xt76dj58f873 https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt76dj58f873/data/mets.xml   Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station. 1939 journals kaes_circulars_003_341 English Lexington : The Service, 1913-1958. Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station Circular (Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station) n. 341 text Circular (Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station) n. 341 1939 2014 true xt76dj58f873 section xt76dj58f873   ~ IY
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Circular No. 341 ' { Lexington, October, 1939    
UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY   , 1 {
COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE, EXTENSION DIVISION   9 4
  I ,’ r
THOMAS P. COOPER, Dean and Director      
;_ i _ { {
Published in connection with the agricultural extension work carried on by coopera-     `
tion of the College of Agriculture, University of Kentucky, with the U. S. Department of * . ~
Agriculture, and distributed in furtherance of the work provided for in the Act of Con- E { '
grass of May 8, 1914. E { {
FEEDING SHADE TREES g · { 5  
By N. R. ELLIOTT     { {
Each year, more and more home owners are realizing the necessity for {    
· feeding shade trees, if the trees are to live and develop as they should. This ‘ {
applies to trees set during the past few years, as well as to those fifty or   { {
more years old. In many places the soil has become so depleted in plant 5 { ' {
  nutrients that it is impossible for the trees to get enough food for growth {   l
` and maintenance. When young trees are making less than 4 to 6 inches {    
of twig growth each year and the foliage is thin they should be fed; old   { .  
‘‘‘‘‘   _ { I _ { W   1 trees with less than 3 {   ·{
 ;  ’ L_ { { ' I   inches of twig growth { {`  
_l_,_   5,:1-.    '· ,  » {{  . {rrr { Vw l is __ — ,{f<°·{ and light foliage usu— i   .5
    .   `   _;   . ally respond to feeding. { l w {  
  i  gr a   In ·‘ {é} {’ _   On the other hand,   1
A  3*5; ‘ 4 —   ·'.g."` when the trees are *    
QI __; ’ g 5 " making a satisfactory { ; " {
  '   .~ r ‘ » growth they need not ,   {
I jj ‘ _ · A =‘ * _ be fed; however, feed- ;   V ,
{ i   ·. "     ¤ ing does no harm. and l i
    .{ . {_     { { `· '  {A when there is doubt   V-?
in xg; ’~·’$:}/ L {   {,5 ‘‘"‘- .{   the trees should be ~    
_' `_ . `—""_\·*,_°'·,   F ,   1*,; wt, , given the benefit by   {
_ - i _ ‘   { 'r §>,_; "·  being fed, .= 'rV`  
. v.__ ;   ' •'°°"   :,4*  {·  Young trees of the A   4  
_   * ’?r` ’\     slower growing kinds, ‘ {i  
» J  -_   ·· '   such as the oaks, maples   j
· . “   ·. · ` ` (Norway and sugar) and · {gL‘·‘ Q
A I _ ash, can often be stimu-    
  ‘ A   ` 3 , lated by feeding so that    
kr ~F  =..‘       _ ; .... -. . .   they gmw "1m°St as ;{   ”:
 r     r.»—`·`’=’   T ‘ ~`‘·»·’·r   fest as the S°‘°’i“°“   ii
ic ‘'    ’.,   5   fast - growing, short -    
. . l._,· ' '{rl
m;:{u_l;n;$;ii?n BIH] that has b€€l1 fed with WSI]-I‘0TiCEd hved k1ndS‘ Such as the 2    
· mes, at two- and three-year intervals. soft maple and box   ,n
It elder.    
U{0ubl€Sh011ld be kept in mind that feeding is not a panacea for allllthii    
from hi that b1i:S€t trees and some may die from unfavorable l0cat10Il, IHJUTY {   V-  
sects, disease or damage by storms, even after they have been fed. 5  
 

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  l 2 Kentucky Extension Circular N0. 341
l
l % Food to Use. Experimental evidence indicates that trees, like other te,.
2 E plants, require nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in rather large amounts; N U
  l therefore, the food should contain these elements, in a readily available me
    form. Well—rotted manure and high—grade commercial fertilizer are the com
    two principal materials used in feeding trees. The selection of the material wm,
* _ to use will depend upon its availability and, to a certain extent, the location
i ‘ Q of the trees to be treated. Well—rotted manure is becoming more difficult to
T A   obtain and what is available is perhaps needed more on farm crops. When pm
{   trees are located in the lawn, manure is not so desirable as commercial mn
    fertilizer on account of its unsightly appearance and odor. However, trees me
  Q?  outside the lawn area, in lots or fields, may be satisfactorily fed with this mm
E·   material. E;  
  »·‘._ A   Experimental work indicates that a fertilizer containing a high per- ber
  centage of nitrogen, with moderate percentages of phosphorus and potas-
i I slum should be used for feeding trees. For example, a commercial fertilizer
i with a formula 10 percent nitro-
  ’ _ M 4 gen, 6 percent phosphoric acid and
  {    ., 4 percent potash is probably the c 
lf_ } A ·_    .1 one most often used. It should kt if
  il    VV _  J  ;;.¤A;;AA A  , noted in this formula the percent-  
L;  _ °  _j€._,_  ;{’Q.~    =‘ age of nitrogen equals the c0m·  
S`};   _P   » X   blned percentages of phosphorus  
  j  A_`;“‘A·    . and potassium. The commercial  
    ._‘      r  A fertilizer can be used on the lawn :.
L   A        -   \ without any inconvenience, €ith€1`  
5 I Q   .     A V   when lt is applied or afterward.- ,
   l I   `r‘.t—7?'f;    Method of Application. Thld ig  
  l .   é’f#f?EI€% ..T*€"$;:-  ono of tho most irnloortonf thm It
if         in  to C0nSider in feeding trees. Thf ·' 
        material used will determillé th? L
 I          method to a certain extent; h0\\'i  
iis;    C         ever, a few things about the i\‘¤l Eg
  "‘ 7    ‘_ _ _         ,_  trees feed Should be kept lll mllld- TW
    E AA cj"` ‘ V ay jig First, the feeding roots are. ff)? right,
  ’=’     _ ,. ____ ‘ A` , ‘A ' t*—  the most part, 15 to 20 inches Jl  
  T   '   AA;.   A  A the ground; sec0nd_ most 0f Ulfmg 4-mo
  e ’ ·   ¤.  .»_.     i   are in the area, ulld€1' thi? Spwlt te,. C
  The growth of this white oak had ceased. of the branches; thirdi megs AAAAAA
  It was stimulated by liberalfeeding with 0001- are 4 inches Or Over in diaI‘H€Y€r A
  merelal fCl`tl'11ZCl` and now is making a satis- _ Ulm nr UI b
 ll factory growth. have few feeding 1*00735 Wl I · A
 Q; féet of where the trunk enters Ul? `Ulll
if  ground. Thus it becomes evident that a rather definite area for feeding   NWI
  outlined. Since the roots are in the ground 15 to go inches, some nl€Ul°“ ¥“'€
  Should be provided to bring the food in close proximity to the r00fS- Wm? {Emi
  well-rotted manure is used in feeding, its effectiveness can be ilic1‘€HS€db?' fm
  HI`$t ]00S€HlHg thi-3 $011 by digging, to g depth Of 3 OI- 4 inches, AITOUW (" IX
  method is to make a series of holes in the ground, about 2 inches in difllm"
 
