A Buyer’s Guide for the Best Fertilizer for Fruit Trees

It’s always advisable to live a healthy lifestyle. However, living a healthy lifestyle comes at a cost. One of the best ways of living a healthy lifestyle is to eat nutritious foods. Fruits are some of the best sources of the most essential nutrients. They contain several nutrients that are hardly found elsewhere. Thus, growing fruit trees will take you a step closer to achievinga healthier lifestyle. However, growing fruit trees requires the best soil conditions for enhanced production. By investing in the best fertilizer for fruit trees, you’ll enjoy an abundant harvest of delicious and nutritious fruits.

Fruit trees require good nutrition for healthier growth and enhanced production of fruits. Thus, the kind of fertilizer you choose for your fruit trees will have a huge impact on the success of growing fruit trees. Using the right fertilizer will ensure that your fruit trees get the nutrients they need most to grow stronger and healthier and produce high-quality yields. For instance, if you’re planning to plant palm trees as some of your favorite fruit trees, ensure you use the right fertilizer for palm trees.

Essentially, the best time to apply fertilizer for fruit trees is during late winter. You can also apply fertilizer during early spring. That way, you’ll prepare the soil with essential nutrients in readiness for the growing season. When fertilizing fruit trees, it’s best to apply fertilizer early in the morning. That way, the trees will absorb most of the nutrients before the day gets hotter. Avoid fertilizing fruit trees during fall and winter unless they’re showing extreme deficiencies.

Read on through this buyer’s guide for reviews on the best fertilizers available today for fruit trees.

Quick Comparison Table

Top 10 Best Fertilizer for Fruit Trees

When shopping for an effective fertilizer for your fruit trees, you’ll come across a multitude of brands. The options available can be quite overwhelming, especially for first-time shoppers or shoppers who had bad experiences with their previous purchases. We’ve prepared these reviews and buyer’s guide to assist you in making the right choice. Let’s look at the top 10 fertilizer for fruit trees available today.

1. Miracle-Gro Fruit & Citrus Plant Food Spikes

Miracle-Gro is a leading manufacturer of gardening and landscaping products. You’ll hardly fail to spot this brand when shopping for different types of fertilizers. The Miracle-Gro Fruit & Citrus Plant Food Spikes is specially designed to boost lush foliage and increase yields in fruit trees.

Top Features

• Natural ingredients– One of the most notable aspects of this fertilizer is that the spikes are made of natural ingredients. The main benefit you’ll enjoy from natural ingredients is that your fruit tree will feed on naturally available nutrients. Consequently, your fruit trees will produce fruits that are free of chemical traces. After all, fruits grown organically are healthier than those grown with chemical additives.
• Less laborious application– The fertilizer comes in the form of spikes. You’ll only need to insert the spikes into the soil near the fruit trees. The spikes are only inserted into the soil once per season that is once during spring and once during fall. Thus, they’re less laborious to work with.
• Reduced mess– There’s no measurement required to apply this fertilizer. Also, there’s no mixing involved. Thus, there’s reduced mess when working with these plant food spikes. Also, they’re ready to use such that you’re not likely to overfeed your fruit trees with the fertilizer.
• Continuous feeding– These spikes are designed to release nutrients to the soil and plants slowly throughout the growing season. The spikes are made to ensure that the nutrients are not washed off. Thus, your fruit trees will enjoy continuous feeding throughout the growing season.
• Enhanced production– The ingredients in the fertilizer are specially designed to increase foliage in fruit trees. Increased foliage results in healthier plants due to enhanced photosynthesis. Consequently, your fruit trees can produce more fruits.

Verdict

Considering the ingredients used to make the formula in the Miracle-Gro Fruit & Citrus Plant Food Spikes, they’re most suitable for use with fruit trees such as palm trees and citrus fruits.

2. Jobe’s Organics Fruit & Citrus Fertilizer Spikes, 6 Spikes

Jobe’s is yet another leading brand in the world of fertilizers. It’s specially formulated for use in fruit trees grown in containers. It contains 3 percent nitrogen, 5 percent phosphorous, and 5 percent potassium.

