Early spring, once soil temperatures rise, is the best time to fertilize most trees, with fall as an optional second window. Each season calls for something different, from a slow release feeding in spring to a low nitrogen formula for struggling trees in summer and a fall formula that carries nutrients through winter.

Why does the time of year matter for fertilizing?

Trees use nutrients differently through the year: in spring they come out of dormancy and draw on stored energy, and in fall their roots stay active after the leaves drop, building reserves for the next season. A fertilizer high in nitrogen applied in the middle or end of summer pushes tender growth that has no time to harden before winter.

What should a spring feeding look like?

For a healthy tree coming out of dormancy, placing TreeHelp Premium Fertilizer below the grass roots near the drip line once the soil warms feeds it through the whole growing season on slow release nitrogen.

Should trees be fertilized in summer?

Mainly struggling trees, with a formula low in nitrogen. Applying TreeHelp Therapeutic Tree Fertilizer to a sick or struggling tree keeps its nitrogen limited and slow, with phosphorus and potassium going toward the roots instead of new canopy growth.

What does a fall feeding add?

Root reserves that carry into spring, though oaks and struggling birches are better left to a spring feeding. Holding its nitrogen back in polymer coated particles as the soil cools, TreeHelp Fall Fertilizer can go down in the middle to end of fall, while roots are still active after leaf drop.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should trees be fertilized in winter?

Usually not. In colder regions, winter care is about watering until the ground freezes rather than feeding.

Does the calendar shift in the South?

Yes. In the southern United States, spring can begin in January or February and fall care can extend into December.

Does a palm follow the same calendar?

Mostly. Most landscape palms need fertilizing only once or twice during the growing season.

How long does a spring feeding last?

About one growing season for a granular fertilizer, which is why the feeding is repeated each spring.