Question
Jim,

I have three mature white pines in the back of my yard. I want to fertilize
them and bought Hollytone. The package recommends you drill 12"-18"
down around the branch line in several places and drop the fertilizer in. My
problem is my power line runs underground right through this area of the
yard. I called the utility companies and they came out and marked the area
but not into the branch line where I would be drilling. Is there another way to
fertilize these trees? The package also says if I just sprinkle the fertilizer on
the ground it will draw the roots up. Are there plugs I can put in the trunks?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Answer
I would not use hollytone for this large a pine. Use 10-10-10 fertilizer at the rate of 1 lb per inch of trunk diameter scattered around the tree and watered in good. Putting it on the ground under the tree and watering it in good will not cause the roots to grow toward the soil surface. If there is grass lawn under the tree the grass will take up some of the fertilizer but the tree will get most of it if it is watered in. Hollytone is usually used for smaller evergreen shrubs not for large trees mainly because of the cost. And the 10-10-10 will give the tree more of the elements needed for growth than the hollytone which is rated as 4-6-4. (nitrogen- phosphate-potash)