Maples DO form buds in winter but the buds don't fully develop or start to enlarge until spring and the beginning of warmer temps. Lack of buds present in winter generally indicates a dead branch or dead wood :-)

Not sure I'd agree with the nursery about fertilizing this late. Fall IS a great time to fertilize woody plants (if they need it) but generally that is reserved for earlier in the season when the roots are still active. Once soil temps cool to around 40-45F, roots become relatively inactive and are unable to metabolize the nutrients and fertilizer is just wasted. And it's generally not a good idea to fertilize at all unless your soils are deficient in specific nutrients, which is only determined by soil testing. Most woody plants require minimal fertilization at any time.

Thanks for the response. Glad to hear it's doing what it's supposed to do.

As for the fertilizer, our extension service tested our soil and found it to be lacking in nitrogen and phosphorus.

Thanks again.

Red maple blooms in late winter, flower buds may look plump before then.

Thank you.

I always read that if you want to maximize growth, you want to fertilize in the late summer or fall depending on where you live after significant cool down from hot weather. Again in the spring when they start to leaf out. I'm not sure if it's any use for fertilizing after left drop. If I recall, trees need leaves to utilize fertilizer in the fall to prepare for spring growth.

http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/publications/landscape/fertilizing/woody.html

If you fertilize lawn, trees get them anyway so no need to fertilize trees directly like that.