at a time when plants are focusing their energy on the roots. Plants can then store this energy during the dormant time of year. 

Why Does the Timing of Fertilizing Trees and Shrubs Matter?

When you are fertilizing trees at the wrong time, you risk either wasting product that the tree doesn’t need at that time or encouraging the production of new growth at times of the year when it is more vulnerable to damage. 

For instance, during the growing season, plants are capable of producing energy through photosynthesis. This means additional fertilizer isn’t always necessary. An abundance of energy is available as air provides carbon dioxide, soil delivers water and minerals, and sunlight makes sugars. Also, fertilizing after July could stimulate new growth too late in the season, making it more vulnerable to cold temperature damage later in the fall.

The goal of a tree and shrub fertilization program is to ensure proper timing so your pants have the necessary nutrients available to maintain their health and even make them stronger in the future. 

Signs Your Tree Needs Fertilizing 

Your plants may already be crying out for nutrients. 

Some signs you need to fertilize trees and shrubs include: 

• Lack of growth. Every year, you should see some growth in your trees.
• Yellow leaves in spring and summer vs. a consistent green color.
• Leaves that gradually shrink in size year after year. This may be tough to notice in one year, but you should see a difference in more than two years.
• Your tree’s leaves develop autumn color early — possibly in August or September vs. later in fall.
• Dead branches.

Benefits of Fertilizing Trees and Shrubs

There are a number of benefits you can experience by including fertilization and plant health care services in Northeast Ohio. 

By strengthening plants with fertilization, plants will become more resistant to diseases.

On top of that, they will produce more flowers and fruits, which can help them create new plants or provide food for a multitude of organisms. 

Fertilized trees and shrubs produce more oxygen as well.

And, the best part is fertilized plants create a more aesthetic environment, boosting your property value. 

How a Professional Fertilization Program Works

When you’re seeking a professional to help you with plant health care services in Northeast Ohio, you want to hire a company that knows what they’re doing. 

There are quite a few mistakes that one can make when fertilizing trees and shrubs. 

Using incorrect rates and misapplying fertilizer are two big mistakes. Using incorrect fertilizer rates wastes product and won’t improve plant health. Using too much product can cause excessive growth at the wrong time of the season and even physically damage plants. Not covering the plants completely with fertilizer or using the wrong application technique can also be problematic. 

Turf Pride uses a specific fertilizer blend that we apply directly to pants or use as a soil drench around the base of plants. These methods allow the plants to absorb the nutrients directly into their vascular systems, so the entire plants can make use of them from roots to foliage. This is also less likely to result in runoff or dilution from rain. 

Why You Should Hire a Pro For Fertilizing Trees

Keeping your tree healthy, strong, and gorgeous requires preventive maintenance and routine care. 

Hiring a professional for plant health care services in Northeast Ohio can ensure you have knowledgeable, trained eyes on your property that can identify any potential issues and can also properly care for your particular tree and shrub species at the proper times of year. 

The specialists at Turf Pride are licensed to apply fertilizer, meaning they have the knowledge to understand when, how, where, and why the fertilizer should be applied. They also have the knowledge to diagnose plant issues. 

These services can provide peace-of-mind that your plants are taken care of, that you don’t need to worry about learning a new trade or storing equipment and products, and that your time is freed up to do something else you enjoy.

Want to improve your tree and shrub health and create a happier overall landscape? Turf Pride can help with plant health care services in Northeast Ohio. Get started today with a free quote. Together, we’ll customize a plan that gives you the most attractive landscape on the block.