New Tree Fertilization

[SLOBuds]

I planted 120 small trees last year. All bare root. All shade trees. They ranged in size from saplings up to 6' high.

The instructions said not to fertilize any of the trees during their first year. How do I calculate the amount of fertilizer needed for each one? I would like to enhance their growth this year if possible to ensure that they 'take'.

Thanks.

 

[aondre]

Have your soil tested to see what it is deficient in, then apply the appropriate nutrients. Also the species of tree and soil type will make a difference on the application and frequency. It might be more cost effective to go with a general long-term fertilizer like nutripak (www.nutripak.com).

 

[beenthere]

As aondre said, get the soil tested. Then calculate what application of N-P-K you need, and it won't be easy as only the small area around each tree needs fertilizer (about the area that the roots extend into, which for one year would be about the diameter of the hole dug to plant the tree). Too much fertilizer will kill the tree, such as when spilling nitrogen on your lawn.
If you find you need to apply at a rate of 200 # to the acre, then 1# would do about 220 trees. 30 # bags of lawn fertilizer do about 5000 sq ft, so that bag would do about 5,000 trees.

 

[MarkLeininger]

We planted about 100 little trees a couple years ago and we spread horse manure around them. The key thing you need is nitrogen to make these things grow like weeds, which is probably your goal. If you don't have horses, I'd just buy something with nitrogen in it. If you're trying to start an arboretum you can take the project further.