Top Features

• Organic fertilizer formula– The formula in this fertilizer comprises of organic ingredients. This means that the ingredients are derived from natural sources. As a result, the formula doesn’t leave chemical traces in the soil and fruits. Also, it’s less likely to burn your fruit trees.
• Long-term feeding– Another top reason why this fertilizer is worth your consideration is that it’s formulated to feed your fruit trees with essential nutrients for a long period. You’ll only need to apply the spikes after every 4 to 6 weeks. The spikes release nutrients continuously for about 4 to 6 weeks.
• Great for trees grown in containers– The formula in this fertilizer makes it ideal for growing fruit trees in containers. If your landscape doesn’t have a soil garden, you can grow fruit trees in containers and take advantage of this fertilizer to provide the trees with important nutrients. It’s especially ideal for fruit trees such as citrus, lime, lemon, nuts, pears, plums, peaches, cherries, apples, and avocados among others.
• Easy application– Another reason that makes this fertilizer a top choice is that the spikes are easy to apply. You’ll apply a specific number of spikes depending on the plant’s diameter. The rule of the thumb is to use one spike in a plant with a diameter of 6 inches. For instance, if the plant has a diameter of12 inches, you’ll use 2 spikes. Similarly, use 3 spikes for a plant with a diameter of 18 inches, 4 spikes for a plant with a diameter of 24 inches, and so forth.
• Premeasured nutrients– With these spikes, there’s no mixing required. The spikes come with a premeasured amount of nutrients. As long as you’ll use the rightnumber of spikes depending on the plant’s diameter, they’ll provide the fruit tree with the right amount of essential nutrients.

Verdict

The formula in this Jobe’s Organics Fruit & Citrus Fertilizer Spikes 6 Spikes makes it the best fertilizer for application in fruit trees and citrus trees grown in containers.

3. FoxFarm FX14002

The FoxFarm FX14002 fertilizer comes in the form of a liquid concentrate. It has an NPK ratio of 0-0.5-0.7. It’s specially made with ingredients that boost the blooming of fruiting and flowering plants. Thus, your fruit trees can enjoy significant nutritional benefits from this fertilizer.

Top Features

• Biologically alive formula– The formula in this fertilizer comprises of a biologically alive formula. Also, the formula has active microbes. This means that it starts boosting soil and plant health as soon as it’s applied. Consequently, it delivers fast results.
• Purely natural formula– Also, the formula used to make this fertilizer comprises of all-natural ingredients. There’re no chemical additives in the fertilizer. The ingredients are sourced directly from premium quality natural ingredients for the safety of your fruit trees and the general environment.
• Gentle ingredients– Besides being made of natural ingredients, the fertilizer is very gentle in nature. This makes it safe for use with tender and young fruit trees. Also, its gentle nature makes it perfect for application when transplanting fruit trees.
• Different application methods-The fertilizer can be applied using various methods including a watering can, drip irrigation, or foliar sprayer. You can also apply it to a hydroponic system. Thus, you won’t have any limitations on how you can apply it as long as you mix it with water in the right ratio.
• Promotes blooming– Another top benefit of this fertilizer is that it’s specially made to promote blooming in fruiting trees and flowering plants. By boosting flowering and fruiting, your fruit trees will produce a higher yield.

Verdict

The FoxFarm FX14002 fertilizer is most ideal for application when transplanting fruit trees or boosting the recovery of sick fruit trees.

4. Jobe’s 100046754 1612 Fertilizer Spike

This is yet another top-quality fertilizer from Jobe’s. It’s available in the form of spikes. The package comes in a total of 15 spikes. It’s most suitable for application during early spring and late fall.

Top Features

• All season feeding– The spikes are made to feed your fruit trees throughout the growing season. You only need to insert them near each fruit tree as indicated during early spring and late fall. The spikes will release nutrients continuously throughout the season for bountiful fruits.
• Complete formula-The fertilizer comes with a complete formula, containing 9 percent nitrogen, 12 percent phosphate, and 12 percent soluble potassium. The ingredients are derived from ammonium phosphate, ammonium sulfate, and potassium chloride. All the ingredients are slow-release in nature.
• Feeding from the roots– Another top benefit of these fertilizer spikes is that they’re designed to release nutrients continuously beneath the surface. Thus, they release the nutrients where the roots are growing. That way, the fruit trees can feed on the nutrients effortlessly for enhanced growth and health.
• No hazards– While the formula used in this fertilizer contains some nutrients derived from chemicals, it doesn’t cause any hazards to the environment. This is because the ingredients are not exposed to wasteful runoff. Also, the spikes don’t emit any smell.
• Plastic driving cap-The fertilizer package comes with a plastic driving cap. The role of the cap is to cover the head of each spike before hammering them into the soil. It protects the spikes from damage when hammering them.

