Apple trees require fertilizer to produce lots of healthy and juicy fruits. So, if you want the desired yield, you must feed the right fertilizer on your apple trees.
But remember; wrong feeding makes the plant vulnerable and suspectable to diseases and insects. That’s why you should be tricky to choose the right fertilizer for your apple trees.
You know; there are lots of fertilizers available in the market today. But all may not be good food for apple trees.
Now the question; what is the best fertilizer for an apple tree?
The fruit and citrus fertilizer that has a balanced ratio of NPK(Nitrogen-Phosphorus-Potassium) for healthy plants and fruiting. Also, the best apple tree fertilizer will be free from toxic chemicals.
For your convenience, I listed and reviewed the best fertilizer for apple trees that will help you to pick.
In A Rush? Here is the overall best fertilizer for apple trees that you may pick right now-
Best Fertilizer for Apple Trees-Comparisons
| Fertilizer | NPK | Form | Type | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jobe’s Fruit & Citrus Fertilizer | 3-5-5 | Granular | Organic | |
| Dr. Earth 708P Fruit Tree Fertilizer | 5-5-2 | Granular | Organic | |
| Espoma CT4 Citrus-Tone Fertilizer | 5-2-6 | Granular | Organic | |
| Jobe's Fruit Fertilizer Spikes | 3-5-5 | Spike | Organic | |
| Miracle-Gro Shake 'N Feed Food | 8-2-10 | Granular | Synthetic | |
| Miracle-Gro Fruit & Citrus Food | 10-15-15 | Spike | Synthetic | |
| Urban Farm Apples&Citrus Fertilizer | 4.5-2.0-4.2 | Liquid | Organic |
Best Fertilizer for Apple Trees-Reviews
1.Jobe’s Organics 09226 Fruit & Citrus Fertilizer with Biozome
This fertilizer comes with a 3-5-5 NPK ratio. That means it contains 3% nitrogen,5% phosphate, and 5% potash and this ratio is perfect for healthy plants and fruiting.
You may know; the water-soluble nutrient dissolves quickly and feeds the plant instantly and water-insoluble fertilizer dissolves slowly and feeds the plant continuously. Great news; it contains both 1.2% water-soluble and 1.8% water-insoluble nitrogen for quick and continuous feeding.
Also, this fertilizer contains some other essential plant nutrients including 8% calcium,0.5% magnesium, and 1.6% sulfur. The nutrients of this fertilizer are derived from some organic compounds: feather meal, bone meal, poultry manure, and sulfate of potash. As you saw, this fertilizer doesn’t contain any inorganic chemical that is also certified by OMRI.
The best part of this fertilizer;
It has a healthy and beneficial blend of bacteria, mycorrhizal, and archaea called Biozome and you will be happy to know, Biozome makes the soil fertile and protects the plant from diseases and stress.
This fertilizer can be applied to apple seedlings, new apple trees, and established trees of all the varieties of apple including custard apple, dwarf apple, crab apple,honeycrisp apple, sugar apple, and sweet sixteen apple trees.
It comes in a granular form. Measure 1 ½ cups of the fertilizer for 6 inches pot or 3 cups for 1 inches trunk diameter. Sprinkle around the base of the plant, mix into the top soil, and water the plant. Reapply after 2-3 months.
2.Dr. Earth 708P Organic Fruit Tree Fertilizer
According to the NPK ratio, it has 5% nitrogen for vegetative growth,5% phosphate for healthy roots and fruits,2% potash for overall plant health. Good news; the total amount of nitrogen has been coated for slow release that can feed your plant continuously with no risk of burn.
This is the best natural fertilizer for apple trees that is fortified with some natural and organic materials such as alfalfa meal, fishbone meal, fish meal, potassium sulfate, kelp meal, and kelp flour. You know, all are the natural sources of macro and micronutrients.
The trubiotic formula is the most likable feature of this fertilizer. Trubiotic formula means it contains a natural and healthy mixture of bacteria and mycorrhizae fungi.
