Which Fertilizers Should I Use for My Fruit Trees?

There are basically three types of fertilizers that you should pick from; 

• fertilizers with high phosphorus, 
• fertilizers with high nitrogen and a 
• balanced fertilizer with equal or high numbers of nitrogen and phosphorus. 

Apply fertilizers to fruit trees where water or moist soil is present. Never apply fertilizers closer than 12 inches to the trunk of the tree.

Remember these points:

About eight handfuls of fertilizer equals a pound. For smaller hands, 10 handfuls might equal a pound. Stay in the 8 to 10 handful range for estimating how much to apply you will be fine.

Never apply any fertilizer within 12 inches of the tree trunk.

It is not necessary to bury a fertilizer in the soil or under mulch but it must come in contact water.

Applying Compost to Fruit Trees

One cubic foot of Viragrow compost costs $2.50. One cubic foot of BF compost is $3.20.

There are numerous advantages, too many to list here, when you apply compost instead of a conventional fertilizer to fruit trees. Apply compost to the base of fruit trees and this will substitute for an application of fertilizer.You will have to apply a much higher volume of compost than concentrated fertilizer from a bag. If you have wood mulch at the base of the tree, rake it out of the way when making this application. Reapply it after the compost has been applied to the soil. It is possible to apply the compost on top of the wood mulch and wash it through the mulch onto the soil if you want to.

For young fruit trees up to two to three years of age, apply 1 cubic foot of 100% compost (not soil mix) to the base of the tree. For fruit trees that are four to six years old and entering production apply 2 cubic feet per tree. Trees larger than this, apply 3 cubic feet per tree.

Compost applied to fruit trees Irrigated in a basin before reapplying the mulch and watering it in.With drip emitters you must wet the compost so that it is in good contact with  soil wetted by the emitters. Wood chip mulch helps alot to keep the soil wet.

Size and color of persimmon leaves after early spring application of compost.

Applying Fertilizers to Fruit Trees
Conventional fertilizers are concentrated plant nutrients in a bag. Some of these nutrients are manufactured and some of them are mined from the ground.A lot less concentrated fertilizer is applied than compost to achieve similar results.

Fruit and nut fertilizer is a concentrated formulation for fruit and nut trees that are in production. It provides enough nitrogen for growth and enough phosphorus for improved flowering and fruiting. This 20 pound bag is $20.

Dry fertilizers such as the one above can be applied directly on top of mulch or on top of the soil and water it in with a hose. It should be applied within a foot of drip emitters or any source of water to the tree. It should never be applied closer than 12 inches to the trunk. It does not have to be dug in to the soil if you are making applications every year.

For young trees 1 to 3 years old, apply 1 pound of fertilizer. Fruit trees that are 4 to 6 years old, apply 2 pounds of fertilizer. Trees older than this apply three pounds.Broadcast the fertilizer in the wedded areas under the canopy of the tree and wash it in with the hose or incorporate it with a garden rake.

The fertilizer can be applied in a single application in very early spring or split into two applications; half in the early spring and the other half after harvest is finished but no later than August 1.

Other fertilizers which can be substituted for a fertilizer marketed as a fruit tree and not fertilizer include fertilizers for roses, flowering plants and tomato fertilizers.

Fertilizers to Use When Planting Fruit Trees
If you are mixing 50% of the soil volume surrounding the roots (backfill) with compost, you will not need to add additional fertilizer.Viragrow compost is high in phosphorus. If you are not using a significant amount of compost in the backfill, you should add a pre-plant or starter fertilizer to the backfill before planting. This will put phosphorus around the roots where it is needed.Use one half pound of fertilizer for every cubic foot of backfill.

Starter or pre-plant fertilizer comes in a 20 pound bag and sells for $20. You can use it as a starter fertilizer for vegetable transplants, vegetable and herb seeds, starting a new lawn and around trees and shrubs that are heavy bloomers.

Viragrow Delivers!