Verdict

If you’re shopping for a fertilizer that can feed your fruit trees with essential nutrients all season, then Jobe’s 100046754 1612 Fertilizer Spike is the right deal for you.

5. Dr. Earth 708P

This fertilizer from Dr. Earth comes in the form of a coarse powder. It contains 5 percent nitrogen, 5 percent phosphorous, and 2 percent potassium among other ingredients. This makes its formula complete for enhanced nutrient supply to fruit trees.

Top Features

• Boosts root development– The formula in this fertilizer boosts healthy root development. That way, the roots can absorb nutrients and water from the soil and fertilizer. A healthy root network also supports larger plant growth.
• All-natural ingredients– If you love growing fruits organically, you’ll want to consider this fertilizer, thanks to its all-natural ingredients. It doesn’t contain chemicals or GMOs. Its ingredients contain probiotics, beneficial microbes, and both endo and ectomycorrhizae that boost root development.
• Premium ingredients– The natural ingredients in this fertilizer are derived from premium quality sources. Both the primary and secondary ingredients in this fertilizer are derived from premium quality cottonseed meal, feather meal, kelp meal, seaweed extract, and alfalfa meal among others. Together, these ingredients bring an end to reliance on chemical fertilizers.
• Consistent growth– The formula in this fertilizer is specially designed to boost the growth of fruit trees but in a consistent manner. That way, your fruit trees won’t experience unhealthy growth spikes. It only boosts fruit trees to grow naturally healthy with enhanced fruit production.
• Quick but long term nutrient release– You’ll notice fast results in the status of your fruit trees, thanks to the quick release of nutrients by the fertilizer. At the same time, the nutrients are released for several months. Thus, your fruit trees will enjoy sufficient nutrients over a long period.

Verdict

The Dr. Earth 708P fertilizer is a great option for anyone who wants a 100 percent natural fertilizer to grow fruit trees organically.

6. J R Peters Inc 52524

The J R Peters Inc 52524 fertilizer contains a special blend of nutrients that boosts the growth of citrus fruits and tropical fruiting plants. It has a complete formula that contains all the essential nutrients that citrus plants need most.

Top Features

• Special blend– The formula in this fertilizer comprises of a special blend of essential nutrients. These nutrients include 20 percent nitrogen, 10 percent phosphorous, and 20 percent potassium. This blend is ideal for fruit trees belonging to the citrus genus.
• Enhanced micronutrients– Another benefit that makes it one of the best fertilizer for fruit trees is its enhanced micronutrients. The micronutrients stimulate fruit trees to produce more vibrant leaves and stronger branches. The micronutrients also increase the yield.
• Water-soluble powder– The fertilizer comes in the form of a water-soluble powder. Just a single tablespoon of the fertilizer is sufficient to mix in a gallon of water. This makes it an economical fertilizer to use constantly.
• Supports foliar feeding– The fertilizer is unique in that it can be applied as foliar plant food.This means that you can spray it directly on the leaves. Preferably, spray it on the underside of the plant leaves. That way, it’s absorbed more quickly for faster results.
• Can be applied when watering– Besides foliar feeding, you can also apply the fertilizer to the soil when watering. In this case, your fruit trees will absorb the nutrients from the soil through the roots.

Verdict

The J R Peters Inc 52524 fertilizer is best suited for feeding citrus fruits. If you’re planning to grow citrus fruits, or you’re struggling with existing citrus fruits, then this is the right fertilizer to use.

7. Southern Ag – 01902

The Southern Ag – 01902 fertilizer comes in the form of a liquid concentrate. It’s specially formulated to control deficiencies in tropical fruits.

Top Features

• Corrects deficiencies– If your fruit trees are yellowing, then it’s likely that they’re having some deficiencies. Deficiencies in fruit trees lead to poor yields. You can correct the deficiencies by watering the trees with this fertilizer in the correct mix. It also prevents deficiencies from recurring.
• Five balanced nutrients– The formula in this fertilizer comprises of five important nutrients. These nutrients include 4.1 percent sulfur, 1.7 percent zinc, 1.2 percent iron, 1.2 percent manganese, and 1 percent magnesium. These nutrients are well-balanced for gentle feeding.
• Foliar spray– The ingredients in this product are specially formulated for use as a foliar spray. This makes it target any yellowing foliage for faster correction of deficiencies. The leaves uptake it quickly for enhanced results.
• Long term prevention– Another benefit offered by this nutritional spray is that it offers long term efficacy in preventing deficiencies. You only need to mix 1 tablespoon of the product per one gallon of water and apply once or twice annually to prevent deficiencies.
• Gentle formula– Additionally, the formula used in this product works gently. It doesn’t burn foliage. This makes it safe for use on young plants. Also, it doesn’t hurt any fruits on the fruit tree.

