Fruit tree fertilising schedule
The material in the table below has effectively been extracted from The Complete Book of Fruit Growing in Australia by Louis Glowinski (available from most bookshops).
The annoying thing about Mr. Glowinski’s statements is that the fertilisers that he recommends (e.g. 22:5:8 NPK for lemons) don’t actually seem to exist. The best that you can do is to use two products, namely a balanced fertiliser (e.g. 3:3:3 NPK) and a high nitrogen fertiliser (e.g. 14:0:0 NPK), and mix these to get near to Mr. Glowinski’s amounts.
For example, for lemons, Mr. Glowinski recommends that a mature lemon tree is given 1.33Kg of 22:5:8 NPK fertiliser in Spring. This is clearly equivalent to 1.33Kg of 5:5:8 NPK fertiliser + 1.33Kg of 17:0:0 NPK fertiliser. If your balanced fertiliser is 3:3:3 NPK, then you require 1.33*5/3=2.22Kg for the same amount of nitrogen as 1.33Kg of 5:5:8 NPK. And if your high Nitrogen fertiliser is 14:0:0 NPK, then you require 1.33*17/14=1.62Kg for the same amount of nitrogen as 1.33Kg of 17:0:0 NPK. So, you should apply 2.22Kg of your balanced fertiliser and 1.62Kg of your high Nitrogen fertiliser.
| Fruit tree | Fruit tree | Fertiliser | When? | When? | Discussion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Almond; Cherry; Plum; Stonefruit | Almond, cherry and plum | Standard deciduous tree (e.g. 9:4:5 NPK) | Spring; Autumn | Spring and Autumn | Not heavy feeders. An established tree needs, say, 2Kg or the equivalent in manure (say, 5Kg). Apply half in early spring and the other half in autumn. |
| Apples; Pears | Apples and pears | High potassium (e.g. 8:4:10 NPK) | Spring; Autumn | Spring and Autumn | An established tree needs at least 2Kg of 8:4:10 per year, and at least some of this needs to be synthetic as manure does not have much potassium in it. Apply the synthetic fertiliser (say, 2Kg) in spring and the manure (say, 5Kg) in autumn (so that, after breakdown, it is available to the plant from spring onwards). For younger trees, use 10% of the full amount per year of age. If the leaves are not deep green, or if growth is not vigorous, increase the amount. |
| Apricots; Stonefruit | Apricots | Standard deciduous tree (e.g. 9:4:5 NPK) | Autumn | Autumn | As for cherries, but apply in autumn only (fertiliser applied in spring is said to affect fruit quality). |
| Avocado | Avocado | High nitrogen (e.g. 22:5:8 NPK) | Spring; Summer; Autumn | All bar Winter | With a young tree, apply 100g every three months except in winter. Increase this gradually to a maximum of 3-4Kg for a 10-year-old tree. |
| Banana | Banana | High potassium (e.g. 8:4:10 NPK) | Spring; Summer | Spring and Summer | For each shoot, 400g when the shoot starts to grow, then repeat 2 months later and again 2 months later. Add 200g dolomite in winter. |
| Blackberries; Raspberries | Blackberries and raspberries | High potassium (e.g. 8:4:10 NPK) | Spring; Winter | Spring and Winter | In early spring, add 0.25-0.5 Kg per square metre. Also, add manure in winter if available.for young plants. |
| Blackcurrants; Redcurrants | Blackcurrants and redcurrants | High potassium (e.g. 8:4:10 NPK) | Autumn | Autumn | In autumn, apply 0.5Kg per mature plant, or half that for young plants. |
| Blueberry | Blueberry | n/a | Autumn | Autumn | Do not use inorganic fertilisers as the plant does not like either nitrates (cf. nitrogen) or chlorides (cf. potassium). Instead use manure only: 4cm in autumn. |
| Cape gooseberry | Cape gooseberry | n/a | n/a | n/a | No need to fertilise |
| Citrus; Grapefruit; Lemon; Lime; Orange | Citrus (grapefruit, lemon, lime, orange, etc) | High nitrogen (e.g. 22:5:8 NPK) | Spring; Summer; Autumn | All bar Winter | Annual fertilising is a must. An established tree needs 2Kg pa plus additional manure (2Kg if chicken and 6Kg if cow/horse). In the first year, add 10% of this amount, increasing by 10% a year until one reaches the full amount in the 10th year. Apply two-thirds in spring and one-third in summer. Apply the manure in autumn so that, after breakdown, it is available to the plant from spring onwards. |
| Custard apple | Custard apple | 15:4:1 NPK | Spring; Summer; Autumn | All bar Winter | 55g per month per year of age. Apply monthly from spring to autumn (i.e. not winter). Double these amounts if growing in the tropics (because of leeching). |
| Fig | Fig | n/a | Spring | Spring | Manure only, and don't over-feed. Up to 4Kg for an established tree. |
| Gooseberries | Gooseberries | High potassium (e.g. 8:4:10 NPK) | Spring | Spring | In spring, apply 0.5Kg per mature plant, or half that for young plants. |
