coolbrze
ArboristSite Operative
What are the pros/cons of each? When is/are the best times of the year to do either of these? Thx!
Deep Root fertilization via vertical mulching vs. injections
- Thread starter coolbrze
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Way over sold.
I just looked at two small trees in Pittsburgh for a friend that lives 700 miles away. Davy deep root fed these two trees and want's to come back several times per year at $80. per shot...........meanwhile they have lawn growing right up the their trunks with no mulched area at all which was not mentioned. My advice...........six or eight foot diameter mulched areas around each enlarged over time, a soil test and light applications of 5-10-10 and pH adjustments based on soil testing.
I just looked at two small trees in Pittsburgh for a friend that lives 700 miles away. Davy deep root fed these two trees and want's to come back several times per year at $80. per shot...........meanwhile they have lawn growing right up the their trunks with no mulched area at all which was not mentioned. My advice...........six or eight foot diameter mulched areas around each enlarged over time, a soil test and light applications of 5-10-10 and pH adjustments based on soil testing.
Why are you already prescribing the 5-10-10 before soil test results are in? Otherwise great advice!
It's just the way I worded it when posting.
Applications to be based on soil testing.
Also I brought him up to date on broad leaf type herbicides that are found in most weed and feed type fertlizers and how they can damage trees.
....and info on how to wash some holes into the soil with some minor plumbing parts and water hose pressure to get some air into the soil.
Makes sense. If fertilizing without soil test (I don't...), the 5-10-10 is a good plan...but if you are already doing the test for pH, you'll have what you need for nutrient needs as well.
To the OP:
Fertilizer is adding nutrients to the soil that the soil is lacking. You need a soil test to know what is deficient.
Vertical mulching often involves fertilizer, but doesn't have to. The point of vertical mulching is to improve soil texture.
Injections: Are you talking about trunk injections? The place for those is if you need to get something into the tree quickly and the soil is inhibiting that. The only time I use those is in high pH soil and you have significant iron or manganese deficiencies in the leaves. I'd HIGHLY recommend a tissue sample before you do those. If, for example, you assume iron deficiency, but it is in fact manganese deficient, you could push the tree over the edge as those to "compete" with each other. This is a "bandaid", and you need to start working on soil improvements or you are wasting the client's money.
Best time of year - spring or fall when there is good moisture in the soil. For fertilizer, if you put that in when it is dry, the salts will pull moisture out of the roots. If you try to vertical mulch in dry soil life is more difficult.
Fertilizer is adding nutrients to the soil that the soil is lacking. You need a soil test to know what is deficient.
Vertical mulching often involves fertilizer, but doesn't have to. The point of vertical mulching is to improve soil texture.
Injections: Are you talking about trunk injections? The place for those is if you need to get something into the tree quickly and the soil is inhibiting that. The only time I use those is in high pH soil and you have significant iron or manganese deficiencies in the leaves. I'd HIGHLY recommend a tissue sample before you do those. If, for example, you assume iron deficiency, but it is in fact manganese deficient, you could push the tree over the edge as those to "compete" with each other. This is a "bandaid", and you need to start working on soil improvements or you are wasting the client's money.
Best time of year - spring or fall when there is good moisture in the soil. For fertilizer, if you put that in when it is dry, the salts will pull moisture out of the roots. If you try to vertical mulch in dry soil life is more difficult.
