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Visual confuse
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Posted by
TAB3230 10 (
My Page) on
Thu, Jul 5, 12 at 21:20
| Let's say I have mulch on top of my soil and I apply fertilizer on top of it will any of fertilizer's elements stolen from my end targets, my trees shrubs etc? Some of Nitrogen will be used for decomposition of mulch, correct? |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Visual confuse
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| Yes. Most fertilizers recommend pulling the mulch away, putting down the fertilizer, cultivating it in shallowly, then replacing the mulch. I know Plant-Tone (from Espoma) recommends using more, though I forget how much more, if putting it on top of mulch. That's for dry fertilizer; I would think that water-based fertilizers would not be as affected. |
RE: Visual confuse
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| My city suggested me to mulch first and then use expensive fertilizer over it and now I have defficiency issues, my trees yellow, my land dry, should I sue my city? |
RE: Visual confuse
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| Do you mean for street trees? What kind of expensive fertilizer? I am sure you can get some ideas on what to feed. If you feed now with a liquid or foliage feeding, it will green up. |
RE: Visual confuse
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| Also, even with mulch, you need to water, just not as often; if you've got a newly-planted street tree, you definitely need to water, and to keep a close eye on how dry it's getting. |
RE: Visual confuse
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| As the Soil Food Web works on that "fertilizer", even synthetics, they will move it down into the soil even if using some of it to digest the mulch. The bacteria utilize the Nitrogen to digest the mulch which is put back as those wee buggers die off and are in turn digested by others, so N is not necessarily lost. |
RE: Visual confuse
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| I'm curious why your city is involved in your tree growing, as tropical said it sounds like you have street trees that may even have been planted by the city? If so, does your city have an arborist? Maybe that's who recommended the fertilizer. In any case I would talk with them again and have them look at it. If the ground is dry and the trees are new, you'll need to get busy with the water hose! Young trees are susceptible to drought and heat. |
RE: Visual confuse
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RE: Visual confuse
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| Ok they(florida unv sites) suggesting me to mulch and then add low nitrogen-expensive, slow release fertilizer, 50$ 50 lbs, it is in Florida, so I develop nitrogen deficiency in my backyard? Actually, not sure 100 %, just questioning as trying to understand! |
RE: Visual confuse
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| I would not trust that site. Just any one site could be wrong without double checking. The soil forum is good to use because if someone post something stupid everyone calls them out. Are they selling that fertilizer or something like that? I would research the type of trees first to see what kind of soil they like. Then prepare your soil before planning the trees. Once they are in it is hard to change the soil. Did you mulch with wood? I would add compost first to the soil, maybe some fertilizer under the mulch or maybe liquid fertilizer if they are looking yellow. It could need more iron or other minerals. A photo would tell a lot. If it is getting dry, maybe lack of water? You must water a lot when establishing new plants. You could mulch with other types of things like Kelloggs amend or some other brand of compost that is more broken down then just plain wood. |
RE: Visual confuse
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| You can find nitrogen rich (I think that is what was meant by expensive?) fertilizer for very cheap at many places such as home depot or wal mart. It depends on if your going organic or chemical. Around here you will find alot of organic heads. But for a plain old nitrogen rich fertilizer, you should have no problems finding something. And try not to use fertilizer that was made for sod or lawns (grass)as it might contain more nitrogen than needed. I dont think a fertilizer with more than nitrogen should be used but then again I dont know what your tree looks like. The steps are usually: 1)Fertilize
2)Mulch on top
3)Water Deep It all depends on the symptoms of your tree and how new it is. If its just planted it could be in shock so give it time, food and water. |
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