root feeding advice

[ozzieboy]

Hello all

I am a municipal forester and have noticed some iron deficiency in my oaks and some retarded growth in many of our established trees and am interested in doing something about it. I would like to begin a root fertilizing plan on trees that range from 5 years to 50 years old. I have a 250 tank which I would like to mount in a pickup, and use a hose and root feeder. My question is: what would be a good size pump to use with this setup? I want to make sure I get enough pressure and penetration thru the existing soil. Also if you have any fertilizer mixtures you would suggest, it would be greatly appreciated.

Randyuttahere2:

 

[gunrac]

Years ago dad had an ol' spray rig. If I remember right it had somewhere around 12 to 15 gpm pump. He could get around 35' or so spraying height an had no problem with root feeding. If your buying new, go w/a 15.

Think he still has both spray gun and feeder, if your in need of either. I think the only thing that could go bad would be a o-ring or 2..

As for recipes, I wouldn't trust anyone's w/o verifying.. Not biting your chop's, but you do have a license or working under someone who does, don't you?.

 

[ozzieboy]

I have several certs for spraying and such, and am taking advice for liquid fertilizer(s) to boost our trees and also just get a running fert program up and running before October. I have around 600 acres under my watch and would like to target those mature trees at our improtant sites and see some improvment in the coming years. I would love to set up a compact mobile unit for a pickup. Thanks for the info =)

 

[jamied]

Hello all

I am a municipal forester and have noticed some iron deficiency in my oaks and some retarded growth in many of our established trees and am interested in doing something about it. I would like to begin a root fertilizing plan on trees that range from 5 years to 50 years old.

Also if you have any fertilizer mixtures you would suggest, it would be greatly appreciated.

What do the results of a soil test show?

There is a popular micro-nutrient product that is used on trees, it's mentioned here fairly often, I can't think of the name / brand at the moment though, hopefully someone else will know what I am talking about.

 

[ozzieboy]

What do the results of a soil test show?

There is a popular micro-nutrient product that is used on trees, it's mentioned here fairly often, I can't think of the name / brand at the moment though, hopefully someone else will know what I am talking about.

Samples taken this July showed a marked difference from test taken last fall (October) but I figure the October numbers were higher in most nutrients due to an earlier treatment in April of 2010. Also since I have so many locations and acres where my city trees are, I was only able to test around 75% of the target areas so far. Most areas showed deficiencies in iron, manganese, nitrogen and phopshorus. The test areas (to the best of my knowledge) were from non-contaminated areas. Also two years ago we did begin a process of using compost under the tree mulch, which seems to show some favorable results in some of the oaks and elm, however I would like to begin a yearly feeding session which would allow me to narrow my approach in following years.

 

[jamied]

Samples taken this July showed a marked difference from test taken last fall (October) but I figure the October numbers were higher in most nutrients due to an earlier treatment in April of 2010. Also since I have so many locations and acres where my city trees are, I was only able to test around 75% of the target areas so far. Most areas showed deficiencies in iron, manganese, nitrogen and phopshorus. The test areas (to the best of my knowledge) were from non-contaminated areas. Also two years ago we did begin a process of using compost under the tree mulch, which seems to show some favorable results in some of the oaks and elm, however I would like to begin a yearly feeding session which would allow me to narrow my approach in following years.

I assume the PH was in a acceptable range for these trees species?

I remember the products I was thinking of:

This product any time:

Growth Products - Arbor Care Applications

and this product would be good earlier in the year:

Growth Products - Arbor Care Applications

I've read many good things about these products and intend to give them a try.

Jamie

 

[ATH]

I'd agree with jamied, that you need to make sure pH is right before anything else.

Secondly, I'd look further than the nutrients. How is the soil? Compacted/too dry? You mentioned adding compost - are the trees mulched?

As to how to...what kind of truck are you going to put that in? Water weighs 8lbs per gallon...

For the sprayer: 250-350 psi should be adequate. 3-5 gpm...obvously more gets each tree done faster.