Nutrients for Trees: How to Tell if They’re Deficient

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nutrients for trees

Contrary to what you might think, your trees need a lot more than water to survive. In fact, a newly planted tree needs 16 elements to thrive. Three of those elements are carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen, which your tree gets from the air. The rest of your tree’s root system absorbs from the soil.

Nutrients for trees work the same way as vitamins for humans. When we don’t get enough vitamins, our bodies won’t function as they should. The same goes for your tree. When your trees don’t get enough nutrients, it will weaken and eventually die.

Fertilizer applications can prevent this. However, you need to know the nutrients your tree is lacking to pick the right fertilizer to apply.

Read on to learn how to spot nutrient deficiencies and how trusted arborist services can help.

How to Tell When Your Trees Are Lacking Nutrients

Nutrient deficiencies often occur in neighborhoods and other areas of urban development. This is because of how much we have altered the soil.

The good news is that your tree will often warn you when it is lacking a nutrient. These signs will vary according to the nutrient it is lacking. You just have to know how to spot them.

We recommend inspecting your tree in spring when leaves start to bloom. Being familiar with the different types of nutrients for trees can help you determine the type of deficiency.

Spotting Nitrogen Deficiencies

When your trees aren’t getting a sufficient amount of nitrogen, the symptoms will first appear on the leaves.

In most cases, the leaves will be smaller, lighter green in color, and might show fall color earlier than normal.

Spotting Potassium Deficiencies

A tree with a potassium deficiency will have leaves with brown dots on them. You might also notice the leaves’ edges turning yellow.

Spotting Calcium Deficiencies

With calcium deficiencies, your tree’s leaves will be stunted or misshapen.

Spotting Manganese Deficiencies

Do your tree’s leaves have holes in them? Have you also noticed bright yellow spots? Then the tree most likely isn’t getting enough manganese.

Spotting Phosphorus Deficiencies

You can tell whether your tree is getting enough phosphorus by inspecting the older leaves. If they turn yellow, have dead patches, and are falling off, there is a phosphorus deficiency.

Resolving Nutrient Deficiencies

Though symptoms of deficiency will affect the leaves at first, your entire tree is in jeopardy. The best way to resolve the situation is by applying fertilizer.

However, it is vital that you do so correctly. Simply rushing to buy any fertilizer and adding it to your tree can do more harm than good.

That is where professional tree care comes in.

Professional Arborist Services in Virginia Beach

We cannot overstate how important nutrients are for trees. It is essential to consult our skilled arborists as soon as you notice one or multiple signs of nutrient deficiency.

From conducting the soil test to performing the surface application, you can rest easy knowing your tree is in good hands.

Call our Arbor Experts team today at 757-500-TREE to learn more about nutrients for trees and schedule tree removal service in Virginia Beach.

  

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