Trees are rarely planted into healthy fertile soils, rather most are planted into marginal land, often run down by past intensive farming practices. These soils tend to be compacted and depleted in a range of essential minerals, soil biology and organic carbon (humus).

Soluble salt-based fertilisers only exacerbate these problems by 'burning' out further organic carbon and soil biology, 'locking up' more minerals, and creating 'lazy' roots that do not expand beyond this high analysis nutrient source. These fertilisers often only supply nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, without the full spectrum of trace elements, silica, calcium or organic carbon. In addition, high levels of soluble nitrogen produce weak spindly growth with a visual foliar flush, but little root development. This unbalanced nutrition often leaves the plant susceptible to insect and disease attack. In addition, soluble phosphorus tends to be too 'hot' for most native plants.

Ideally a fertiliser should incorporate a full range of buffered and stablised minerals in both fast and slow-release formats, and include structures that physically 'open' the soil and maximise water and nutrient holding capacity, encouraging roots to explore outwards and downwards.
Tree-Starter TM fulfills all these requirements and more...