Grower's Corner: Fertilization

Spring is definitely here. After a couple of hard freezes, the early bud breakers are definitely showing their love for this spring weather. Every season has its questions about when to fertilize. The answer to the question depends on what you are fertilizing for. If you’re feeding your tree or shrub to impact your spring growth positively, well, you’re a few months late. It should have been applied in late summer or early fall of last year, when the tree or shrub has had time to absorb the nutrients, turn them into carbohydrates, and store the carbs in their roots and stems in preparation to turn those carbs into sugar and transport them in spring to supply needed energy to the buds, shoots, and fruit. So, unless you need to fertilize your crop for summer or fall sales, you're done fertilizing for spring. Any fertilizer you apply this spring should be based on the fertilizer needs of a crop that will be sold in the summer, fall, or the following spring. Hope everyone has a great spring and that Mother Nature provides good weather at least until Mother's Day!

Danny Dudoich, Grower Specialist