What's your practice on getting fertilizer to the root of trees and shrubs?

Oct 08, 2020 Last reply: 5 years ago 1 Replies

We have extremely poor soil here in this part of California. o Good for grapes perhaps, but not much else.



What's your practice on getting fertilizer to the root of trees and shrubs?



My wife sprinkles it around the tree or shrub out to the radius of the crown, where she lets it sit there. And sit there. And sit there. o It doesn't rain a single drop here from about March to about November



While she hand waters the plants, I started wondering if the nutrients ever get to the roots, which, I'm told (by someone???) that the roots are a mirror image of the crown.



If that's true, then if the crown is ten feet high, how does the fertilizer get ten feet deep? And how long does that take it to get ten feet deep?



If you wanted to fertilize your trees & shrubs, how do you do it so that it gets to those deep roots which we would presume need it most?


Fertilizer stakes or dig holes and bury it. When it does start to rain, that will be in the creek, river, bay, ocean and cause problems. Buried, the rain won't wash it away and it should percolate down with the rain that does soak in.

Join the Discussion

Have something to add? Share your thoughts — no account required.

Didn't find your answer?

Ask the community — no account required