Before applying fertilizer in the spring, a soil test should be completed if one hasn’t been done for several years. The best time to fertilize established fruit trees is when they enter the bloom period. Nitrogen is typically the focus which can be applied with a lawn fertilizer. Choose a high nitrogen fertilizer without herbicides or preemergence included.
Young trees require less fertilizer than established trees.
• 1-2-year-old tree = ¼ cup
• 3-4-year-old tree = ½ cup
• 5-10-year-old tree = 1 – 2 cups
• More than 10 years old = 2 – 3 cups
Spread the fertilizer on the soil surface, away from the trunk, but beneath the canopy.
Water the fertilizer in well and evaluate the tree for further fertilization needs.
