The Best Time to Fertilize Fruit Trees

Your fruit tree may not need fertilizer.

Fruit trees in the home garden require pruning, training and fertilizing. Fertilizer is a catalyst for fruit trees to grow a lush canopy of leaves, but adding it at the wrong time can reduce fruit yield.

Considerations

Determine if your fruit trees need fertilizer by checking the growth of the trees. Fruit-bearing trees should grow an average of 8 to 15 inches each year, according to Iowa State University. A tree not yet bearing fruit should grow 15 to 30 inches. An application of fertilizer can help fruit trees grow as they should. If the yard around a fruit tree is fertilized, the roots of the tree will absorb the nutrients, possibly negating the need to fertilize the tree.

Types of Fertilizer

Feed fruit trees a standard 10-10-10 fertilizer for an even distribution of nitrogen, potash and phosphate. Special fertilizer formulas are available for fruit trees. Read and follow the directions on the fertilizer package. Organic fertilizers are available for use in the home garden where trees may be located near water supplies.

Time Frame

Fertilize fruit trees in the spring, before the trees bud. Fertilizer applications in the fall promote new growth that may be damaged from the harsh temperatures of winter. Start about 2 feet from the trunk of the tree. Spread the fertilizer evenly to just outside the drip-line of the tree. Apply 1/10 lb. fertilizer for every year of the tree's life up to 1/2 lb.

References

• Virginia State University: Tree Fruit in the Home Garden; Fertilization
• Iowa State University: Fertilizing Tree and Small Fruits
• North Carolina Department of Agriculture: A Homeowner's Guide to Fertilizer