How to Feed and Care for Garden Trees

In the forest, when trees grow naturally the leaves fall around them, decay and form a good soil and also the leaves preserve moisture in the soil.

However, on a lawn the tree must compete with the grass for moisture and nutrients, and the leaves are raked up to prevent grass disorders, so that the successful gardener finds it wise to supply nutrients every two or three years.

In the spring or in the fall feeding should be done when the ground is workable. A difficult but worthwhile method of feeding is to strip the sod from an area all around the tree extending at least 2 to 3 feet beyond the outer branches, since the root system extends this far.

Apply stable or barnyard manure to this area, spreading it 3 inches thick and digging it in. Then firm the soil, rake it level and return the sod. Drilling holes over the same area, 12 to 18 inches deep and spaced about 15 inches apart is an easier method. Fill each hole with a commercial fertilizer made up of bone meal, tankage, peat moss or humus plus chemicals, in a formula containing 10% nitrogen, 6% phosphoric acid and 4% potash.

In the hot days of summer, because of the transpiration of the tree, lawn and specimen trees must be watered at least every 10 days in summer to avoid trouble. Since the roots are deep, light watering won't do. The hose or sprinkler should be used for at least an hour.

Use a fork to lose the hard packed soil. For a large tree, drive or bore a number of 1 1/2 inch holes 3 to 5 inches deep and 3 feet apart, below the outer branches. Use a canvas hose or cover the hose with a gunny sack and let the water run.

If you put a few pieces of drain tile in the hole and put the hose in these, you can insure the water reaching the subsoil, when planting new trees or small trees. To avoid evaporation cover the drain-tile holes with stones.

Large, valuable trees should be protected with drain tile so that they will get water and air. The bark should be protected from dirt from a fill directly against it. You can buy metal tree wells, 3 to 7 feet across and 1 to 3 feet high, or build a masonry wall.

If you have some surface other than sod or earth around the tree, see that it does not extend as far as the tree's outer feeding roots, and leave a circle of natural soil around the trunk. This can be planted.

These guidelines will be very helpful for the feeding of garden trees to keep them fresh and attractive throughout out the years.

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