Bart1, Adams County Nursery;

"Fertilizers containing nitrogen should be applied to newly transplanted fruit trees beginning 3-4 weeks after planting. If granular fertilizers are applied, use care to avoid contact with the tree trunk. A general recommendation is to use 4 oz. of 10-10-10 per tree in a circumference 2-3 feet from the base of the tree, allowing fertilizer to go down to the root tips."

I've been doing fertilizing on trees I am training up and get phenomenal growth. I think also it it is because I prune unwanted branches before they grow and this sends more energy to the good ones. All my BR plums planted last season have some flowers and 3rd leaf pear also have flowers.

I put decomposed wood chips under my trees every spring and add a handful of Plant Tone which is 5-5-5 or thereabouts. For best fruit flavor it is best to not overdo the Nitrogen and excessive growth also can exacerbate disease problems. So "moderation in all things" also applies here.

Scott

I like plenty of N while establishing trees and turn it down when trees begin to bear. For my own trees I get my N from my own urine- why waste it! It converts to ureah in a couple of days and is then good to go. Truly miracle grow.

On trees already planted, I think the best time to N them is late summer (mid Sept here) so it is already in their buds when spring growth starts. It is often too cool and wet in early spring for trees to take it up (that's one reason commercial growers do foliar feeding at this time). Still, an early spring application usually works almost as well.

Peaches and Jap plums can use another dose at the beginning of summer because they continue to do a ton of growing throughout the season.

For other nutrional needs, I use firewood ashes for C and K and count on compost for the micros. This is for my own trees- for my clients I use a formulated synthetic mix.

BR transplants usually don't benefit from N after transplanting and only peaches and Jap plums are likely to benifit from suplemental N the first year as I understand the research. Just add some for them in early summer and then give it to all the fruit trees towards summers end or early fall.