Fall plant fertilizing should be preformed at least once annually. It is important to fertilize shrubs and trees in addition to your regular lawn fertilizing. Shrubs and trees can be fertilized with liquid fertilizer products, granular fertilizer products and fertilizer spikes. When you are performing fall plant fertilizing, it is important to provide the proper type of nutrients to your plant. The proper type of nutrients includes nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Each nutrient plays a key part in the over all development of the plant. It is also important to properly apply the material to the plant. Most trees receive a soil drench with a liquid fertilizer product or fertilizer spikes. Most shrubs receive liquid fertilizer products or granular fertilizer.
Fall plant fertilizing will give your plants the nutrients that they need to make it through winter. Fall plant fertilizing will also improve the over all performance of the plant in the spring. Plants that are fertilized on a regular basis tend to have larger, more frequent flowers. The leaf and branch quality of trees will also be improved through the use of fertilizer.
Products for fall plant fertilizing.
Fertilizer Spikes- Most established trees can use about two fertilizer spikes twice a year. Fertilizer spikes are pressed fertilizer in a form about 6″ long and about 1″ round. If your soil is hard, you may want to pre-make your holes using a piece of wood or metal. If you ground is soft, you should be able to pound these stakes into the ground using a rubber mallet or dead blow hammer. If you use a regular hammer, it will most likely bust up the stake; defeating the purpose.
Liquid Fertilizer Liquid fertilizer can be injected into the ground or applied as a drenching process. Injecting fertilizer into the ground helps the product reach the root system of the plant faster. Soil drenching will work, but it takes time for the product to work its way into the soil.
Granular Fertilizer Granular fertilizer is the most simple product to apply. Granular products will work, but the require more time to activate than liquid fertilizer products. If you want them to start working right away, water your products in after you install them.