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Peedzng Shade Trees 3 _ l
. l
Olllfl ter and 20 inches deep, spaced 2 or 3 feet apart, in the ar-ea where the food    
Milfs; 5,; to be applied. These can be made by driving a piece of 2-inch pipe into    
llablt the soil, and then pulling it. This method permits the plant nutrients to   I g
6 lllll rome in close contact with the feeding roots, and also aerates the soil, _   l
rlellal which is of distinct benefit to the tree. l l
: t' z ,
gig; When manure is used for feeding, it should be scattered over the pre- ~ l {
Whén pared area in a layer at least six inches thick. The commercial fertilizer    
mm can be either broadcast over the area, loosened by digging, or placed in the 1 l i  
mes holes made by the pipe. The latter method is the one most often used. The ' A   l
I this number of holes should be the same as the number of pounds of fertilizer 1 I
to be used. The amount is computed by multiplying the diameter of the trunk I `  
of the tree, 3 feet above the ground, in inches, by four, and using this num- I .1
D€l" ber of pounds. If the fertilizer is broadcast, it will be best to use half this  
f’laS' _ am.ount. After the fertilizer has   . l
WET _ been placed in the holes, fill them l  
{mot;  ’_ V   with water, but do not fill with {  
all  -2   1   `   ,   ‘·~ 2.*j  .;; SCH .
Y 1    **3 A  *   1   i ‘ . 1;
[dt; - ;    . A¤°lh€1` method Of applying   1  
‘f; "lT  Q? li?"        the fertilizer is to force it into the .1 _
zent-   ·..·?·..»·1   .·  .   .  ··r· ·       _ I , 1
com Q .;r_,e,;éye.i ._’,       ·»‘· , · -‘·j_;;_r1a,1  soil with high pressure. This ,1 ;
‘ ‘ii;>,·`.,r ~*»`.? ;,4:·*.l,_l I__“:_,,s'·E;>.;_ . v· `
The        ri · ‘ 1°;   and it is obvious that the food   [ 5
thc g   ,_   _V:.1 V Ll'? " should be applied at the time {J`.}:
iow-    ~.    Wh€11 it will be of most benefit      
way " 1  _'j;’ '{°,£Yi-¥.-,2 to them. Well-rotted manure _i ’··- ' LV; 
limi   ~ 'l`**'Y "   should be applied in late fall, in    
for ri;§0tl·;Qi;crér·_o1dl9pih Oaks. The one er. the order to have time to leach out ‘  
. · · e in 3 ‘t - ’. `K:
,5 in   has made an7ixe1l;igi5 tlftfilgngiogizliiegf and down to lDh€ 1`00tS by €B.l`]y . ‘· _ ·;
hem ymggllfiivsgliggoxlyiotlrer tree has had only a spyjn g_ Commercial fertilizer »    
yggfl should be broadcast in early win-- 1 we gl
tha; tel OF placed in the holes in November or February.    
1€l€V Tl'€€S fed by means of manure oi· fertilizer broadcast under the spread      
lll 2 Ot AbI`&ll0ll€S, will probably need another- feeding in two or three y€a1‘S,  
2Ul; Ehllff trees fed by means of fertilizer- placed in the ground, usually do HOF    
lgg ffl adl£llllO1l3] feeding for five to eight years, In each case, the time to    
tho illle another feeding should be governed by the length of twig growth and ‘.* Ti_;
met? [fE`t$l€n$€ll€SS of the fo}iage_ as well as the size of the leaves. BY giving HV    
Ulbl `H ml to the feeding of shade trees, it may be possible to pl‘OlO1lg the life ‘l"  l
»· (J b . l' ‘ ‘ J
mel ‘ Eautlflll specimens that otherwise would die. li  
[ll€‘ ‘   I- A  
 

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