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When to fertilizeBy Tara McKnight CEA- Hort. Texas AgriLife Extension Service Wichita County Here are a few questions we have been getting at the office lately. Q. When should I fertilize my lawn for the fall? A. The important thing to remember is that the fall application of fertilizer IS the most critical. If you were given the option of applying fertilizer only once a year to a lawn, the best choice would be a fall application. Fall fertilization is applied when shoot growth slows and the necessity for lawn manicuring lengthens from a weekly ritual to an every 10 to 14 day ordeal. Because of favorable environmental conditions (cool temperatures, short days, and high light intensity) nitrogen fertilizer applied at this time aids the photosynthetic production of carbohydrates. These carbohydrates are stored for use the following growing season, providing earlier spring green-up and an energy source for turf grasses to recuperate from winter adversities. The best nutrient ratios for fall fertilizer are 3-1-2 and 4-1-2. In the nursery these ratios in fertilizers identified with the name "winterizer". The fall application of fertilizer should take place in as soon as possible. Generally you will need a 40 pound of fertilizer for each 6000 square foot of lawn area. The slow release nitrogen fertilizers are not beneficial in the fall and are not economical to use. In the fall the nitrogen should be available to the grass quickly so that fertilizer elements can be taken into the plant and utilized rapidly while the plant system is still actively growing. Q. When should I begin pruning my trees and shrubs to reduce their overall size? Is it too late to prune rose bushes -- I have a climbing rose which has gotten too large. A. The optimum time for pruning of trees and shrubs is January through early March when trees and shrubs are dormant. This is also the best time to move established plants to new locations. Concerning the pruning of roses late in the fall, I would advise against it since you may cause the plant to initiate a new flush of growth and make it more susceptible to freeze damage. Of course, the pruning of climbing roses should occur immediately AFTER spring bloom--pruning before that time can eliminate or drastically decrease spring bloom. When considering the pruning of evergreen shrubs such as photinias, hollies or pittosporum, remember that new growth with which to cover pruned areas will not occur until March or April so the sooner you prune, the longer you will have to look at the scenic ugly which you have created. Just be patient and wait until January or February to prune. The plants will appreciate the consideration. Also a word to the wise: If you will initially choose the best adapted shrub or tree which will ultimately only grow to the intended size for the location it is planted, very little pruning will ever be necessary. Q. The trees in my yard are getting too large. A tree pruning service told me that the trees should be topped. What should I do? A. The first thing you should do is get another tree pruning service. Many people have the misconception that cutting the main branches of a tree back to stubs in an effort to reduce the height is the proper way to prune. In reality, the cutting of a tree back to stubs permanently disfigures and actually weakens a tree. There are some tree service companies that promote and practice this drastic form of "pruning." Apparently, a short tree is thought to be safer and healthier than a tall tree regardless of how the result is attained. In fact, topping a tree in this manner is one of the worst things man can do to trees. In addition to the unsightly appearance, topping directly results in several other problems for trees, the most severe being internal decay. When a branch is correctly pruned at its point of attachment to the trunk just outside of the branch collar and the branch bark ridge, internal decay is usually stopped from progressing into the trunk by a barrier inside the collar. Also, a correct cut results in more rapid wound closure by callus tissue so that the bark's continuity is eventually re-established. Branch stubs produced by topping harbor decay fungi which eventually break down the barrier in the collar and then proceed into the trunk. Whenever a cut is made in the main leader by topping, there is nothing to prevent decay from developing in the trunk. The tree may be structurally weakened and its useful life span reduced. Other adverse effects of topping are: Topping removes a major portion of a tree's leaves which are necessary for the production of carbohydrates. Once-shaded bark in the canopy becomes scalded by exposure to direct sunlight. Stubs are likely to attract wood-boring insects. Stubbing stimulates the development of watersprouts just below the cut. These shoots grow rapidly, causing a topped tree to grow back to its original height faster and denser than a properly pruned tree. The watersprouts are also weakly attached and are easily broken off in storms. If the height of a tree has to be reduced because of storm damage or interference with electrical wires, it can be correctly done by a method called crown reduction or drop crotch pruning. The procedure involves the removal of a main leader or main branch at the point of attachment of a lateral branch. The final cut should be parallel to the lateral branch bark ridge without cutting into the bark ridge. The lateral branch should be at least one-third the size of the branch or leader that is being removed.
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