If you are looking for fertilizer for your tree, there are many different options available. Here are my top five choices for tree fertilizers based on how well they work. You need to know which type of fertilizer to use by looking at the ground around the tree and determining which nutrients are there and which nutrients the area is deficient in. When you do the analysis you will find that most trees will like a 2-1-1 ratio or 20-10-10 ratio, and each fertilizer will have their own analysis for the amount of Nitrogen, Phosphate, and Potassium.
Save-A-Tree is a very good organic fertilizer which you can use for your tree as well as other plants. Save-A-Tree is a liquid that uses a 4-1-0 analysis which means 4 percent Nitrogen with 1 percent available Phosphate and a 3 percent Sulfur compound. Save-A-Tree stays on the plant or tree you put it on so that the ground around the area remains unaffected, and also is a safe formula to use around pets and children because it does not contain harmful chemicals. Save-A-Tree fertilizer is a balanced formula which allows for all fertilization to occur without the tree or plant being overwhelmed by just one compound. The Save-A-Tree organic formula will not stain, so it can be applied anywhere that you need a tree fertilized. The application for Save-A-Tree is simple and uses a 1-2-3 step process. The first step is to measure the appropriate amount of concentrate needed. Step 2 is the process where you dilute the concentrate with the recommended amount of water based on the amount of concentrate you used. Step 3 is where you just need to spread the fertilizer on the ground or soil around the tree or other plant to ensure that the area has all been covered. If you have a 1-inch tree you would use 1 cup of concentrate and 1 gallon of the water. A 4-inch tree would require an amount of 4 cups of concentrate mixed with 4 gallons of water. For a tree that is 12-inches or larger you would use 1 cup per inch of concentrate and add one gallon of water per cup.
Miracle-Gro is another type of tree fertilizer which is really good to use to help keep your tree healthy. The Shake And Feed Continuous Release All-Purpose Plant Food is a fertilizer that you only have to apply every three months. This fertilizer is easy to use and also helps you gage how much of the product to use which helps prevent over-feeding. You apply this to the soil without having to mix it with water, you just apply an even layer to the ground. To apply the correct amount you need to use about 1 tablespoon per square-foot of the soil. Once you have put this on the soil evenly, you need to work it into the soil about 1 to 3 inches down and then apply a nice watering on it to make sure the fertilizer gets into the soil. You can do this every three months throughout the growing season and can be used on all outdoor plants, but you should not use it for indoor trees or plants. The analysis for this Miracle-Gro product is a 10-10-10, and comes in a easy-to-use jug for easy handling and storage.
Jobe’s Tree and Shrub Fertilizer Spikes are another good option if you are looking for tree fertilizer. The fertilizer spikes are used underground, which eliminates the hassle of spraying something on the tree or trying to inject a liquid into the tree. The spikes are best used if you plant them in the ground two times a year, early spring and late fall are the best times to get them in the ground so they can work effectively for the remainder of the year. The spikes are put into the ground using a hammer or something that will push it into the ground. The spikes should be used about 14 inches away from the tree, and have no chemical component to them so they are safe. The spikes are a good option for someone who does not want to be going out every two weeks or two months to re-apply a fertilizer because once you stake one in the ground next to your tree, you are done until the next cycle starts which is about 6 months or so after that. There is no hassle or fear of spraying chemicals everywhere because the fertilizer is in the spike and can not escape, which provides a longer-lasting fertilization for your tree. You can get the regular sized spikes or the jumbo, depending on the height of your tree, and they come in packs of 5 or 15.
Bayer Triple Action Landscape Tree and Shrub is another great option if you are looking for a fertilizer for your tree. This is a great formula that works by fertilizing for up to three months, and should be first used in the early spring and early fall for the best results. The granules are placed around the tree and then can be pressed a little into the ground and then it needs to be watered to make sure the granules are getting into the roots under the ground. The Bayer fertilizer is good for people who are looking for something that they can leave for three months and do not have to worry about constantly, and their formula is also safe around pets and children. The Bayer fertilizer helps promote growth from three places the soil, roots, and plant. This triple action fertilization helps promote better growth and faster tree development.
Organic Biolink is another great option to use for tree fertilization plus it is organic. The fertilizer is an all-purpose nutrient stimulant to help promote the nutrients that are needed in trees. The Biolink fertilizer uses a 5-5-5 analysis and that is a fairly good and common amount of Nitrogen, Phosphate, and Potassium. The fertilizer is applied as a soil drench or a spray depending on which you prefer. The application should be done every week or as needed, and 4 tablespoons to a gallon of water is the ratio for both the spray and the soil drench. I would recommend this because it is organic, and it is one of the better organic fertilizers out there, even though you do need to repeat the process pretty frequently. The analysis of the three nutrients is about right where a lot of people want to be, and it helps keep everything balanced since the ratio is the same for each of the three nutrients. If you are looking for something organic and do not mind re-applying this as needed or weekly, then I would suggest this Organic Biolink fertilizer.
