Feeding fruit?

[cotton54321]

Hi
We have 2 blueberries and a few minarette and cordoned fruit trees (apple and pear). Am I too late to feed them and what should I feed them with before the growing season?
We have inherited these trees and I think they have probably been neglected for a while
Thanks for your help in advance

Mel

[nick the grief]

Hi
We have 2 blueberries and a few minarette and cordoned fruit trees (apple and pear). Am I too late to feed them and what should I feed them with before the growing season?
We have inherited these trees and I think they have probably been neglected for a while
Thanks for your help in advance

Mel

I'd be tempted to give them a bit of well rotted muck Cotton spread on the surface but keep it away from the stems. The goodness will Wash in. then you could give them some Tomato feed later on ( a couple of applications should do the trick)

[pigletwillie]

Aggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhh, not on the Blueberries, it will kill the roots, use a feed suitable for rhododendrons and azaeleas, once when coming into leaf and again when starting to set fruit.

The top fruit however will love you for the manure applications.

[cotton54321]

thanks guys - just want to be prepared this year!

Mel

[rustylady]

I was just going to say use ericaceous fertiliser on the blueberries, but Piglet beat me to it. They need acidic conditions.

Bonfire ash is good for established fruit trees and bushes, but you can't beat a good mulch of muck or compost.

[Snadger]

So whats the acidity of well rotted cow muck then!
I know when making your own compost it is sometimes recommended to add a handful of lime to 'sweeten' it, so it must be naturally acidic!

Is well rotted cow muck not acidic also?

You never learn if you don't ask!

[Jothegardener]

Hi, I have 2 minarette apple trees bought new this year, have had them for a few weeks and in the information supplied with them it says to feed them with Osmocote, but I know that isn't organic, I have read the threads here about well rotted manure, but I haven't any, so have you any ideas what I should use instead, would Fish, Blood and Bone be OK??

Thank you in advance for your help that is always gratefully received.

[Snadger]

Hi, I have 2 minarette apple trees bought new this year, have had them for a few weeks and in the information supplied with them it says to feed them with Osmocote, but I know that isn't organic, I have read the threads here about well rotted manure, but I haven't any, so have you any ideas what I should use instead, would Fish, Blood and Bone be OK??

Thank you in advance for your help that is always gratefully received.

As far as I know Osmocote is a balanced slow release inorganic fertiliser!

Fish , blood and bone is a balanced organic fertiliser supplying the three main nutrients. NPK
I personally would feed with bone meal now which is phosphatic to encourage strong rootgrowth and give a slow release nitrogen fix.
In spring once the buds have broken a high nitrogen feed of fish meal could be used. In late summer the blood could be used as a nitro boost and for supplying potassium for flowering and fruiting!

If you bought the trees ready potted they may already have Osmocote in the compost though!

[nick the grief]

So whats the acidity of well rotted cow muck then!
I know when making your own compost it is sometimes recommended to add a handful of lime to 'sweeten' it, so it must be naturally acidic!

Is well rotted cow muck not acidic also?

You never learn if you don't ask!

I would have thought Muck was acidic enough as well Snadger. But Not having blueberries I can't say for sure.

[pigletwillie]

Yes the muck is acidic but The roots of a blueberry bush have no hairs, which make it very difficult for them to take up nutrients. Over fertilising and / or the application of any animal manure can burn the roots with fatal consequences.

Feed with an ericaceous fertiliser such as Vitax, but split the manufacturers' recommended dose into 2 applications. 1 at bloom time and a second in early summer as the fruit is ripening.

[nick the grief]

Well you live & learn as they say ....

[pigletwillie]

And dont give them tomato food as its not got the right balance of npk for them.