What is the best fertilizer for apple trees?

When to fertilize apple trees

Generally speaking, the time to fertilize apple trees varies depending on the tree's vigor, but it is usually done before budding in spring, during flowering, and during fruit expansion. These periods are when the plant needs a lot of nutrients to grow, so fertilizers should be applied in a timely manner to ensure sufficient nutrients to facilitate plant growth, flowering, and fruiting.

What fertilizer to use for apple tree potted plants

Generally speaking, the appropriate fertilizer to apply to apple trees depends on the period. It is usually more appropriate to apply nitrate nitrogen before budding, which is beneficial to promote growth and facilitate germination and shoot development.

It is more appropriate to apply fertilizers containing phosphorus and potassium before the apple tree blooms, which can promote flowering. If it is when the fruit is swelling, then the fertilizer should be mainly phosphorus and potassium, combined with ammonium nitrogen, which can accelerate the growth of the fruit.

How to fertilize apple trees

The specific method of fertilizing apple trees depends on the size of the tree. If the tree is small, ring fertilization is generally used. Dig a trench 0.5 to 1.5 meters outside the crown, mix the fertilizer with the soil appropriately, and apply it into the trench, then fill the trench.

If it is an adult apple tree, it is generally best to apply fertilizer throughout the garden, mainly by turning the fertilizer into the soil in combination with intertillage. If phosphorus and potassium fertilizers are applied, it is best to apply them to a depth of 30 to 40 centimeters in the soil, which can increase the depth and breadth of root distribution.

Apple tree fertilization precautions

When fertilizing apple trees, you need to be careful not to apply too much fertilizer each time. Usually when applying a large amount, it is best to spread the fertilizer throughout the garden and do moderate deep plowing to prevent fertilizer damage.

When fertilizing apple trees, the amount of nitrogen fertilizer should be appropriate. If too much nitrogen fertilizer is applied, it will cause the tree tips to grow too long, which will not only lead to a decrease in fruit set rate and yield, but also worse fruit quality and storage resistance.