How to Feed Trees, Shrubs & Ornamentals

Trees, shrubs and ornamentals can make low-maintenance and long-lasting additions to your landscape. Providing structure, shade and even fruit to your garden, one of their biggest requirements is an occasional feeding, particularly for younger trees and shrubs. Follow these feeding tips and you'll be on your way to having a garden of healthy, beautiful trees and shrubs.

Different Needs For Different Trees

All trees and shrubs have different requirements for healthy growth, so they require different nutrients. Before selecting food for your tree, it's wise to conduct a soil test, either with an at-home soil test kit, available at home improvement stores or online, or by testing the soil with your local extension service. Learn what nutrients your type of tree requires and may be lacking based on your soil test.

When to Feed Trees and Shrubs

Trees and shrubs use a lot of energy in the spring, pushing out flowers, leaves and seeds, so they benefit most from plant food during this active period. Feeding your flowering shrubs after they've bloomed will encourage more blooms next year. Your trees and shrubs will tell you if they need to be fed if you know what signs to look for. If you trees and shrubs are displaying lots of new shoot growth and leaves, they do not require any feeding. But, if they are only producing a little new growth and the leaves are pale or yellowing, it?s a sign that it?s time to feed.

Choosing a Type of Food

All trees and shrubs have different requirements for healthy growth, so they require different nutrients. Before selecting food for your tree, learn what specific nutrients your tree or shrub may require. If you have a variety of trees and shrubs in your garden, you can use an all-purpose plant food like Miracle-Gro® Shake n Feed® Flowering Trees & Shrubs Continuous Release Plant Food which will feed for up to 3 months. Another option would be to use fertilizer spikes, like Miracle-Gro® Tree & Shrub Fertilizer Spikes, which are inserted into the soil beneath your tree twice annually, in spring and early fall, for a continuous release of nutrients. Miracle-Gro® also has tree spikes specially formulated for evergreens and fruit and citrus trees.