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Got a quote from a tree company for fertilizing my oak tree, which was scorched at the start of the season. Said that for $500 they would fertilize it & make sure it had healthy growth for next season. I have to believe I can do this myself cheaper! Anyone know what I could use? I am in Texas.
What kind of oak is it? If it is an oak that is native to the region, don't fertilize it at all. Do you know why the tree was scorched? $500 is outrageous to fertilize a tree. They sound like crooks.
Pfaff. You don't need to drop $500 to have this company fertilize your tree.
I am concerned about your description of "scorched". This is not good and it is not normal.
I know there has been a disease terrorizing certain types of oak trees in Texas, oak wilt. Read the following link:
Oak Wilt Management (http://plantpathology.tamu.edu/Texlab/oakwilt.html - broken link)
If you can determine that your tree is simply stressed and not diseased, fertilizing it yourself is fairly easy. Get some good compost and spread it beneath the tree, gently scratching it into the soil. Add fish meal. All plants love fish meal, it's the best stuff ever. Work in the compost and the fish meal beneath the tree. Fall is a fine time to add these amendments. See that it stays well watered throughout the growing season.
If the tree is already stressed for whatever reason, infusing it with commercial chemical treatment is not a good idea no matter what this company told you. Harsh fertilizers applied to distressed plants can damage them further.
Location: somewhere close to Tampa, but closer to the beach
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motown mary
...if the oak in question is a native of your area,..do not use a chemical
fertilizer on it..follow azoria's advise and use compost or a naturally
occuring mulch beneith it if possible... if the tree's condition worsens,
have a qualified arborist check it...
..and yes..500 dollars to fertilize it sounds way overpriced..especially if
they are only applying it around the tree...
I agree with not fertilizing. If the tree is already stressed a synthetic fertilizer will just add to it, as well as destroy beneficial microbes in the soil. You do need to find out what the problem is though. Oak Wilt does occur in Texas, and if it's oak wilt there is probably no saving the tree. You also need to find out what type of oak it is. Live oaks and Red oaks are very susceptible to oak wilt, but White oaks and Bur oaks are fairly resistant.
I have a large oak in my front yard in Houston. It is dropping little bunches of dead leaves and I can see them up in the tree. Wondering if it could be stressed from street and sidewalk construction or from drought.
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motown mary
