[VoodooChile]

When caring for healthy, high value trees, what fertilization regimen do you recommend?

Assume the trees are established, pest and disease free, and not experiencing environmental stress, like drought.

Thanks!

[dan deutekom]

Talk about a loaded question

Usually high value trees are in landscaped areas that are being fertilized on a regular basis anyways. The residual fertilizer makes it way to the trees. If the tree is healthy and looking good why take the chance of messing that up? If it is a high value tree that is in the middle of a parking lot then I might consider a spring feeding every year but then again if it is healthy and growing well it really isn't lacking anything so why mess with it?

[LandArts]

Never. I'd be afraid of stimulating excessive growth that was susceptible to disease. The old-fashioned approach of top-dressing with manure compost would probably be a good idea but who's got time for that?



www.land-arts.net

[jwholden]

Are you having issues with the arborist who spread the 80 yards of mulch last year?

Do unto trees as you would have the trees do unto you.

[VoodooChile]

Good memory John. The same account and arborist.

I am trying to evaluate his Spring tree care recommendations. Some are a no-brainer, like Alamo treatment for oak wilt of infected and at-risk Burr Oaks. This client has the money, and values the trees, and since Alamo has proven effective prophylactically in White Oak group Oaks, I have no problems with the recommendation.

However, this arborist's spring fertilizer regimen, is quite different in timing, frequency and product, from what the arborist I most respect recommends.

I am not interested in undermining this guy. This client has me dizzy with projects, but as I've mentioned in other threads, big trees mean much to me, so I've been a little meddlesome...

Anyway, I am very eager to see how the poll pans out, since high-value tree care is one of the most important responsibilities of the green industry, and tree fertilization remains fraught with controversy.

The poll is anonymous folks. Let's hear what you recommend.

[GLAN]

I'll be out in the open with my vote.

I voted on a tree to tree basis.

For one thing.......I am not sure if the question is asking about speciment type or pretty much common trees. Or the size and age.

[VoodooChile]

GLAN,
These would be high profile trees located in prominent locations on the property. Both indigenous and planted trees are to be fertilized.
Size and age would vary, but none would have been installed in the past 10 years...well-established, large super-sweet trees.