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Old 07-04-2005, 01:42 AM
cat daddy
 
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"Treedweller" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 02 Apr 2005 22:57:31 GMT, "Harold E. Robbins"
wrote:

Anyone have any advice for feeding Pecan trees? Mine is pretty anemic
and I thought a good nutritional feeding might help. Your advice would
be appreciated.


I'm sure the info put forth by Cat Daddy is good, but I encourage you
to think about this differently.

Don't feed your trees. Feed your soil. Semantics, perhaps, but it
highlights an important fact. Trees absorb nutrients from the soil in
conjunction with symbiotic fungi. If the soil is sterile dirt and you
dump on some nitrogen, the tree will absorb some of it and put on some
new leaf growth, but won't really thrive. Later, when it comes time
to support that extragrowth, the tree may have to work too hard and
suffer. Feeding the soil is indirect, but more effective, as organic
material decomposes and releases all its nutrients back into the soil
instead of just dosing up the nitrogen level.

If the soil is rich, permeable, and happy, the tree roots will be
happy, and the tree will follow suit. Of the previous suggestions,
I'd say the most important one was to mulch. This is a global
tree-related answer, by the way, not a geared-to-produce-nuts answer.

Adding a 3.5" layer of mulch all around the tree (out to the dripline
would be excellent, but less is better than none and more is even
better) leads to better drainage, more even soil moisture, less
competition from weeds and grass, less compaction, and a more active
soil ecosystem (bacteria, fungi, worms, bugs, etc.). To "feed" the
equation more, you could start with a layer (maybe 1/2" or so) of
composted manure, then top with wood chips, bark, or some other
organic mulch. As always, be careful not to pile the mulch against
the bottom of the tree trunk; it needs to be exposed to air.

Again, this is not to contradict Cat Daddy. I just think we should be
thinking in these terms when we evaluate fertilization
recommendations.


I am a great believer in the soilfoodweb and lasagna approach to
gardening. I'm totally organic and a compost and compost tea maker. Nothing
you said contradicts what I believe, although I can see how you could think
that from the aggie link I provided.
Gardening is just the by-product of compost making and plants are just
the result of feeding the worms and microherd...... }:-)
I'm now introducing "nurse logs" to promote mychorrizal fungi. (Actually,
I've always left logs lying around as habitat for lizards and bugs, but now
I have a cool name for it and an understanding of its other benefit......)

Keith Babberney
ISA Certified Arborist