At Cohen & Master, there is no off-season when it comes to tree care. Though trees go dormant during the winter months, we can provide treatment to strengthen the root system and increase the overall hardiness of your tree to help it thrive through the winter season and support healthy, new growth when the spring begins again.
Both of our fertilizer treatments (Spring/Summer and Fall) include the three main nutrients required for healthy plant growth – nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium. During the growing season, we use a higher percentage of nitrogen, as it is essential to stimulate the growth of foliage. This is what helps give your tree its nice, healthy green leaves. In the fall, we are not trying to grow foliage, we are trying to bolster the all-so-important root system of the tree. Our fall fertilizer uses a higher percentage of phosphorous and potassium, which are key to root development. This grows the root system and makes it healthy and strong, preparing it for winter and setting things up for the spring. Healthy roots = Healthy plant!
As far as timing goes, we will do our fall feeds from the beginning of September, right up into the end of November – sometimes even early December, depending on the weather. It is not too early now to get the fall formulation into the ground, as the product is slow release and remains in the soil over the entire fall season and maximizes the benefit of the tree. Also, if we are feeding late in the fall, remember that it is still ok to feed even if the leaves have been shed. It’s not as though the tree flips a switch and “turns off” just because the leaves have fallen. If the ground isn’t frozen, processes are still happening in the root system of the tree, and the tree will continue to benefit from the fall feed.
Call today to speak with an arborist about our fall feeding packages, as well as the many other plant health care options we offer to help your trees thrive throughout the winter season!