| Grape | Grape | n/a | Spring | Spring | Manure only, and don't over-feed. Apply in spring, when the buds begin to swell (no earlier and no later). 0.25Kg for a second year vine and up to 0.5Kg for a mature vine. |
| Guava | Guava | High nitrogen (e.g. 22:5:8 NPK) | Autumn; Winter | Autumn and Winter | In late winter, apply 100g per year of age, up to 1Kg for a mature tree. In autumn, top dress with manure. |
| Kiwifruit | Kiwifruit | High nitrogen (e.g. 22:5:8 NPK) | Spring; Autumn | Spring and Autumn | In spring, apply 250g, increasing by 500g pa up to 2Kg for a mature vine. In autumn, top dress with manure. |
| Loquat | Loquat | High nitrogen (e.g. 22:5:8 NPK) | Spring; Summer; Autumn | All bar Winter | An established tree needs 2Kg pa plus additional manure (2Kg if chicken and 6Kg if cow/horse). In the first year, add 10% of this amount, increasing by 10% a year until one reaches the full amount in the 10th year. Apply two-thirds in spring and one-third in summer. Apply the manure in autumn so that, after breakdown, it is available to the plant from spring onwards. |
| Lychee | Lychee | 15:3:11 NPK | Spring; Summer; Winter | all bar Autumn | 270g per year of age up to a maximum of 1Kg. Apply monthly from winter to summer (i.e. not autumn). |
| Mango | Mango | 15:3:11 NPK | Spring; Summer | Spring and Summer | 270g per year of age up to a maximum of 1Kg. Apply monthly from winter to summer (i.e. not autumn). |
| Mulberry | Pecan | Standard deciduous tree (e.g. 9:4:5 NPK) | Spring | Spring | Not a heavy feeder and fertiliser not always needed. Up to 2Kg for an established tree. |
| Olive | Olive | High nitrogen (e.g. 22:5:8 NPK) | Spring; Autumn | Spring and Autumn | An established tree needs 2Kg pa. In the first year, add 10% of this amount, increasing by 10% a year until one reaches the full amount in the 10th year. apply half in spring and half in autumn. |
| Papaya | Papaya | High potassium (e.g. 8:4:10 NPK) | Spring; Summer | Spring and Summer | Across spring and summer, apply 25g per month until flowering, then 100g per month. If plant vigour is low, increase. |
| Passionfruit | Passionfruit | High nitrogen (e.g. 22:5:8 NPK) | Spring; Summer | Spring and Summer | Across spring and summer, add up to 2Kg per vine (for mature vines) in three divided doses. |
| Peach; Nectarine; Stonefruit | Peach and nectarine | High nitrogen (e.g. 22:5:8 NPK) | Autumn | Autumn | Heavy feeders. An established tree needs, say, 2Kg. Apply in autumn. |
| Pecan | Pecan | Standard deciduous tree (e.g. 9:4:5 NPK) | Spring | Spring | Heavy feeder. An established tree needs 10Kg pa. |
| Persimmon | Persimmon | Standard deciduous tree (e.g. 9:4:5 NPK) | Winter; Summer | Winter and Summer | Around 2Kg for an established tree, split evenly between late winter and early summer |
| Pomegranate | Pomegranate | Standard deciduous tree (e.g. 9:4:5 NPK) | Spring; Autumn | Spring and Autumn | Apply in early spring and late autumn. Apply a total of 1.8Kg for a mature plant (5 years or older) and 0.9Kg for a young plant. |
| Walnut | Walnut | High nitrogen (e.g. 22:5:8 NPK) | Spring | Spring | 200g per year of age up to a maximum of 3Kg. Apply in spring. |
Wow, this is very good information.
I planted blueberries in pots 3 times but they all died? Can you help me please on how to plant & harvest blueberries in pots?
I have 2 5-year-old apple trees and they have only given me fruits in one year and they were full of worms. How to look after them to give me fruits.
I bought a cherry tree 2 years ago in a big pot, but all the leaves get spotted like burning spots. How to take care of those trees?
Best Regrades
Suzy
Hi Suzy,
Re blueberries: they need very acidic soil, say pH 4-5.5. Grow them using azalea or camellia mix plus and/or add sulphur to get the acidity up to the right level.
Re apples: that sounds like codling moth. Read https://localfoodconnect.org.au/community-gardening/codling-moth/.
Re cherries: these things happen but, just because they happen one year, doesn’t mean that they will happen the following year.
Hi Guy Palmer;
Thank you very much for the information’s you are giving me, i am new to the garden, but I am really enjoy my little garden and I want to know about how to grow fruit trees and I have no good knowledge about fruit tree nor all the vegetables, I search a-lot to learn. But i did love your information’s, If you don’t mind teaching me how to grow zucchini, cucumbers, eggplants, tomatoes and capsicum.
Best Regards
Suzy
Thanks for your kind words, Suzy.
