July reminds me to thank those who plant shade trees. (Thanks Travis, Martin & Steve!)

Hello, again!

The foliage on my trees turning from dark green to light green, then portions of the tree turning yellow didn’t happen overnight, but over the past month or so. Having replaced decades-old honey locust trees 5-6 years ago with a swamp white oak because of decline in health of the large trees, I wanted a tree in the front yard that was not only adapted to our area, but also not prone to issues. Thriving in all soil types, swamp white oak is a tree I recommend frequently for our area. However, because it prefers a slightly acid soil (pH below 7) I knew some attention would be necessary to keep the foliage green and prevent iron chlorosis.

The soils in our region can tend to be a bit alkaline (pH above 7) which will tie up the iron many plants require for dark green foliage. The iron may be present, but just not available for them to take up. Most of the turf fertilizers from ferti-lome have a bit of sulfur to lower the pH and have added iron to keep plants green. Having not fertilized since an application of ferti-lome For All Seasons in April, I suspect that many of the nutrients have been either used by my plants or have been leached away with rainfall and irrigation.

The times we recommend fertilizing our trees and shrubs is spring and fall. With adequate irrigation (or rainfall) I don’t hesitate to use ferti-lome Tree and Shrub Food now. There's no need to dig holes. Simply spread this easy, permeating fertilizer around the tree or bush drip line (the area under the branches) and water in.

Hi-Yield Iron Plus Soil Acidifier contains nitrogen, sulfur and iron, which is specially formulated to correct the soil pH and provide iron, making it a good solution as well. This granular treatment is made for use on lawns, flowers, trees, shrubs and citrus.

A couple of years ago our fall mum crop was not only stunted, but bright yellow as well. One application of ferti-lome Chelated Water Soluble Iron greened the crop up in a few days, and it started growing again. Chelated Water Soluble Iron is made to prevent or correct iron chlorosis and can be used on trees, ornamental plants, shrubs, flowers, lawns, in containers, and on vegetables in the spring, or throughout the growing season as needed. Simply mix with water and pour under the plant (it’s not designed for spraying).

If you’re seeing signs of iron chlorosis, stop by and we’ll help you find the best solution to keep things green and growing.

Your friend in the garden,

Marty Johnson
Owner - Johnson's Garden Center