Question
QUESTION: There are lots of trees in my Little Rock, Arkansas neighborhood, but my Magnolia tree has been one of the most magnificent! Since the tree was planted on a fairly steep hill in the middle of the front year during the early 60抯, it has grown to approximately 40 feet tall and has spread out to cover the outer parameters of my yard. But now it sits in my yard almost naked. It really seems to be in distress! It is so bare that I can now grow grass under what was formerly the tree canopy. It normally blooms in May, but there were very few blooms on the tree this spring. I love my tree and do not want to give up on it, but even the new growth is now falling off the tree. Do I need to get some special nutrients in the soil to support tree health and growth? If not, what else can I do?

ANSWER: I would fertilize the tree with 10-10-10 fertilizer at the rate of 1 lb per inch of trunk Diameter scattered around the tree and watered in good. Wait just before a rain storm and you will not have to water. Do this now and again in the early spring. This should increase the overall healthy of the tree.

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QUESTION: Jim---Thanks for the advice! Here is a link I found for a tree fertilizer on-line:

http://www.treehelp.com/ItemDesc.asp?IC=TR-MAG-F

Can you tell me if it is 10-10-10 fertiilizer, and whether or not you think it would be worth having?

Answer
Since it says is is a general Maximum N I would guess it is 13-13-13. But essentually the same thing. You do not need as much of 13-13-13 as 10-10-10 and this seems to have some other minor elements in it also. BUT it is more expensive than the 13-13-13 or 10-10-10 you can buy at a nursery. Either one will work the thing is to fertilize and add nutrients to the soil. 10-10-10 cost about $ 22 for 40lbs 13-13-13 cost about $26.