FERTILISING FRUIT TREES AND BUSHES

Ian
I have some fruit trees and bushes in my garden, is now a good time to feed them? What could I use as mulch around them as well. Thanks F.N. by e-mail

FERTLISING FRUIT TREES AND BUSHES
If you look in the gardening books it seems that you are a bit late for feeding fruit trees. Most of them state that it should be done in late February. We won’t take any notice of them though and I would say that feeding them now- even if it is a bit late is better than no feed at all as fruit trees and shrubs need feeding to crop well.

Nitrogen promotes foliage and vigorous growth; dessert apples need less than cooking apples and pears, while plums and cherries appreciate more. Phosphorus promotes healthy growth and fruit. Potassium is necessary for good fruit colour, flavour, hardiness and fruit bud development.

How much feeding fruit trees need depends on the soil and can be adjusted depending on growth, cropping and soil analysis.

As a rule-of-thumb, feed apples and pears lightly, using 100g/sq m (3oz/sq yd) of general purpose fertiliser or, for organic gardeners, fish, blood and bone. Whichever one is used apply added potassium-rich fertiliser, sulphate of potash or an organic potassium material at 15g/sq m (0.5oz/sq yd). If cooking apples and pears have had pale foliage in the past, increase the general-purpose fertiliser by half. Double the general-purpose fertiliser for cherries and plums, and increase the potassium-rich fertiliser to 20g/sq m (0.75oz/sq yd).

If using straight fertilisers apply at the following rates:

Nitrogen: Apply 35g per sq m (1oz per sq yd) of ammonium sulphate in spring each year. Dried poultry pellets are an organic alternative.

Phosphorus: Apply 35g per sq m (1oz per sq yd) of superphosphate in winter every three to four years where required. Bonemeal is an organic alternative.

Potassium: Apply 15g per sq m (0.5oz per sq yd) of sulphate of potash every year. Too much potash may lead to magnesium deficiency and increase the risk of bitter pit in apples.

MULCHES
Mulching on the other hand can be done anytime. An annual mulch of bulky organic matter after applying the fertiliser will benefit trees by reducing water loss and suppressing weeds, as well as providing some nutrients. Mulching can halve fertiliser needs and is ideal for organic growers.
Bulky organic materials include stable or farmyard manure, mushroom compost, spent hops, leafmould and garden compost.

Mushroom compost often contains chalk and as most fruit prefers acid conditions, it should not be used too frequently except on very acid soils. Do not apply to raspberries. Straw can be used as a surface mulch to conserve moisture, but if it is incorporated into the soil it must be well rotted or, alternatively, extra nitrogen must be applied. Pears, plums, and damson trees especially need additional water in the summer and will benefit from mulching. Newly planted fruit trees and cane fruits need regular watering and should be mulched to conserve moisture and promote strong growth. Red currants, white currants, gooseberries and raspberries are difficult to grow on light soils but benefit from mulching. Even with mulches you may need to water in dry spells. Ideally, keep a grass-free zone, at least 1m (1yd) wide, around trees to reduce competition and allow mulching. Apples and pears appreciate a low-nutrient mulch - such as garden compost, while plums and cherries respond to richer rotted manure.

Horticulture.