Fertilize apples, citrus lightly if late

By Audrey Post
MS. GROW-IT-ALL

Q: I have an apple tree (Golden Dorsett, as I remember) which had lots of apples last year. I read I should have fertilized in December but didn't. Now it has blooms. Should I wait until June or go ahead and fertilize it now? Another query: My orange tree, which is 8 to 10 years old, really got zapped this winter. It lost all but a few leaves but I think I see some little green buds coming out from the few green limbs that are left. Should I fertilize or withhold? I was afraid it couldn't take the shock of any fertilizer right now.

A: One of the great things about gardening in this region (Zones 8 and 9) is the ability to grow apples and other cool-climate fruit trees alongside citrus and other warm-climate fruit trees. The key is to get low-chill varieties of the former, such as Golden Dorsett and Anna apples, and cold-tolerant varieties of the latter. However, even citrus varieties considered “cold tolerant” were damaged in our colder-than-usual winter.

Your orange tree should have had its first fertilizer application of the year in February, with subsequent applications in May and August. Go ahead and fertilize it lightly now; it shouldn’t shock it if you don’t overdo it. Apply as normal in May and August.

As for your apple tree, there’s not a lot of existing research on fertilizer and apples in Florida, so I consulted Leon County Horticultural Extension Agent David Marshall. He said the standard application rate is one pound of a balanced fertilizer such as 10-10-10 for each year of tree age, up to 15 pounds total per year. That total is divided between two applications in January and June. He recommended taking half the June fertilizer amount and applying it now, then applying the other half in June.

“It's not an exact science, but generally apples will benefit from fertilization and from watering when it's dry,” he said. “Of course, the best starting place for any plant and fertilization is doing a soil test first to find out what's already available to the plant. It's worth investing $7 in a soil test before spending $20 on a bag of fertilizer.”

More on camellia pruning: Melanie Klein read last week’s column about the camellia planted so close to the house that the homeowner can’t get behind it to paint, and she wrote to offer the following suggestion:

“I was wondering if the person with the overgrown camellia might, instead of getting rid of it, consider tree-forming it. That might allow access for painting the house and create a striking accent.”

Tree-forming, or pruning the camellia into a tree shape instead of the usual rounded bush shape, could be an option, depending on the distance to the house and roof. It’s worth exploring, especially if the camellia has sentimental value.

Times vary for fertilizing fruit trees

By Audrey Post
MS. GROW-IT-ALL

Q: Should I fertilize fruit trees now or in mid-April when I fertilize my lawn? I have a variety in my front yard including lemon, kumquat, blueberry, grape vine (scuppernong and a dark purple variety), plum and satsuma.

A: First of all, bravo for waiting until April to fertilize your lawn. Many people want to give their grass a boost as soon as the air warms, but the soil is still too cool for it to start working. You’ll simply turn your grass yellow if you fertilize before April.

As for your fruit trees, there are slight variations in formula for the different types, but basically each of them should be fertilized three times a year. The recommended time for fertilization varies slightly, based on when each tree or vine bears fruit.

You should fertilize the citrus trees – lemon, kumquat and satsuma – in March and again in May and August. If your citrus is on trifoliate orange rootstock, the rootstock recommended for North Florida because it encourages the trees to remain dormant in winter, use a slow-release 12-4-8 with micronutrients formulated specifically for citrus. You can find it at most garden centers.

Each time you fertilize, use a pound of fertilizer for each year of the tree’s age, so a 2-year-old tree gets 2 pounds of fertilizer on three occasions this year.

For the blueberries, use a similar formula (slow-release 12-4-8) but one with a different blend of micronutrients. A blend formulated for azaleas and camellias contained the proper mix. Use one-quarter pound for year of age, and make sure you keep it away from the trunk of the bush. Fertilization schedule is similar to that of citrus -- February, May and August.

Plums prefer a slow-release 10-10-10 and an early fertilization schedule -- February, April and July. Use a cup of fertilizer for each year of age. As with the blueberries, keep the fertilizer away from the trunk of the tree.

Grapes need fertilizing in February, May and July with a 12-4-8 and the same micronutrients the blueberries need: iron, zinc, manganese, molybdenum, boron and copper. The amount doubles each year for the first three years, from half a pound to a pound to two pounds, in an ever-larger area around the plant. Add a pound each year for the next two years, and then continue to apply four pounds a year as a maintenance rate.

You can search the Web sites of the Cooperative Extension Services in Florida (http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/) and Georgia (http://www.caes.uga.edu/extension/) for more information about fertilizing fruit trees in Zone 8b. Just Fruits and Exotics nursery in Wakulla County also has comprehensive information about caring for fruit trees on its Web site, www.justfruitsandexotics.com.