Arborist Consulting & Permits
Tree Fertilization Based on Soil Assessment in Victoria and Saanich
Tree fertilization supplies nutrients that altered urban soils often lack, which can improve growth, flowering, fruiting and resistance to insects and disease. Oakstead Tree & Property Care assesses site and soil conditions for trees in Victoria, Saanich and the Saanich Peninsula, recommends compost, commercial products or injection as the situation calls for, and refers the fertilizer application to vetted local partners.
In plain words
City soils often lack the food trees need. Feeding a tree can help it grow and resist pests and disease. Oakstead checks the soil first and suggests what to use. Vetted local partners apply it.
In the wild forest, nutrients are provided through the natural weathering of mineral soils and forest litter. In the urban landscape, however, soils are often significantly altered and require nutrient supplementation through fertilization.
Fertilizing a tree can improve growth, resistance to insects and disease, flowering, and fruiting. However, fertilization should not be done indiscriminately. It is essential to determine soil conditions prior to applying fertilizer, to ensure that conditions are not worsened. Sometimes the nutrients are in the soil but are not “available” due to a variety of reasons.
Fertilizer can be applied in a number of ways: from adding compost, to a variety of commercial products, or injection.
Have Oakstead out to your site to help assess your site conditions and get started with a sampling plan. Call (250) 888-9222 or use the request form on our Get a Quote page.
Fertilization: frequently asked questions
Do trees in the city need fertilizer?
Often they do. In a natural forest, nutrients come from weathering mineral soil and fallen leaf litter. Urban soils are frequently disturbed and cleared of that litter, so trees around homes may need supplemental nutrients to stay healthy.
Why test the soil before fertilizing a tree?
Fertilizing without knowing soil conditions can make things worse. Sometimes the nutrients are already in the soil but not available to the tree for other reasons. Assessing the site first shows whether fertilizer will actually help and what kind to use.
How is fertilizer applied to trees?
Options range from adding compost to a variety of commercial fertilizer products or injection. Oakstead chooses the method after assessing your site, and can set up a sampling plan so treatment is based on what your trees and soil actually need. The application itself is referred to vetted local partners.
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