Too often clients will see ants or bees and break out the arsenal of pesticides to slaughter. Ants can be very beneficial for trees, and will not create an ant problem within your house. If they have carpenter ants their house has rotten wood. Explain that the area with composted tree trimmings applied is not such a good place for a spring garden. This causes in many cases flowers disease.
Fertilizers are salts of essential elements.
As far as fertilizing goes, in nature manure is a very common fertilizer. The addition of composted manure in small amounts to the tray of the eco-art nurse log may benefit the flowers and trees. Trees are like big batteries. They store energy in many forms. Mulching with all gradations is one way of getting the energy to the soil where it is much needed.