Should I or Shouldn't I?

This is an all too often question a grower might have in the late summer or early fall. Do I fertilize this fall or wait until spring? Many of you have experimented over the years and have settled into a fall fertility strategy that you feel comfortable with. That’s great! For others who are still wrestling with this question, here are some things to consider in deciding your best practices for fall fertilizing.

• I would not recommend any granular fertilizer with over 12% nitrogen in it, being applied later than August 30th, for fear of keeping plants active into the late part of the fall.
• For those who can inject fertilizer, apply liquid potassium nitrate several times during Sept and Oct. to help the trees and shrubs start their hardening process.
• If you generally use a CRF (incorporated or top dressed) on your fall production, I would feel comfortable letting the slow decrease in temperature, regulate the release of the CRF and not wait until early spring to apply it.
• If you’re still contemplating what to do, friends in the industry are a great source of information and experience. Give them a call; both of you will be glad you had a chance to talk.

Please feel free to call me. While with Hines for over 20 years, we did have several different approaches to fall fertilizing that I’d be happy to share with you.
Have a cooler and a profitable fall!

- Danny Dudoich, Grower Specialist