Verdict

If your tropical fruit trees are showing any deficiency, take advantage of this Southern Ag – 01902 fertilizer to correct the deficiency for healthier growth.

8. Espoma CT4 4-Pound

This fertilizer from Espoma is specially formulated to offer complete nutrients to fruit trees. Its formula comprises organic and all-natural ingredients. Thus, you’re assured of harvesting organically grown fruits.

Top Features

• Continuous feeding– The fertilizer is specially formulated to release essential nutrients slowly but continuously. That way, it will feed your fruit trees with essential nutrients throughout their growing season. This promotes healthy growth.
• Safe on all fruit trees-The formula in this fertilizer is organic and all-natural. It’s also balanced such that your fruit trees will feed on a safe formula. Besides, it’s safe on all fruit trees, citrus trees, and nut trees. It’s also safe for application on young fruit trees.
• Complete tree development-This fertilizer comprises 5 percent nitrogen, 2 percent phosphate, and 6 percent potash. Together, these nutrients nourish the roots, stem, branches, leaves, and fruits. Thus, they stimulate complete and healthy tree development and growth.
• Flavorful fruits– Another key benefit of this fertilizer is that its ingredients are derived from natural sources. The ingredients stimulate the production of organic fruits with enhanced sweetness and flavor. It also encourages the production of larger fruits.
• Increased yield– If you’ve been harvesting a low number of fruits and you want to increase the next harvest, consider applying this fertilizer as recommended. It has ingredients that increase the production of fruit trees. It also stimulates new fruit trees to produce more fruits during their first and future yields.

Verdict

The Espoma CT4 4-Pound is a suitable organic fertilizer for adding nutrients to fruit trees, citrus trees, and nut trees.

9. Humboldts Secret Golden Tree Organic Additive

This fertilizer from Humboldts Secrets is an all-in-one concentrated formula that’s made to boost the growth and yield of fruit trees. It’s also ideal for feeding other types of plants. It comes with an NPK ratio of 0-0-2, meaning that it lacks nitrogen and phosphorous but is rich in potassium and other nutrients.

Top Features

• Powerful concentrate– The formula in this fertilizer is highly concentrated. The 16-ounce liquid concentrate can be mixed with up to 224 gallons of water. When mixed properly, it’s able to reduce vegetation time and increase yields significantly.
• Fast results-It’s advisable to apply this fertilizer once, twice, or thrice a week. It delivers fast results by stimulating root development and optimizing photosynthesis. The fertilizer also increases flowering sites, thereby increasing the number of fruits per branch.
• Suitable for all growing methods– Regardless of the method you’re using to grow fruit trees, this fertilizer will work efficiently. It’s suitable for all growing methods including soil, aeroponics, hydroponics, deep water culture, and coco among others.
• Ideal for all plants-Besides being suitable for application on fruit trees, this fertilizer is also suitable for application on other types of plants. In fact, it does well as fertilizer for vegetables and lawns too. You can also use it on flowering plants such as tomatoes, roses, and flowers.
• Suitable for all plant conditions– This fertilizer is suitable for application on both mature and young plants. It’s also suitable for rescuing dying fruit trees, revitalizing struggling fruit trees, and plant food for growing new fruit trees.
• Rich in essential nutrients– The fertilizer is rich in potassium. It’s also rich in other essential nutrients such as carbs, amino acids, and kelp. Together, these ingredients stimulate healthier and stronger growth of fruit trees.

Verdict

Humboldts Secret Golden Tree Organic Additive is perfect for reviving sick and dying fruit trees. It’s also perfect for use in all growing methods.

10. Urban Farm Fertilizer

This fertilizer from Urban Farm comes with an NPK formula of 4.5-2-4.2. It’s carefully blended to feed fruit trees with the most vital nutrients needed for stronger, healthier growth and increased yield.

