How to Properly Fertilize Your Trees and Shrubs in Northeast OH

Trees and shrubs grow in a unique way compared to your Northeast Ohio lawn. Buds and leaves emerge in spring with flowers blooming and then these plants settle into their mature appearance in summer. In fact, for most of the growing season, your landscape plants look about the same as they always do.

If your trees and shrubs look healthy with no yellowing leaves, no spots, and no dead branches, this usually means they are doing well. It can be tough to spot problems.

Since lawn treatments can deliver visible results in just days or weeks with thicker, greener grass and dying weeds, it can be tough to understand fertilizing a tree or shrub when they operate on different timelines. The absence of problems, in fact, means these plants are doing well and your treatments are working. 

But the logistics of when to fertilize, what type of fertilizer to use, how much a tree or shrub needs can lead to hesitation — or worse — skipping fertilization altogether. 

Let’s dive into nutrients for trees and shrubs, when to fertilize trees and how to fertilize bushes in Northeast Ohio, including these key steps: 

• Remember That Timing is Key (jump to this section below)
• Choose the Right Fertilizer (jump to this section below)
• Understand Application Techniques (jump to this section below)
• Avoid Common Mistakes (jump to this section below)

The Importance of Nutrients for Trees and Shrubs

Here in Northeast Ohio, fertilization is especially important for the long-term health of your landscape. Our unpredictable weather — thanks to Lake Erie — means plants face a rollercoaster of conditions from year to year. 

Some winters are mild, while others bring brutal cold and subzero wind chills. During winter, trees store nutrients in their roots to keep their internal systems running. The nutrients you deliver through fertilization can help them recover from winter stress so they can push out healthy new growth in spring and build resilience against pests, diseases, and environmental stresses. 

In fall, after a season of growth, replenishing nutrients is also critical because your trees and shrubs need to rebuild reserves in their roots to survive the coming winter and bounce back strong next spring. 

Without fertilization, landscape plants may struggle to thrive, become more susceptible to diseases, or show lackluster growth. 

These are the key steps for fertilizing a tree or shrub. 

Remember That Timing is Key

There are two key times during the season when nutrients for trees and shrubs are important: spring and fall. 

In spring, your plants are pushing water and nutrients upward to put out new buds, flowers, and leaves. These parts are necessary for taking in sunlight and undergoing photosynthesis so plants can produce their own energy. 

During the summer, there is an ample amount of growth, so adding more fertilizer isn’t needed. 

In fall, as deciduous trees lose their leaves and chlorophyll is no longer available to keep them green, the plants start to move their energy downward to the roots. Adding fertilizer at this time is important so your trees and shrubs can produce more roots, build strength, and prepare for winter. 

Choose the Right Fertilizer

Plants need macronutrients and micronutrients to perform a variety of tasks through the different times of the year. 

The main macronutrients are nitrogen for top growth, phosphorus for root growth, and potassium for overall plant functions. Sunlight, water, and soil can provide some of these, but fertilizing a tree or shrub can supplement what that plant is missing. . 

Additional nutrients, such as iron, zinc, copper, boron, manganese, molybdenum, and chloride all play roles from germination to full maturity. 

Understand Application Techniques

Fertilizer for new trees can come in granular or liquid forms and can be applied in different ways. 

Turf Pride likes to use liquid fertilizer applied directly to plants via foliar applications and at the bases of plants via a soil drench. This is effective because the product is absorbed quickly by the plants through the leaves and roots, and there is very little waste from runoff. 

Turf Pride prefers a 4-0-2 fertilizer (4% nitrogen, no phosphorus, and 2% potassium) for foliar applications and soil drenches. When it comes to how to fertilize bushes, their technician will use a battery-operated backpack sprayer with an adjustable spray tip for a stream or mist pattern using a swirling motion to ensure the product covers the plant surface. A drench at the bases of plants ensures the fertilizer gets down into the soil and the root zones. 

Avoid Common Mistakes

While not using enough fertilizer for new trees can limit results, too much of a good thing can be bad, too. 

In fact, this is the biggest mistake we usually see. Because results aren’t quick, you might think more product is necessary to get more growth, but excess nitrogen just leads to excessive leaves and very little flowering. 

Less than required fertilization, on the other hand, may lead to weaker looking plants that can become stressed and develop pests as a result. 

Applying fertilizer at the wrong time is also a common mistake. At peak growth, plants can produce the nutrients they need on their own through photosynthesis, so it’s wasted at this time. 

Hire a Professional in Northeast Ohio When You Want to Fertilize a Tree or Shrub

Fertilizing a tree or shrub is a crucial investment in the long-term health and beauty of your Northeast Ohio landscape. 

Understanding what your plants need, when they need it, and how much to give them, though, can feel overwhelming. And the subtle signs of success can be easy to overlook. 

That’s why partnering with a professional can make all the difference. Let Turf Pride help. We have specialists with the expertise needed to assess your plants, identify their fertilization requirements, and develop a plan that works best for their needs. We use the right products, apply them at optimal times, and monitor your landscape for signs of stress, pests, or diseases, so you don’t have to guess or worry. 

By trusting your trees and shrubs to a knowledgeable professional, you can enjoy the peace of mind that comes with knowing your plants are getting exactly what they need to thrive for years to come. 

Want to improve your tree and shrub health and create a happier overall landscape? Turf Pride can help with plant health care services in Northeast Ohio. Get started today with a free quote. Together, we’ll customize a plan that gives you the most attractive landscape on the block.