How to Fertilize Tulip Trees
- 1). Perform a soil test to see which nutrients the soil lacks. If the soil lacks one or two main nutrients, use fertilizers that contain only those nutrients instead of a balanced fertilizer that contains an equal amount of all of the major plant nutrients.
- 2). Turn over the exposed soil surrounding the tree trunk with a round nose shovel. If the tree trunk is surrounded by turf grass, remove the grass around the trunk with a sod removal spade to expose the soil. This will allow you to turn the soil over and add oxygen to the soil. Oxygen is good for tree roots.
- 3). Sprinkle the fertilizer over the exposed soil around the tree trunk. No special spreader is required for such a small area. Limit the amount of fertilized to the amount recommended on the fertilizer package.
- 4). Apply a three- to four-inch layer of mulch or compost over the exposed soil. A thick mulch layer will allow water and oxygen to reach the roots of the tree.
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