Fertilization of urban trees is often based on traditional forestry objectives. These objectives and resultant attributes may not be desired in urban trees. The majority of research and the ensuing recommendations regarding fertilizer amounts and formulations comes from agricultural models, pomology, and industrial forestry - very little from arboriculture.

Lack of water and inadequate soil volumes are responsible for many of the problems that beset urban trees. More research is needed in water deficit mitigation, establishing nutrient sufficiency and deficiency levels in urban trees, the role of fertilization in disease remediation and increased pathogenesis, and the effects of long term fertilization on trees in the urban landscape.