Re zucchini and cucumbers, see https://localfoodconnect.org.au/community-gardening/growing-cucurbits/. Re eggplants and capsicum, see https://localfoodconnect.org.au/community-gardening/growing-eggplant-and-capsicum/. Re tomatoes, see https://localfoodconnect.org.au/community-gardening/growing-tomatoes/.
Hi Guy Palmer;
Thank you very very very much for all the knowledge you send me about all those vegetables and fruits, I am very happy and, God willing, I will plant some vegetables and melons this year. I hope I will be successful In my growing little garden and some in the pots due to little space that I have. But I will try growing vegetables in pots and see how much I will harvest from them. So excited. May God bless you and your family.
Best Regards
Suzy
And what is the best fertiliser for my soursop tree, now four years old with quite a few flowers?
I have custard apple plant of six years, it is flowering but they turn black and fall. How to save them?
Hi Cyprian,
Are they cherimoyas or atemoyas?
Hi, what would you recommend for plumcots?
I would say the same as for plums.
Wow!! This is the best reference Material I’ve come across and will be making good use of it. Thank you. You’ve made everything so easy to access. I’d love a similar reference to pruning and to when and what to spray too please? That would be magical. ??
I have 2 mandarin trees. One 8 years old and has plenty of fruit, but the inside of the fruit is dry with no juice at all.The other tree is 2 years old and has no fruit at all. I have been putting citrus fruit fertilisers on both. Please advise the solution to this problem.
Best regards.
John
Hi John,
2 years is a bit quick to expect fruit so just wait another year or two on the younger tree.
In terms of the older tree, it may be a deficiency in Boron.
Hi, this is great, thanks for sharing. Do you have any details for hazelnuts?
No, sorry, I’ve never grown hazelnuts.
When do I fertilise my jujube plant, sapodilla plant and barbedos cherry plant?
Thanks
Excellent layout for my interests. Not seen anything like these instructions in my numerous garden books. Thanks. I have 15 fruit trees in my Brisbane suburb & have lost several in the last 13 years of labour intensive love!
Thanks, Ken, much appreciated.
Guy
I have 2 nectarine and 1 apricot tree. They looked very healthy but have had no fruit. All about 4 years old and dwarf trees. I got some fruit last year on 2 of the trees but 1 of the nectarine trees has never fruited.
Hi what does “all bar winter” mean? Base on the discussion, my understanding is fertilising any time except winter? Thank you.
Hi Frank,
Yes, ‘all bar Winter’ means ‘Spring, Summer and Autumn’.
What is your recommendation for hazelnut trees (Hobart, TAS). Thank you.
Hi Alice,
None of us have ever grown hazelnut trees so we don’t have any recommendations. Sorry.
Hi, I have a peach and nectarine and apricot tree. They are all bare just now. I did not realise you should fertilise in autumn. What should I do now as it’s 3 weeks into winter? I also have a hot compost started but will not be ready for about a month as I just thought I could fertilise in spring.
Hi Rod,
Louis Glowinski recommends fertilising stonefruit in Autumn rather than in Spring because he thinks that Spring fertilising can affect fruit quality. I would say that you should apply your fertiliser in early Spring, say in early September.
So should I fertilise my blueberry in a pot with cow manure from the nursery? It’s just a young plant and has grown quite a bit since the heat has gone. I am in eastern suburbs in Melbourne. Thank you.
Hi Anita,
The short answer is “yes”. Manure is slow release so you are fertilising now to help next year’s growth.
This is fantastic, BUT none of the commercially available fertilisers appear to fit any of the ratios above so its not that practical after all (unless you are advocating DIY fertilisers).
Hi Michelle,
I agree with you. However, you can get pretty close if you mix a balanced fertiliser (N, P and K roughly equal to each other) with a high N fertiliser (P and K both zero, for example as in urea).
Hi everyone
I’ve got 2 apple and mango and nectarine trees. Would multi-k potassium nitrate 13.5-0-46.2 would work and how much kg for young tree? They 1.2 meter tall.
Cheers luke
Hi Luke,
Is your multi-k potassium nitrate really 14-0-46? If so, I would divide the amounts in the table by around 4 to get the levels of potassium reasonable. And you’ll still have to find a way of giving your trees some phosphorus (have a look at https://www.gardenanalyst.com/gardening-how-to/soil-and-fertilizers/increase-phosphorous-in-soil/). In terms of young trees, the general guideline is 10% of the amount for a mature tree multiplied by the age of the tree; so, for example, for a 3-year-old tree, it would be 30% of the amount for a mature tree.
So what is the name of the best fertiliser for pomegranates growing in Brisbane? Thanks
When do I fertilise my feijoa tree in Perth . They are at the end of the fruiting season.
David Leong
Hi David,
Louis Glowinski says that you should fertilise feijoas in late Winter and that thery are heavy feeders. He recommends 200g of high nitrogen fertiliser (e.g. 22:5:8 NPK) per year of age. Per year of age, that’s around 500g of standard 3:3:3 NPK fertiliser plus 500g of pure nitrogen 8:0:0 NPK fertiliser.