Good morning again. I have a question regarding using liquid fertilizer and granular fertilizer. I have tried to do research on the web as well as this forum but have not found the answer to my question. I have 19 fruit trees. Some are on there second year of growth and some are on their third year of growth. I Purchased them last year as a whip so Iām assuming thatās the first year and planted them. So this summer would be their third year. I planted another set of whips this spring also. Last year I used fish emulsion, the Alaskan brand to fertilize them roughly once a month. Sometimes twice depending on growth. I also Purchased a soil test kit off Amazon and did test my soil. It had a medium amount of P & K but very little nitrogen. Itās unfortunate because I built this house two years ago and they backfilled my backyard with several different soil types. Half of my backyard is more claylike and the other half is more sand like. I have fruit trees on both sides. It was 38 truckloads of dirt. So unfortunately the dirt in my backyard is not all the same and going off a soil test of one spot is hard to trust.
Hereās the question. Is it possible to use both liquid and granular fertilizer alternating? This year I was going to add a little p and k. My plan is to initially add a little iron to them (did that yesterday) Then in a few weeks give them liquid fish emulsion per instructions Alaskan brand 5-1-1. Two weeks following that put down a super 12x12x12 that my nursery sells. It contains npk Plus other minerals and additives. I was told I can put that on once a month. After four weeks has passed use another liquid fish emulsion And two weeks later super 12 again.
So basically alternating with the two of them. With the last dose of super 12 being around the end of July. Ish.
Is this too much nitrogen? Is this overkill? Or would this be an acceptable practice. I do not want to harm my trees but the thought has been on my mind and I cannot find an answer to the question.
A few other side notes. I plan on putting down shredded wood from a local tree service but will not be able to until either fall or next year. I have a lawn that I need to put in this spring. As well as sprinklers. However I did put down leaves around the trees that I collected last year specifically for them. This is also what I did last year.
My wife tells me that I overkill a lot of stuff. LOL so please let me know. Your honesty is always welcome.
I usually donāt even fertilize my trees the first year. But my soil is very rich.
Yes I would worry about too much nitrogen for freshly planted trees. Itās a good idea not to fertilize at all for the first month or longer.
Sprinklers are an evil thing and water trees too much. I never water trees, or only once or twice a season. For one water stressed trees produce the best fruit! Two, they donāt need it. I use leaves but cover with compost to keep them there.
You dont say how much fertilizer you are putting down at each application. One or two cups can be sufficient. If they where my trees i would do the spring fertilizing and nothing else unless the trees where not looking healthy. Using both liquid and granular fertilizer is ok but I dont know the advantage unless dealing with a specific stress issue.
This is a picture of the super 12 that Iām going to use. It doesnāt have specific instructions on how much to use or put down. Most all of the trees are roughly 1 to 2 inches trunk size. And 2 to 3 years old of trees. I guess Iām just thinking that the more nitrogen I feed them the bigger and faster they will grow. But I might be wrong. Do trees only except or absorb a specific amount of nitrogen and then the rest is wasted? If that is the case then it would be pointless to put down both a liquid and granular fertilizer. Last year I used two tablespoons per gallon of the 5-1-1 fish fertilizer.
Thatās a good idea about the compost over the top of the leaves. Lowes sells a bag of manure compost mix for a few bucks that I can use. That would probably substitute the fish fertilizer in the first place. Or both. Thoughts?
I only fertilize my young fruit trees not those bearing well. Fertilizing often promotes lots of vegetative growth. Great if your trees are young and you want them to grow fast. Not great on older trees as they will put out lots of watersprouts and growth you donāt need.
I never did get a soil test where I grow my fruit trees (21 the last time I counted a few years ago). I just let the tree tell me what it needs.
On newly planted trees (bare-root) I do not fertilize for the first 60 days (planted in April while dormant) to let the root system get somewhat established but then I do fertilize will a liquid fertilizer early-mid June. If I plant out a container grown fruit tree then I will fertilize right away with either a liquid or granular product shortly after planting in spring.
The second year from planting I will apply a granular fertilizer to all my young fruit trees sometime mid-may to early June.
Once the trees start bearing well and I do not want them to grow bigger I stop fertilizing unless the tree just isnāt looking healthy.
I try and let the tree tell me how much fertilizer it needs. I like to see 18"-24" of new growth on my young apple trees each year. If more than that then reduce or eliminate fertilizing. If getting less than that then increase the amount of nitrogen you are applying.
With pears I donāt want to fertilize much or at all because lots of new pear growth makes them more prone to fireblight where I am at. The old adage of āgrow pears slowā is true. Fertilize a young pear heavily and fireblight often wipes it out. Others say to plant pears on the worst soil you have so they grow slow.
Peaches grow fast and often seem to do most of their growth in mid-late summer (unlike apples that put out most of their new growth earlier in the season).
For young fruit trees the first year I will apply 1-2 gallons of liquid fertilizer per tree (miracle grow). When I use granular on young trees over 1 year of age then I apply 10-10-10 or 28-0-0-. I will apply 10-10-10 around the dripline of a tree at about the rate one would apply salt to a good T-bone steak before eating. If I use 28-0-0 then I apply it about 50% less due to the higher nitrogen value.
This is not a very scientific way to fertilize but it works well for me. My most limiting shortage in my soil is nitrogen as I have no P or K issues on anything I have been growing (grass, vegetables, flowers ect).
Thank you for the reply! I like the advice. Iām glad to know that about pear trees. I would have fertilized it the same. I think Iām going to just use a little fertilizer this spring and than kick back and see what they tell me.
I have a question regarding using liquid fertilizer and granular fertilizer. I have tried to do research on the web as well as this forum but have not found the answer to my question. I have 19 fruit trees. Some are on there second year of growth and some are on their third year of growth. I Purchased them last year as a whip so Iām assuming thatās the first year and planted them. So this summer would be their third year. I planted another set of whips this spring also. Last year I used fish emulsion, the Alaskan brand to fertilize them roughly once a month. Sometimes twice depending on growth. I also Purchased a soil test kit off Amazon and did test my soil. It had a medium amount of P & K but very little nitrogen. Itās unfortunate because I built this house two years ago and they backfilled my backyard with several different soil types. Half of my backyard is more claylike and the other half is more sand like. I have fruit trees on both sides. It was 38 truckloads of dirt. So unfortunately the dirt in my backyard is not all the same and going off a soil test of one spot is hard to trust.
