How to Fertilize Evergreen Trees

Evergreen trees are trees that don't lose their leaves. They do, though, have an active growing period and a rest period. Here's how to fertilize evergreen trees.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Fertilizers
• Garden Hoses
• Hose-end Sprayers
• Slow-release Fertilizer

1. Apply a balanced fertilizer around the drip line (the imaginary line on the ground that corresponds to the outer edge of the leaf canopy) in the spring or early summer. Balanced fertilizer has equal amounts of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium.

2. Use a tree-and-shrub-watering spike to apply water-soluble fertilizer deep in the soil, directly to the root zone. Pound several slow-release fertilizer spikes into the soil around the drip line of the tree, then water to help the fertilizer penetrate into the soil.

3. Alternatively, use a hose-end applicator to apply water-soluble fertilizer around the drip line. This method of fertilizing trees will take a longer period of time for the water to penetrate deep into the soil.

Tips & Warnings

• Mix and apply fertilizer according to label directions.
• Never fertilize a tree that is not healthy or that has been recently transplanted.

on 6/30/2006 Too much water will cause an evergreen to lose needles from the top down. Whereas not enough water causes the tree to die loosing the needles from the bottom upward.