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Organic Liquid Fertilizer - Liquid Aeration Solution

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Fertilizing

Easy Tree and Shrub Fertilizing

A Safe and Easy Way to Fertilize Shrubs, Trees and Perennials

In the fall, plants stop sending water and minerals up to the leaves. Instead, they will use these nutrients to increase root mass, and to store up food for the winter as well. The changing of the color and dropping of leaves accompanies this phase of the growth cycle.

By fertilizing at this time of the year, you allow the shrubs and trees to store up food as it sees fit for next year’s growth. We call this a dormant feeding, since above ground growth has stopped. But underground these plants are not dormant at all. The roots are very active (until the ground freezes) and will grab the fertilizer quickly.  You can apply fertilizer much heavier at this stage without fear of leaf burn or flower drop.

How to Fertilize

We suggest a liquid soil drench for dormant feeding. Soaking the soil this way gets nutrients into the soil fast. You can apply with just a watering can, or use a hose-end sprayer for larger areas.  Let the rain or even snow move the nutrients down deeper into the roots as the fall turns to winter.  You can apply the fertilizer right over the plant and the surrounding soil where the roots will spread to.  For older trees, you don’t need to fertilize too close to the trunk. (See below)

What to Use

One of our favorite All-Purpose fertilizers for shrubs and trees is our 10-8-8 Bio-Enhanced Liquid Fertilizer. This contains all the basic nutrients and is good for flowering and non-flowering plants and trees alike. If you are fertilizing mostly evergreens or non-flowering trees or plants you could also use our 16-4-8 Fertilizer instead, or even the All-In-One for LAWNS (a 14-3-7 fertilizer) if you have some extra to spare. The beneficial root fungus (mycorrhizae) in All-In-One is especially great for shrubs and trees this time of year.

If you are looking for a certified organic fertilizer then go with either of our Fish Fertilizers. The Aqua Power 5-1-1 is especially good for evergreens, hedges and plants that flower very little.  The Neptune’s Harvest 2-4-1 fertilizer is better for flowering or fruiting plants since it has a higher concentration of Phosphorus.

Where to Fertilize Trees

Here is a good illustration of where to water, which is the same as where you would want to fertilize a tree.
Make sure to fertilize both inside as well as slightly beyond the drip line, or canopy line, of dense shrubs or trees. There are a lot of feeder roots there. But do not soak the area right near the trunk of a tree. It can cause rot, and there are no feeder roots in that area anyway.
Amounts to Use 
Note: do not fertilize at the rates below if the soil is dry. Either wait for a rain, water beforehand, or cut the amount per gallon in half to dilute the fertilizer concentration.
For Shrubs: Drench the soil around the root area with 4-5 oz liquid fertilizer per average size shrub (approximately a 2½ foot diameter plant). Increase amount proportionately for larger plants and decrease for smaller plants. We recommend using a hose-end sprayer set at 4-6 oz per gallon of water or use a watering can at the same rate.If fertilizing beds of plants close together where roots are going to be mingled, apply 2- 3 quarts per 1000 sf of bed.
For Trees: Use 4 oz liquid fertilizer for every inch of diameter of trunk at chest height. If some of the roots are under driveways or walks, or trees are close to buildings then apply heavier to the areas that can be treated, perhaps 6 oz per inch of diameter. Water in for a few minutes if fertilizing over a lawn area.
Hint: Add some Aerify PLUS or Nature’s Magic to your liquid fertilizer to help improve the soil while fertilizing. If you have any questions at all, just email us, and we would be happy to help!
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Fall Fertilize and Aerate Your Lawn in One Step

Our All-In-One for Lawns, both original and the Phosphorus Free version, are remarkable products. They not only contain a great lawn fertilizer, but also have some of our Aerify PLUS -Liquid Aeration product in it, along with Biological Dethatcher microbes and beneficial root fungi called Mycorrhizae.  This “lawn care kit in a bottle” makes a perfect fertilizer for your early fall fertilizing and can be use for a late fall Winterizer too.

In the North, you should fertilize heavily ASAP if you haven’t already. Then wait until the grass stops growing to do a final winterizer application. You can also use our bio-enhanced Formula 16-4-8 for a winterizer. (For southern lawns that go dormant over the winter, make your fall fertilizer application your last for the year!)

Late fall is a good time to put on other soil amendments. Aside from additional Aerify PLUS for heavy clay soils, here are two other amendments you might want to consider:

NATURE’S MAGIC. This is a great organic addition to your lawn and to your garden beds as well. It provides organic matter, trace elements and numerous other benefits for plant health, deep rooting and stress handling. It helps all soil types, and is vital for sandy soils. It helps buffer poor pH situations and also helps with salt build-up and dog spots.

LIQUID LIME. Lime (Calcium) is a very important plant nutrient as well as a soil amendment in areas of the country where soils tend to be acidic, compacted or claylike. Turf grass grows best with a pH between 6.5 and 6.8, and earthworms also like a pH near neutral. Lime helps improve acidic, low pH soils, improves soil structure, and, since beneficial microbes need calcium to survive, soil bio-activity is enhanced when this product is used. Our Liquid Lime Formula is sugar-chelated, and instantly available.

If you have had a professional soil test taken, or plan to get one, we would be very happy to review the results with you at no charge. Just email or fax them to us at 716-681-7796.

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