And you will be happy to know that can improve the soil condition and make the plant resistant to apple cedar rust and other fungal diseases.
This fertilizer can feed both new and established apple trees to get the desired yield. Sprinkle 1 cup of granular fertilizer per inch trunk diameter of the apple tree, work on the surface soil, and water the plant to start feeding. Repeat the application after 3 months.
3.Espoma CT4 Citrus-Tone Plant Food
As the plant food, it contains 5% nitrogen,2% phosphate, 6% potash, 2% calcium,0.5% magnesium,1% sulfur.All are the essential plant nutrients for green leaves, healthy roots, and fruits.
Also, it has 1.5% water-soluble nitrogen to feed the most hungry apple plant quickly and 3% water-insoluble nitrogen to feed continuously.
Good news; this fertilizer doesn’t contain any synthetic chemicals. It is only formulated from some organic compounds such as feather meal, bone meal, alfalfa meal, poultry manure, greensand, sulfate of potash, and sulfate of magnesia.
It also comes with a granular formula that contains a blend of soil microbes to improve soil condition and make the plant healthy and resistant. Also, this fertilizer contains 1% humic acid to revive the plant from environmental stress.
To get the bigger and sweet apple-
Sprinkle 2 lbs. of the fertilizer for up to 3 feet sized apple plant or 1 teaspoon per 4 inches diameter of the pot. Mix into the surface soil, and apply water.
4.Jobe’s Organics Fruit & Citrus Fertilizer Spikes
As the primary nutrients, this fertilizer contains 3% nitrogen,5% potassium, and 5% potash and the 3-5-5 NPK ratio is perfect for fruiting your apple trees as well as healthy plants.
Also, it has some other required nutrients for apple trees and it is formulated from some organic and non-toxic materials such as feather meal, bone meal, and sulfate of potash.
It also has Biozome; a healthy mixture of bacteria, mycorrhizal fungi, and archaea that improves the soil condition and makes the apple tree healthy and resistant.
You know, it comes with a spike form, and good news; spike fertilizer can’t run off easily with surface water. So, this fertilizer can feed your plant slowly without wasting the nutrients.
It is the best fertilizer for potted apple trees because it is designed for potted citrus and fruit trees. Don’t worry, it is also available for in-ground fruit trees(Jobe’s Organic Spike for In-Ground Plants).
To apply this spike fertilizer-
Simply push 2 spikes into 1-3 inches soil for 12 inches plant diameter and water the plant to start feeding. Reapply after 4-6 weeks.
5.Miracle-Gro Shake ‘N Feed Citrus, Avocado, Mango Plant Food
It comes with an 8-2-10 NPK ratio. That means it has 8% nitrogen,2% phosphate, and 10% potash as the primary nutrients that help your apple tree to promote green leaves, buds, and fruits.
Good news; a small portion of nitrogen and phosphate have been coated for slow-release that feeds the plant up to 3 months continuously.
Besides NPK,it also contains other required nutrients for apple trees including 6.9% calcium,5.5% magnesium,4.7% sulfur,0.05% copper,0.92% iron,0.34% manganese,and 0.11% zinc.
This fertilizer is derived from some non-toxic chemical but it also has organic compost to promote microbial activity in the soil. So, it can apply to all the varieties of potted and in-ground apple trees with no risk of damage or burn.
Measure 1 ¾ tablespoon of Miracle-Gro granular fertilizer for 4 sq feet or 1 tablespoon for 16 inches pot diameter. sprinkle the pre-measured fertilizer around the plant base, and water the plant thoroughly to get a healthy plant. Repeat feeding after 3 months.
6.Miracle-Gro Fruit & Citrus Plant Food Spikes
According to the NPK ratio, it has 10% nitrogen, 15% phosphate, and 15% potash and the 10-15-15 ratio can be perfect for fruiting your apple trees. Good news; it contains a small amount of slow-release nitrogen for continuous feeding. For quick feeding, it also has quick-release water-soluble nitrogen.
Also, it has some other nutrients including 0.1% iron and 0.05% manganese to protect the apple tree from chlorosis.
