Are My Trees & Shrubs Getting the Right Nutrients? Solved

Are Your Trees and Shrubs Getting the Nutrients They Need?

Posted on: October 18, 2022

How Can I Make Trees Grow Faster?

It’s common knowledge that people need certain essential vitamins and minerals to stay healthy, but did you know that plants do too? Whether they’re in Kansas or anywhere else, they require 17 essential nutrients just to sustain normal growth! These nutrients come from three primary sources: air, water, and soil.

Let’s start with where your trees and shrubs get their nutrients. Plants get the hydrogen, carbon, and oxygen they need from the air and water around them. The 14 remaining essentials are a combination of macronutrients and micronutrients that plants get from the soil, all of which contribute to their health. Macronutrients consist of nitrogen, potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorous, and sulfur, while micronutrients include trace amounts of iron, zinc, molybdenum, manganese, boron, copper, cobalt, and chlorine.

Making sure your tree has the 17 essential plant nutrients and maintaining it throughout the year will encourage your tree to grow stronger and faster. Tree planting in Lawrence, KS, and the surrounding areas can be tricky because the soil and climate affect what kinds of trees can grow. It’s best to ask a professional for help in deciding what trees you want to plant and for advice on the trees that might already be growing. Lawrence Landscape provides tree treatment services in Northeast Kansas for nutrient deficiencies and other concerns.

The pH of Soil Matters to Your Plants

Because the majority of the essential nutrients trees and shrubs need come from the ground, we have to consider the soil in our area to determine the need to fertilize. Shrub planting in Lawrence, KS, can be rewarding and add a big pop of color to your landscape, but it will only work if the shrub can thrive. pH levels will affect the availability of minerals and nutrients. Nutrients are more accessible in acidic soil (low pH) than they are in alkaline soil (high pH). In Northeast Kansas, the pH levels of the soil are high, making fertilizers a great way to ensure your trees and shrubs are able to get the nutrients they need.

You and Your Plants Will Be Happier

Fertilizers act as a multivitamin for your trees and shrubs and will stimulate robust and vigorous growth! When plants are getting the proper amount of nutrients, you’ll benefit from:

  • Improving their overall health
  • Enhancing their seasonal color
  • Improving the shade coverage
  • Providing a natural habitat for wildlife

That said, there is such a thing as “too much” when it comes to fertilization. Important factors to consider before making a decision about fertilizing include whether the tree or shrub is newly installed or if it’s already well established, the age and size of the planting, and the location of the tree or shrub.

Make It Easier on Yourself

Our fertilization programs have the macronutrients and micronutrients needed to aid in all aspects of plant growth. Our treatments also include general insecticides to help protect your plants from invasive insects from the inside out. Remember that pesky emerald ash borer from a few years ago? We can help keep them out of your trees!

Our nutrient packages and insecticide treatments last about four to six months, so we recommend treatments in the spring and fall to ensure year-round coverage and control.

Residential Lawn Care Services in Lawrence, KS

If you just aren’t sure what kind of fertilizer you should use in your yard or if the trees being sold at your local home improvement store will grow at your home, you can always call Lawrence Landscape. Our company has been doing professional landscaping for over 20 years. We are local people who know exactly what will thrive in your yard. Just because you can buy the plant doesn’t mean it will do well in your soil.

Get a Head Start With Our Tree Farm

Not only can we point you in the right direction for the best trees and shrubs for your landscape, but we can also help you get ahead of the game with an already-thriving tree or shrub. Our tree farm in Lawrence lets us show you exactly what your trees and shrubs will look like and what they’ll need since we have experience growing them ourselves!

Our tree farm is located at 1193 North 1250 Rd. in Lawrence! Check out our tree farm page for our hours of operation.

We can help you choose your favorite shrubs and trees and plant them for you, as well as help you maintain them!

If you’re ready to have some thriving trees and shrubs, contact Lawrence Landscape for all your residential lawn care services in Lawrence, KS, and the surrounding areas!