I have now two trees on my new lot exhibiting signs of sickness. A red
oak and a black birch. In reality it was due to the builders and the
way they "rearranged things". I was told by tree expert that instead of
spending a lot of money on expensive treatments I should try lawn
fertilizer on the drip line. Is this worth a shot or should I just let
the tree try to restablish itself? Does anyone have specifics on the
process. At this stage I know to use holes 18" deep on the drip line in
a concentric circle. But how much fertilzer? I have a 10:10:10 mix I
was going to try.

Thanks in advance.

It is never advisable to fertilize a sick tree, unless it is showing signs
of nutrient deficiency. If the trees are ailing because their root zones
have been compacted or partially destroyed via passing heavy equipment,
there is very little you can do to save them. Red oaks are somewhat tolerant
of this as are bleck birch, so the builder must have really done a number on
their root zones.

Dave

"GaryM" wrote in message
. 3.44...
I have now two trees on my new lot exhibiting signs of sickness. A red
oak and a black birch. In reality it was due to the builders and the
way they "rearranged things". I was told by tree expert that instead of
spending a lot of money on expensive treatments I should try lawn
fertilizer on the drip line. Is this worth a shot or should I just let
the tree try to restablish itself? Does anyone have specifics on the
process. At this stage I know to use holes 18" deep on the drip line in
a concentric circle. But how much fertilzer? I have a 10:10:10 mix I
was going to try.

Thanks in advance.

On Sun, 20 Jul 2003 12:34:08 -0000, GaryM wrote:

I have now two trees on my new lot exhibiting signs of sickness. A red
oak and a black birch. In reality it was due to the builders and the
way they "rearranged things". I was told by tree expert that instead of
spending a lot of money on expensive treatments I should try lawn
fertilizer on the drip line. Is this worth a shot or should I just let
the tree try to restablish itself? Does anyone have specifics on the
process. At this stage I know to use holes 18" deep on the drip line in
a concentric circle. But how much fertilzer? I have a 10:10:10 mix I
was going to try.

Thanks in advance.
Find an ISA certified arborist with an air spade and some
experience with compost tea and biologically active compost. There are
several folks in the Hamptons who've successfully salvaged trees. We
often mange the feat here in the desert.

Failing that, find a good compost and vertical mulch with compost and
compost tea. Seeks out a fungally dominated compost.

Where are you located? Perhaps I can resource someone with the needed
skills.....

James Sotillo in New York has had lots of success......

find out what the problem is first, then move to correct it. My mother nursed along
both a copper beech and a birch (hit by miners) at first and now the copper beech is
simply magnificent (rare in zone 5 skirting edges of zone 4). the birch recovered
after putting sufficient systemic insecticide down and it too is magnificent.
if the tree expert diagnosed the problem as poor quality, low nutrient soil, then as
the expert how much and what kind of fertilizer to use too.
if you are where there is winter coming, I would be hesitant to fertilize at this
time of year. I wouldnt want to stimulate the tree to too much growth which will not
harden off properly before winter. Ingrid

GaryM wrote:

I have now two trees on my new lot exhibiting signs of sickness. A red
oak and a black birch. In reality it was due to the builders and the
way they "rearranged things". I was told by tree expert that instead of
spending a lot of money on expensive treatments I should try lawn
fertilizer on the drip line. Is this worth a shot or should I just let
the tree try to restablish itself? Does anyone have specifics on the
process. At this stage I know to use holes 18" deep on the drip line in
a concentric circle. But how much fertilzer? I have a 10:10:10 mix I
was going to try.

Thanks in advance.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
List Manager: Puregold Goldfish List
http://puregold.aquaria.net/
www.drsolo.com
Solve the problem, dont waste energy finding who's to blame
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Unfortunately, I receive no money, gifts, discounts or other
compensation for all the damn work I do, nor for any of the
endorsements or recommendations I make.

so instead of broadcasting fertilizer around the tree drill holes and fill with
compost and tea? can this help compacted soil? Ingrid

Tom Jaszewski wrote:
Failing that, find a good compost and vertical mulch with compost and
compost tea. Seeks out a fungally dominated compost.

Where are you located? Perhaps I can resource someone with the needed
skills.....

James Sotillo in New York has had lots of success......



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
List Manager: Puregold Goldfish List
http://puregold.aquaria.net/
www.drsolo.com
Solve the problem, dont waste energy finding who's to blame
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Unfortunately, I receive no money, gifts, discounts or other
compensation for all the damn work I do, nor for any of the
endorsements or recommendations I make.

Using an air spade to remove a layer of the compacted soil, is
considered to be more effective by its practitioners.
http://www.air-spade.com/air-spad.htm

I have regularly used a gas powered auger and drilled 3-4" diameter by
18" depth and filled with compost and inoculated with tested
biologically diverse aerobic compost tea.
http://www.intlctc.org/

Core drilling is much more destruction of the root system and may
create additional problems. Despite the risks it may be an important
part of the restoration. Great care must be taken to minimize the
damage to large roots. Compaction seems to make a tree more
suspectable to diseases. I believe that is due to compacted soils lack
of biological diversity. Compactions effect is really not unlike the
effect of "icide" usage. Simply the destruction of soil biota in both
scenarios. Simple core aeration top dressing with 3 inches of TESTED
quality compost under the entire canopy will have fairly quick
results. The addition of quality ACT and micorhizae will accelerate
the recovery.


http://soils.usda.gov/sqi/SoilBiology/soil_food_web.htm

"The Soil Biology Primer
Chapter 1: THE SOIL FOOD WEB
By Elaine R. Ingham

SOIL BIOLOGY AND THE LANDSCAPE
An incredible diversity of organisms make up the soil food web. They
range in size from the tiniest one-celled bacteria, algae, fungi, and
protozoa, to the more complex nematodes and micro-arthropods, to the
visible earthworms, insects, small vertebrates, and plants.

As these organisms eat, grow, and move through the soil, they make it
possible to have clean water, clean air, healthy plants, and moderated
water flow.

There are many ways that the soil food web is an integral part of
landscape processes. Soil organisms decompose organic compounds,
including manure, plant residue, and pesticides, preventing them from
entering water and becoming pollutants. They sequester nitrogen and
other nutrients that might otherwise enter groundwater, and they fix
nitrogen from the atmosphere, making it available to plants. Many
organisms enhance soil aggregation and porosity, thus increasing
infiltration and reducing runoff. Soil organisms prey on crop pests
and are food for above-ground animals."

Citation for this web page:
Tugel, A.J., A.M. Lewandowski, eds. (February 2001 -- last update).
Soil Biology Primer [online]. Available:
soils.usda.gov/sqi/soil_biology_primer.htm [access date].

Either of the following are correct citations for the current edition
of the booklet:
Tugel, Arlene, Ann Lewandowski, Deb Happe-vonArb, eds. 2000. Soil
Biology Primer. Rev. ed. Ankeny, Iowa: Soil and Water Conservation
Society.

Soil and Water Conservation Society (SWCS). 2000. Soil Biology Primer.
Rev. ed. Ankeny, Iowa: Soil and Water Conservation Society.

Citation for the first edition of the booklet:
Tugel, A.J., A.M. Lewandowski, eds.1999. Soil Biology Primer. NRCS
Soil Quality Institute, Ames, IA.






On Mon, 21 Jul 2003 14:27:16 GMT, wrote:

so instead of broadcasting fertilizer around the tree drill holes and fill with
compost and tea? can this help compacted soil? Ingrid