This fertilizer is derived from both some non-toxic chemicals and natural ingredients such as ammonium sulfate, ammonium phosphate, potassium chloride, sulfate of potash, magnetic rocks, manganese sulfate, feather meal, and bone meal.
It comes with a ready to apply spike form. Measuring is not required and has a low chance to wash off. To feed this easy to use fertilizer-
Push a spike into 2-3 inches below the surface soil for 4 feet drip line diameter of the apple tree in spring and fall and get healthy plants with lots of fruit.
7.Urban Farm Fertilizers Apples & Oranges Fruits and Citrus Fertilizer
To feed the primary nutrients, it has 4.5% nitrogen 2% potassium, and 4.2% potash. Also, this fertilizer is occupied with all the required macro and micronutrients to produce healthy and juicy fruits.
All the nutrients of this liquid fertilizer are formulated from bat guano, sea kelp, mycorrhizae, earthworm castings and you know all are the natural and organic sources of essential plant nutrients.
The best part of this fertilizer is-
It contains humic acid, vitazyme, amino acids, mycorrhizae, and hydroponic-grade mineral salts to protect the plant from stress and promotes the crop yields.
This fertilizer comes with a liquid concentrate formula that can be used as also as a foliar spray in ground, potted, and hydroponics plants.
Mix 1 tablespoon per gallon of water and pour the solution on the base of the apple plants and let the plant feed quickly.
When to Fertilize Apple Trees?
Like all fruit trees, apple trees need fertilizer in the active growing stage. You can start feeding your apple tree after fall and stop feeding in late summer. If you fertilize in late summer, the new growth will be damaged by upcoming frost.
How often to Fertilize Apple Trees?
The fertilizing schedule of the apple tree may be changed depending on the type of fertilizer. Generally, you will get the schedule on the label of the fertilizer.
Generally, three applications in a year are enough for apple trees. Here is the quick schedule for you-
Winter: Apply fertilizer to promote flowering.
Spring: Apply fertilizer to promote better fruit sets.
Fall: Apply fertilizer to take care of overall plant health.
How to Fertilize Apple Trees?
The fertilizing procedure on apple trees depends on the forms of the fertilizer. Here is the best way to fertilize apple trees to maximize crop yields.
Step 1: Measure the Apple Fertilizer
Read the label of your fertilizer and measure the fertilizer according to the label directions. Avoid measuring for spike fertilizer.
Step 2: Prepare the Solution
Mix the pre-measured fertilizer into the water to prepare a dilute solution. You need to prepare a dilute solution only for water-soluble and liquid fertilizer.
Step 3: Fertilize the Apple Plant
Granular Fertilizer: Sprinkle the pre-measured fertilizer on the drip line of the plant, mix into the 1-3 inches of surface soil, and water the plant thoroughly.
Liquid and Water Soluble Fertilizer: Pour the pre-mixed solution on the base of the plant.
Spike Fertilizer: Insert the spike into the 3 inches of soil on the drip line of the apple plant and water the plant.
Homemade Fertilizer for Apple Trees
Recipe 1: Homemade Potassium Fertilizer for Apple Trees
Item Required:
- Banana peels
Steps:
- Cut the banana peels into pieces.
- Sprinkle the banana peels around the base of the plant and water to start feeding.
Recipe 2: Homemade Nitrogen Fertilizer for Apple Trees
Items Required:
- Coffee Grounds
Steps:
- Sprinkle 1-2 cups of coffee grounds around the base of the apple plant.
- Water the Plant.
You can also sprinkle 1 cup of crushed fishbone, ½ cups of crushed eggshells, and 1 tablespoon of Epsom salt to provide potassium, calcium, and magnesium.
Conclusion
Apple trees give some fruits without fertilizer but the wrong fertilizing gives you nothing. So, don’t apply the wrong fertilizer to your apple trees.
I hope you picked the best fertilizer for apple trees from my article. I am honored to help you to find the right pick for your apple trees.
Now read the label of the fertilizer and feed your apple plant by following the directions.
