Introduction: The Plight of Trees and Shrubs in a Bacterial World
Trees and shrubs are the backbone of any landscape, providing beauty, shade, and habitat. But these ecto/fungal-dominated plants are struggling in a bacterial landscape created by modern practices. Home building, landscapers, and homeowners often rely on NPK fertilizer programs, thinking they’re “feeding” trees and shrubs. At Stangl’s Enviro Lawn Care, we’ve spent 44 years in Niagara learning that these conventional approaches do more harm than good. NPK solutions destroy soil biology, lower Brix levels, and cause a ripple effect of disturbances that reduce resilience. Our Nature’s Brew product and regenerative process offer a better way—reviving the fungal networks trees and shrubs need to thrive.
The Fungal Nature of Trees, Shrubs, Fruit trees and Vines
Trees, shrubs, fruit trees and vines are mycorrhizal associated (like pines, oaks, and many ornamentals are ecto), rely on fungi to access nutrients. These plants form symbiotic relationships with fungi, exchanging sugars for nutrients like ammonium, which is their preferred nitrogen form. Fungi also improve soil structure, increase water retention, and protect against pathogens. But today’s landscapes are far from fungal-friendly. Home building compacts soil, landscapers and homeowners apply NPK fertilizers, and the result is a bacterial-dominated environment that starves trees and shrubs of the biology they need.
The Ripple Effect of NPK Programs
Conventional NPK programs—used by many landscapers and homeowners—create a cascade of problems for trees and shrubs:
- Compaction Restricts Air for Biology: Home building and heavy equipment compact soil (PSI above 150), restricting air and water movement. Soil biology, especially fungi, needs oxygen to thrive. Compacted soil suffocates these microbes, disrupting the fungal networks trees and shrubs depend on.
- Reduced Fungi Means Less Ammonium, More Nitrates: Fungi convert organic nitrogen into ammonium, which trees prefer. But NPK fertilizers kill fungi, shifting the soil to a bacterial landscape. Bacteria convert nitrogen into nitrates, which trees can use but at a cost—nitrates promote fast, weak growth, lowering Brix (a measure of plant health). Dr. Thomas Dykstra notes that low Brix (below 10) makes plants susceptible to insects and diseases, while double-digit Brix (10–14+) ensures natural resistance.
- Lower Brix and a Ripple of Disturbances: As NPK solutions destroy soil biology, they lower Brix, creating a ripple effect. Trees and shrubs become stressed, with reduced resilience to drought, pests, and diseases. Glen Rabenberg of Soil Works LLC warns that salt fertilizers push EC (electrical conductivity) above 1.0, putting microbes into dormancy (ideal EC is 0.3–0.7). This kills the fungal networks, leaving trees vulnerable to summer brown-out and pathogen attacks.
- Unhealthy Trees in a Bacterial Landscape: The bacterial dominance caused by NPK programs throws off the carbon-to-nitrogen (C:N) ratio (ideal 16:1, per Soil Works), encouraging weeds and reducing soil structure. Trees and shrubs, which thrive in fungal-dominated soils, struggle to access nutrients, water, and oxygen, leading to long-term decline.
Nature’s Brew: A Regenerative Solution
At Stangl’s, we take a different approach. Our Nature’s Brew product and process are designed to restore the fungal networks trees and shrubs need to thrive. Here’s how we do it:
- Root Feeding with Nature’s Brew: We apply Nature’s Brew directly to the root zone, delivering a blend of N-fixers (like Azotobacter), P-solubilizers (like Bacillus), and other microbes that support the rhizophagy cycle. James White’s research shows that plants exude sugars to feed microbes, which return more abundant nutrients—NPK and beyond—along with a thriving microbial community. This process rebuilds fungal populations, increasing ammonium availability and reducing reliance on nitrates.
- Spraying Shrubs and Ground: We also spray Nature’s Brew on shrubs and the surrounding ground, ensuring the entire ecosystem benefits. This foliar and soil application supports fungi, protozoa, nematodes, and higher nutrient cyclers, creating a balanced, fungal-friendly environment. Unlike NPK solutions, Nature’s Brew feeds biology, not just plants, raising Brix levels for natural resilience.
- Breaking the Bacterial Cycle: By supporting soil biology, we counteract the bacterial dominance caused by NPK programs. Our process improves soil structure (lowering PSI), enhances water retention, and boosts nutrient cycling, giving trees and shrubs the conditions they need to thrive.
The Stangl’s Difference: Proven Results
For 44 years, we’ve seen the difference regenerative practices make. Our 30-year commercial clients—many with trees and shrubs—haven’t seen insect or disease issues in decades, thanks to high Brix (10–14+) and healthy soil biology. We align with Glen Rabenberg’s five essentials—calcium, phosphorus, carbon, oxygen, hydrogen—ensuring a balanced system. Our upcoming plasma fertilizer (April 2025) will further enhance our ability to revive soil life, building on the success of Nature’s Brew.
Call to Action: Join the Regenerative Revolution
Your trees, shrubs, fruit trees and vines deserve better than NPK programs that destroy biology and reduce resilience. Join the regenerative revolution with Stangl’s Enviro Lawn Care! Read our new paper, “Beyond NPK: A Regenerative Approach to Lawn Care for True Soil Health,” to learn more about soil biology and regenerative practices. https://www.stangls.com/blog/
Join our Regenerative Lawn Care Facebook page (96 members and growing!) and grab our toolkit on March 24th, 2025—a 14-section guide to building living soil. See the proof at Stangl’s Before & After Transformations, or call (905) 641-8133 to start your journey. #AwakenSoil #Stangls #Niagara #RegenerativeLawn #EcoSafe
