It's Time to Fertilize Your Trees and Shrubs!
Deep root fertilization for woody ornamentals

Winter is an excellent time to fertilize ornamental trees and shrubs. We generally wait until the leaves have fallen and the sap has dropped in the trees before we fertilize. We do this to avoid causing any late season growth surges. Fertilizing trees and shrubs in the winter insures that the proper nutrients will be present and available for the plants as soon as they need them in the spring.

Examples of tree and shrub fertilization methods include granular fertilizers around the root zones, liquid fast release fertilizers drenched over plant foliage and around the bases, and fertilizer spikes driven into the ground around the root zones. Liquid and granular fertilizers applied to the soil around the plants promote shallow root systems because the nutrients cannot penetrate very deeply into our compacted clay soil. Shallow roots are more susceptible to damage from freezes, snow, and heat. Fertilizer spikes do a better job of promoting deeper root systems, but most of these spikes contain fast release nitrogen which can actually burn the plant's roots as the nitrogen leaches out. None of these fertilization methods do anything to help relieve the compaction of the soil around the root balls.

We use the pressurized deep root fertilization method. Our fertilizers are injected into the ground around the bases of your trees and shrubs at approximately 250 pounds of pressure. This pressure helps to relieve soil compaction which allows plant roots to grow deeper and develop more expansively. Many nursery plants tend to die from potbound roots within a year or so after being planted because the roots never grow out of the shape from the pot they were taken out of. The fertilizer we use releases slowly over a 12 month period with the help of warm temperatures and moisture.

Pruning
Winter is the best time to do it

Our tree and shrub treatments along with your watering practices go a long way toward making your landscape look beautiful. But plant material that has been installed for more than 3 years will need to be pruned in order to keep it growing properly and keep it healthy.

Winter is the best time to heavily prune your landscape because the sap is low and the plants are either dormant or in a state of slow activity. The exceptions to this rule are plants that will be blooming in the spring. Pruning them in the winter will reduce the spring bloom potential. However, spring bloomers like azaleas and rhododendrons that are grossly overgrown and need severe pruning should be pruned in the winter in order to minimize the shock that can occur when they are more actively growing.

To properly prune your landscape, begin by choosing the proper tools. You can choose anything from scissors to hand shears to loppers and saws. Be sure your pruning tools are sharp, sterile, and in good repair. Always make a clean, deliberate cut to allow for the best possibility of healing.

Begin pruning your plants by removing dead, diseased, and excessive branches inside the canopy. Remove sucker growth next, and then you can begin pruning for growth and aesthetic appeal. Be sure to get a good mental picture of what the plant is going to look like BEFORE you make a cut. You cannot put it back once you cut it!

Specific placement of your cuts will depend on the location on the plant and the purpose for removing the material. When removing sucker growth or interior branches, make the cut slightly out from the stem or branch from which it is being removed. Never make a cut that is flush with the bark. Also, keep your cut at an angle, not shallow or blunt. If you want to promote additional growth, make your cuts at a 45 degree angle about 1/4 inch above a healthy bud (see illustration). By doing this, you will encourage growth from the buds below your cut.