What feed to give trees to help grow quicker

NewLeaf17

Earlier in the spring I planted quite a large area in our garden with trees. Some of these trees were in clusters (Silver & white birch) and then also I have two Oak trees, one is a pin oak and the other a sessile oak tree.

I am just wondering should I be putting something on them to help them grow or should I wait till the autumn to do so??

Learning as I go with regard to gardening - This is the first year we've done a lot of work in our garden and I have to say I am enjoying it.

Thanks for all the advice

looksee

Trees really should not need feeding unless they are in pots. Leave them be, keep them watered but let them settle in in their own time.

rolion

looksee wrote: »

Trees really should not need feeding unless they are in pots. Leave them be, keep them watered but let them settle in in their own time.

Thanks, personal i feed a hand of organic chicken manure,once a month,in the spring,just to help to "rebalance" the soil after the winter.Drop it at the top of the root,over the soil and spray it with water, slowly every few days over a week,until it dissolves and assimilates in the ground.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Keep the trees well watered and free from weeds around the base. They do not require feeding if the soil is any way reasonable. Feeding trees is a waste of time, effort and money.

Day Lewin

The thing that young trees really need a lot of, is water.
And it has been a very dry spring.
You could let a hose trickle over the ground around them until the earth is well soaked to a good depth - (that is, assuming you can source the water without causing a drought to someone.)
This helps the roots to become established and strong. But it needs to be deep - shallow wetting causes shallow rooting. The water mobilises minerals in the soil, too, and enables the young roots and root hairs to feed for themselves.
A blanket of fallen leaves in the autumn is Nature's own fertiliser.

Best of luck!

magicbastarder

rolion wrote: »

just to help to "rebalance" the soil after the winter.

in what way is it out of balance?
don't forget, trees managed to grow and survive after winters for millions of years, they're adapted to whatever 'imbalance' there may be in the soil.

rolion

magicbastarder wrote: »

in what way is it out of balance?
don't forget, trees managed to grow and survive after winters for millions of years, they're adapted to whatever 'imbalance' there may be in the soil.

Sorry,i should added that have moved the four trees in March,i "rebalance" the new place in same garden.Did a soil test HERE and just using a bit of extra help of N P K will not do an harm.
Even if i take it that by eating healthy and organic BUT i do take daily supplements of minerals for my cells...

_Brian

magicbastarder wrote: »

in what way is it out of balance?
don't forget, trees managed to grow and survive after winters for millions of years, they're adapted to whatever 'imbalance' there may be in the soil.

Maybe ash and sycamore but most gardeners choose to grow trees that may not have naturally seeded in their garden or area. Sometimes a bit of TLC and feeding is good to get them established.

In the spring I shake some 10:10:20 round the base of my fruit trees and bushes, and shrubs too. Our soil would be poor clay type soil so not your natural fruit growing medium.

Day Lewin

A good thing to put round any fruit trees or bushes is the ash from your barbecue charcoal, or wood ash from fires.

It is pure Potash, potassium - the "K" of NPK.

And potassium, as the vitamin-and-mineral-conscious will know, is essential for maintaining a steady heartbeat, ensuring good sleep, and lots of other functions. And the main food sources are fruits, and root vegetables.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

_Brian wrote: »

Maybe ash and sycamore but most gardeners choose to grow trees that may not have naturally seeded in their garden or area. Sometimes a bit of TLC and feeding is good to get them established.

In the spring I shake some 10:10:20 round the base of my fruit trees and bushes, and shrubs too. Our soil would be poor clay type soil so not your natural fruit growing medium.

These are Birch and Oak which will be better in the long run by just leaving them to grow unfertilized by anything other than a mulch once a year with compost.

magicbastarder

i planted a small area (15 foot by 40 foot) in my garden with trees a few years back. they're planted on ground which had a 15 foot leylandii hedge on it, and on side overshadowed by a 40 foot birch, so i was getting advice that the soil was exhausted, and the leylandii cuttings would acidify it.
anything from the leylandii over an inch in diameter was chopped for the stove (and seasoned for two years), the rest was mulched in situ. the rowans, which were less than three foot tall going in in may 2014, are over ten foot now, and the birch not far behind. i have absolutely no inclination to feed them; remember that birch is a pioneer tree, and possibly/probably the first to colonise ireland after the ice age, so not a demanding tree.

if you want to fertilise your trees, there's one easy way of doing it, which has the benefit of watering them at the same time. best not done if your neighbours can see you doing it, though.