Howdy.
I've got 8 newly-grafted apple & pear trees - apples on EMLA7 rootstock, pears on OH513 rootstock - in 5 gallon pots until we can put them in their permanent location next spring (2011).
Rate of growth seems to be good - pears about 1 foot, apples ranges from 2-3 feet - but I'm wondering about fertilizing for overall health. Should I fertilize them? If so, how often? And with what?
Thanks.
Mitch
My opinion: plants in pots need to be fed.
Pick out something that says it is made for fruit trees and follow the directions on the box.
If you are fertilizing potted plants you must water until the water comes out the drain holes, maybe not every time, but every couple of times. That's to keep chemicals from the fertilizer from building up in the potting soil.
Lots of gardeners, including me, feed with half the recommended dosage and do two feeding at half strength instead of one feeding at full strength.
Again my opinion: I think 5 gallons is small for a fruit tree that's growing well. If you are going to keep them in pots, letting them get root bound keeps them smaller. But if you intend to plant them in the ground, you do not want them to get root bound, nor to have their roots growing in a circle around the inside of the pot.
You'll probably want to decide whether to go organic or synthetic. Don't fertilize after August. It's interesting because they are in pots but they will be in the ground, so you could use strategies for both. Don't let them get too big for their pots. Put them in a bigger pot if you have to. Rootbound plants are harder to adjust into the ground.
John S
PDX OR
Until we move out of the city, our fruit trees in large 15 gal pots did extremely well. We harvested normal to large sized fruit on our asian pear, frost peach, Italian plum, cherry and apricot semi dwarfs. Used DrEarth #9 fertilizer once every 6 to 8 weeks during spring and summer. If you live on the west side, Farmington Gardens out in Hillsboro, OR carries the 50 lb bags.
Idyllwild
simplepress
jafar
Marsha H
Viron
1 Guest(s)