Top Features

• Rich in calcium– Most notably, this fertilizer is rich in calcium. When fed with sufficient calcium, fruit trees produce juicier fruits. Also, calcium boosts the size of fruits. It also boosts the flavor of fruits.
• Highly concentrated-This fertilizer comes in the form of a highly concentrated liquid. One quart is suitable for mixing with 64 gallons of water. As such, you’ll have sufficient fertilizer to feed your fruit trees all season.
• Multiple application methods-The last thing you’d want is to buy a special feeder to apply a fertilizer every time you buy a different type of fertilizer. Luckily, this fertilizer is suitable for application using multiple methods. You can feed it through hand-watering, watering can, a hose-end, or drip irrigation.
• Great for all growing systems-Regardless of the growing system you’re using for your fruit trees, you can safely and effectively add this fertilizer. It’s suitable for use in both soil and hydroponics. It’s also suitable for use in fruit trees planted in containers.
• Naturalblend-Another aspect that makes this fertilizer a great choice for boosting the growth and yield of fruit trees is that it’s made of natural ingredients. It’s rich in essential minerals, enzymes, mycorrhizae, humic acid, and worm casts.

Verdict

The special blend of ingredients in the Urban Farm Fertilizer makes it suitable for organic growing of fruit trees such as citrus, apples, and oranges.

Factors to Consider When Choosing the Best Fertilizer for Fruit Trees

Different fertilizers for fruit trees contain relatively different ingredients. Even those that contain almost similar ingredients may differ in type and concentration. Thus, there’re certain factors you should consider before buying a fertilizer to know whether it’s suitable for your fruit trees. Let’s discuss some of these factors.

1. Type of fertilizer

Fertilizers for fruit trees are available in three types including liquid concentrates, spikes, and powders. Liquid concentrates and powders are typically mixed with water before application. They’re advantageous in that they’re quickly absorbed by plants. However, you must make sure that you mix in the recommended ratio to avoid burning your fruit trees. Also, you need to ensure that the liquid concentrate or powder you’re choosing is water-soluble to avoid clogging the sprayer and to ensure it is applied consistently and evenly.

On the other hand, spikes are premeasured. They don’t require any mixing. Thus, spikes are less laborious and easier to work with than liquid concentrates and powders. Spikes are applied by hammering them into the soil. However, some spikes tend to crumble when hammering them. Preferably, choose spikes that come with a plastic cap that protects them from crumbling when hammering them.

2. Ingredients

It’s important to ensure the fertilizer you want to buycontains all the key ingredients required for the results you want to get. Essentially, it’s recommended to choose a fertilizer that contains all the basic ingredients that boost overall growth and yield. Most fertilizers for fruit trees contain nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium. These ingredients are usually indicated on the packaging as NPK ratio such as 10-5-20 for example.

The role of nitrogen is giving leaves a greener color to encourage photosynthesis. On the other hand, phosphorous assists fruit trees to develop more flowering points and stronger roots. Potassium controls water pressure within and outside cells. Potassium also boosts metabolism and the development of stronger roots. Thus, a fertilizer with all these three ingredients will enjoy healthier overall growth for enhanced fruit production. Secondary nutrients such as calcium, zinc, iron, manganese, magnesium, and sulfur among others are an added advantage.

3. Frequency of application

Different types of fertilizers have a specific frequency of application. Liquid fertilizers are typically applied more frequently than powders and spikes. Thus, they’re more laborious to work with. On the other hand, spikes are designed to release nutrients slowly but continuously. Thus, spikes are typically applied once a season, making them less laborious to work with. Ensure you follow the guidelines on the fertilizer packaging about the frequency of application.

4. Applicable growing method

Ensure the fertilizer you want to buy is suitable for use in the growing method of your fruit trees. If you’ve planted fruit trees in pots and containers, ensure the fertilizer is ideal for use in containers. Also, if you’re growing fruit trees in special growing methods such as hydroponics and aeroponics, ensure the fertilizer is suitable for the specific growing method.

Final Words

As you can see, there’re numerous types and brands of fertilizers for application on fruit trees. Thus, it’s important to do thorough research about different fertilizers before making your choice. Ensure the fertilizer you choose is suitable for the kind of fruit trees you’re growing. Also, it should be convenient to use depending on your situation. Hopefully, our reviews and buyer’s guide will assist you to find the best fertilizer for fruit trees.