Late feeding of Blackthorn/Sloe Bushes

[Oolalula]

Hi all

I've just planted in some blackthorn bushes (fruits are sloes) to fill in a 2m gap in our hedging (to help keep foil chicken escapes through ranch fencing!).

They arrived on Friday and as they're bare rooted, I soaked them and then planted them in, making sure that the hole was deep enough and wide enough, loosening the soil etc etc. Thing is, because it was getting dark I rushed a bit and didn't put any compost or feed in the bottom of the holes I dug. I'm wondering now what the best food I can put on them is at this time of the year?

Any suggestions? Our soil is fairly well draining, a bit loamy but fairly sandy in places.

Thanks

Lucy

[kitchengardner]

feeding sloes

Blackthorn is pretty hardy so should be fine if your soil is generally good. However, if you want to be safe a quick sprinkle with blood, bone & fish meal organic fertilizer and then rake it in

Regards

kitchen gardener

[Flummery]

They fruit really well (in good years!) in the countryside and don't get any feed there. I wouldn't worry about them. In terms of house plants, you can actually damage roots by feeding before a plant is established. Don't know if that applies to shrubs but I don't think they need anything.

[vicky]

Possibly the most important thing is to make sure they don't dry out (even over winter my pots dry out), I'd keep an eye out for that, esp on sandy soil.
Feed them in the spring when they are coming back into leaf, any general fertiliser is fine or fish, blood & bone as kitchen gardener says.