How often do you fertilize your fruit trees?

[huntall]

What kind of fertilizer and how often do you fertilize your fruit trees.
i have heard its best to only lightly fertilize pear trees, but i also have
apple, crabapple, and persimmon, and peach trees.

 

[BluffCountry]

I'm not an expert by any means and I bet a couple others will chime in with more experience. But this seems to work well for me, I use the same starter fertilizer that I plant corn with and use about a cup per tree around the drip line in the spring only on young trees. And no fertilizer at all on my trees that are bearing apples. I don't think I have ever fertilized my pears trees, they grow like a weed and never saw the need for fertilizer.

 

[CrazyEd]

I don't fertilize any trees the year of planting. My oldest trees are going into their 5th year. Trees 3-5 years old I am giving 2 fert spikes, 2nd year trees will only get 1. I bought a ton of spikes from Ben Meadows and got a great deal there. I will be fertilizing in the next few weeks, whenever I get to the farm next.

 

[aerospacefarmer]

I have never fertilized my trees but they may get some residual from my crop planting and my trees are doing awesome. I am getting fruit in year 2 and 3

 

[huntall]

I don't fertilize any trees the year of planting. My oldest trees are going into their 5th year. Trees 3-5 years old I am giving 2 fert spikes, 2nd year trees will only get 1. I bought a ton of spikes from Ben Meadows and got a great deal there. I will be fertilizing in the next few weeks, whenever I get to the farm next.

do you have a certain tree spike #-#-# to recomend or most all of them work good enough? like 11-8-8 or other spikes

 

[CrazyEd]

http://www.benmeadows.com/fertilizer-stakes_36811393/?searchterm=fertilizer+stakes

I think I just bought the fruit tree stakes. And somehow i scored free shipping which helped significantly.

 

[huntall]

http://www.benmeadows.com/fertilizer-stakes_36811393/?searchterm=fertilizer+stakes

I think I just bought the fruit tree stakes. And somehow i scored free shipping which helped significantly.

Thats a great deal. I will have to check in on it.

 

[UP Powers]

I do a half cup of triple 19 for every inch of trunk diameter. I don't think it makes a hill of beans, I thought the tree spikes were a no no. That is news to me.

 

[huntall]

yall fertilize spring and fall or just spring time?

 

[bueller]

I've always been told not to fertilize after July 1st or so up in the north because the trees need to harden up for the winter. And not to use tree spikes because they may still be feeding later than that.

 

[sandbur]

The smaller Jobes tree spikes label says they last for 60 days. The larger spikes say they last all season long.

I just put my spikes in the ground. 60 days = July 1.' I used the smaller spikes.

 

[Jordan Selsor]

5-10-10 a handful in the hole at planting my local MFA mixed it for me

 

[huntall]

I have tried throwing fertilize around the trees on top of the ground, and it seems like a lot of it was washed away.
last year I started useing the treespikes and they seem to work good! Just trying to get a good system down.

I think next year i will try some fertilize in the hole like sugjested above on some and tree spikes on others. The only thing is the tree spikes cost a good bit unless you hunt down a good deal.
.

 

[UP Powers]

I am pretty confident that you DO NOT need to fertilize at planting. As a matter of fact I do believe you are doing more damage than what it's worth. From my third grade knowledge on this. The best thing to put down the hole during planting is a 1/2 a cup of pell. lime and some water polymers if remote. Do the soil test first but I "think" the experts would encourage the lime rather than the fertilizer at planting. anyone care to weigh in??

 

[huntall]

I agree with yall about not fertilizing at planting.
I was meaning fertilizing at dripline like sugjested in some post above in holes instead of throwing on top of ground.

 

[huntall]

Take a steel pry bar and make a hole or two 8" deep. Pour your 10/10/10 down each hole. There's your fertilizer spike- give or take a small difference between the 8-11-11 fruit spikes and the 10-10-10.

sounds good!

 

[Lot2Learn]

Take a steel pry bar and make a hole or two 8" deep. Pour your 10/10/10 down each hole. There's your fertilizer spike- give or take a small difference between the 8-11-11 fruit spikes and the 10-10-10.

Should I have any concern about damaging the roots of the fruit tree if I use a dibble bar to create a hole in the ground 10" deep to fill with fertilizer as long as I stay, say, two feet away from the central leader?

 

[Lot2Learn]

OK, more shallow holes works for me.

For young trees, say 1-5 years old, how far from the central leader are you putting these holes?

 

[Lot2Learn]

Perfect, thanks.

 

[UP Powers]

I have always been told less fertilizer than more. The best fertilizer is a good PH soil. I just scatter the triple 19 on the top. I seriously think it does nothing other than make the area grass grow taller and I have to mow it more.