How to Fertilize Ornamental Mountain Ash Trees

Mountain Ash in blossom

In this article you will learn how to fertilize your mountain ash. These flowering trees are a great asset to many lawns. As with all plants, the trick is to take care of it properly. This article will show you step by step how to do this. When you have finished you will know what you need to fertilize a mountain ash, when to do it and how to fertilize.

Things You'll Need

• Fertilizer
• Shovel
• Spade
• Pitcher

Instructions

Step 1

1. Fertilize your mountain ash in the beginning of the growing season. Young mountain ash trees need annual fertilization. The more mature trees, those well over 30 years old, will not need to be fertilized every year but only in alternating years.

2. Fertilize using Nitrogen fertilizer. Brands such as TreeHelp Complete will enable you to give the tree what it needs. Use root-promoting fertilizer. A 3.3-pound (1.5 Kg) bag treats one mature tree or two to three smaller, newly planted or potted trees. Apply the fertilizer along the dripline. This is the area below the outermost point of the tree's branches.

3. Dig in the fertilizer 12 inches from the root ball if you are planting mountain ash saplings to protect the tree against being burned by the fertilizer. You may also figure out where to place fertilizer using the dripline. The deepest fertilizer should be an inch or two above the bottom of the root ball for saplings.

4. Firm down the fertilizer and blend it with the rest of the earth that will support the sapling. You want water to carry the fertilizer through the soil between it and the roots to the tree. The roots will take up the nutrients that way. Finally, water the area. The mountain ash does best in well fertilized, mildly acidic soil in full sunlight. Mountain ash trees grow best when multiple mountain ashes are planted together.

5. You can also fertilize older trees. Once they reach 30 years old, it is not necessary to do this every single year. In these cases, dig out a surrounding ditch at the dripline. Put in fertilizer and haul away the excess dirt. You may have to work around roots in this case. Avoid applying the fertilizer directly to the roots. If the root network is thick, add the fertilizer but leave enough earth to protect the roots.

6. Use one bag of fertilizer (3.3.Kg) for individual trees under 50 years old. Very large, mature trees will need more but they don't need it as frequently. You may use fertilizing stakes--normally just one out by the dripline, for trees over 50 years old.

References

• tree fertilizers
• types of mountain ash
• trees