Caring for your Oak Tree
Fertilizing an Oak Tree
Oaks should be fertilized once or twice a year.
However, not just any fertilizer will do. Oaks evolved in very
specific forest conditions and are susceptible to insects and
disease. Of particular concern is oak wilt - a devastating vascular
disease. They therefore have very specific fertilizer requirements
that will not be met with a standard "one-size-fits-all" lawn
and turf fertilizer. In particular, fertilizers that release large
amounts of Nitrogen quickly into the soil can encourage structurally weak
growth that could cause problems and could potentially promote spread of
oak wilt throughout a tree. Aside from the formulation, the method
of fertilization differs from that of your grass. In order to give
your trees the most benefit, the fertilizer must be placed below the grass
roots.
To find out how to obtain fertilizer specially selected
for use on oak trees, click
here
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Mycorrhizae
form when mycorrhizal fungi infect newly forming non-woody roots as
shown here.
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Improving Your Soil With Mycorrhizae
Over millions of years, oak trees have evolved to thrive
in a specific type of soil. When an oak is transplanted into a new
environment, the soil is rarely ideal. The make-up of urban soil
(moisture levels, mineral content and composition of organic elements) is
often entirely different from the soil in which oaks grow naturally.
As a homeowner, it is your job to create a more natural soil for your
tree. The best way to do this is with the addition of mycorrhizal
fungi.
The term 'mycorrhizae' describes a symbiotic relationship
between beneficial fungi and plants. Mycorrhizal fungi live in and
around the roots of most plants. In exchange for sugars and simple
carbohydrates, the mycorrhizal fungi absorb and pass on minerals and
moisture required for the plant's growth.
Over tens of millions of years plants have developed this
symbiotic relationship with the fungus to help them survive conditions of
drought, extreme temperatures and periods of low soil fertility.
Mycorrhizal fungi colonize a plant's living root system, in effect
extending it further into the soil - sometimes by up to 1000%! By
taking in nutrients and water and passing it on the roots, these organisms
are a vital link in a plant's nutrient cycle.
In nature, mycorrhizal fungi are found on about 99% of
plant species, but in urban environments, the poor, compacted soils often
lack this essential fungi.
Help your oak thrive
Oak trees have also evolved a relationship with
mycorrhizal fungi. As they are planted in urban environments,
however, the relationship is often broken and oaks are left to fend for
themselves in hostile conditions. As a homeowner, the best
contribution you can make to your tree's health is to decrease tree stress
with the addition of beneficial mycorrhizal fungi to the soil.
To obtain the right kind of mycorrhizal fungi for your oak
tree, click
here.
