Fertilization

To keep trees actively growing and to reduce the number of years it takes to produce a tree, they are fertilized annually. A variety of fertilizers are used depending on the tree species and its stage of production. To reduce excess fertilizer use and load on the environment, fertilizer is applied by hand to each individual tree for the first several years. As trees get older and root systems become more expansive, a mechanical band spreader is used to apply the fertilizer.