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Fix the Soil or Blame the Tree?!

Dr. Fahd Abdulkarim Turkistani

Date of publication: July 4, 2026 11:32 KSA

When a tree dies after planting, blame often falls on the seedling, or on lack of watering, while a more important question is overlooked: What about the soil itself?

The soil is not just a hole where the tree is placed; it is the foundation of all plant life. If the soil is exhausted, poor, or suffers from an imbalance in its components, even the best seedlings will not succeed no matter their quality. In some locations, excessive use of chemical fertilizers leads to reverse results. Instead of building healthy and balanced soil, salts may accumulate and beneficial microorganisms—which are an essential part of the soil’s life cycle—may weaken. Moreover, treating soil in an unplanned manner may give rapid growth initially, but it does not guarantee long-term sustainability.

The success of afforestation does not begin at the nursery, but from understanding the characteristics of the soil, analyzing its needs, and addressing its problems before planting. A tree cannot compensate for accumulated defects in its growing environment. Under the targets of the Saudi Green Initiative, the importance of viewing soil as a key partner in the success of vegetation cover—not a secondary element in the project—becomes evident. Increasing the number of trees is an important goal, but more important is that these trees find an environment capable of embracing them and enduring with them. The tree may be healthy, water may be available, and care may be ongoing, but exhausted soil can nullify all those efforts. So perhaps it is time to ask a different question: Is the problem always with the tree? Or are we sometimes blaming the tree for the soil's mistakes?