Landscape trees ready for springtime snack
Trees and shrubs ready for fertilizer feast.
By:Robert N. Brewer, Jr.
Extension Tips

Whether your landscape has fruit trees, shade trees, ornamentals or a blend, now is the time to fertilize.

Unfortunately for homeowners, finding a fertilizer to use all over the landscape can be challenging.

Different plants need different fertilizer recipes to meet their individual needs.

Just like farmers, homeowners will be paying more for fertilizer this year. You don't want to purchase a lot of bags just to use a few pounds of each.

One stop shopping

To avoid extra expense, use 'good ol' 10-10-10 fertilizer. The number pattern on the bag means the mix contains 10 percent nitrogen, 10 percent phosphorus and 10 percent potassium.

This fertilizer will be sufficient for all your needs.

For plum and peach trees, apply 1 cup of 10-10-10 fertilizer per year of age, up to 12 cups for mature trees. After harvest, apply 1 pound per inch of trunk diameter up to 5 pounds.

Just be sure you have the fertilizer down by the time the plants bud out.

Fertilize a pear tree at a rate of 1 cup per year of age, up to 12 cups. Apply half before the tree buds out and the other half after fruiting.

Figs should be fertilized in late winter, mid-June and mid- July. Apply one-third pound per foot of tree height each time.

Old, established muscadine vines need 3 to 5 pounds of fertilizer now and half of a pound in early June. To make sure newly planted vines get what they need, give each one-fourth pound of fertilizer now. Do it again in late May and again in early July. Two-year-old vines need the same as the newly planted ones. However, threeyear old vines like 2 pounds in March and 1 pound in May.

Shade trees okay

Most shade trees get enough residual fertilizer when you fertilize your home lawn. If you are fertilizing the lawn under shade tree.

If you want to fertilize shade trees individually, apply 5 pounds per thousand square feet of canopy now and again in June.

For ornamental bulbs, use 3 pounds of fertilizer per 100 square feet of bed.

Ornamental shrubs should receive 1 tablespoon per foot of height or 3 tablespoons per 10 square feet. This should be applied in March and repeated again in May and July.

You can put a bucket under your arm and throw it out about as fast as you can walk, estimating height as you go.

Special plants, special blends

Azaleas and specialty plants require specific fertilizer with micro-nutrients added.