Fertilize your fruit trees in February

Feed your fruit trees in February, before they bloom. Apple (Malus domestica), peach (Prunus persica), pear (Pyrus communis), plum (Prunus domestica), and fruit bushes like blackberry and blueberry all benefit from an early-season fertilizer application. Use a balanced formula with a 1-1-1 or 1-2-1 NPK ratio, not the high-nitrogen 4-1-1 you’d use on shade trees. For a complete fruit tree fertilizing schedule that covers the full year, that guide goes deeper on timing by species. The right ratio at the right time is what separates a tree loaded with fruit from one that just grows leaves.

Why February and not later

Fruit trees need nutrients available in the soil when they break dormancy and start pushing buds. In Northern California, that process starts in mid to late February for most stone fruits. Peach trees are the earliest, often blooming by the last week of February in zones 8-9. Apples follow a few weeks later.

February feeding gives the fertilizer time to break down and reach the root zone before bloom. The root system actually starts absorbing nutrients before you see any visible growth above ground. Soil temperatures above 40 degrees F activate root uptake, and in the Sacramento Valley, soil temps hit that threshold by mid-February most years.

If you’re in a colder zone (5-7) where the ground is still frozen, wait until the soil thaws but get it done before flowers open. In zone 9, you’ve got a wider window. I usually aim for the first or second week of February.

What happens if you miss February

If you miss February and your trees are already blooming, don’t panic. You can still fertilize up through June and your trees will use it. The nutrients take 4-6 weeks to fully break down and reach the feeder roots, so a March application still catches most of the growing season.

What you should not do is fertilize after July. Late feeding pushes tender new growth that hasn’t hardened off before the first frost, and that new growth will get killed back. You’ll end up with die-back and open wounds heading into winter. I learned this the hard way with a young peach tree. Fed it in September, it pushed a flush of soft new shoots, and a November frost killed every one of them. The tree recovered, but it set me back a full year of production.

For more on protecting that new growth from cold snaps, our guide on how to protect trees from frost covers the practical steps.

What NPK ratio to use for fruit trees

NPK stands for nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). Most shade and ornamental trees do well with a high-nitrogen formula, something like a 4-1-1 ratio. Fruit trees are different. They need a balanced or phosphorus-heavy blend because phosphorus drives flower and fruit development:

• 1-1-1 ratio (like 10-10-10) for general fruit tree feeding. This is the safe, all-purpose choice.
• 1-2-1 ratio (like 5-10-5) if you want to push flower and fruit production. I use this one on my apple trees and the difference in fruit set is noticeable.
• Acid-loving plant fertilizer specifically for blueberries, which need soil pH between 4.5 and 5.5 to absorb nutrients properly. Regular fertilizer won’t help a blueberry bush in alkaline soil. It just sits there unused.

Here’s what each nutrient actually does:

Nitrogen (N) fuels leaf and shoot growth. Too much nitrogen on a fruit tree produces lots of foliage and very little fruit. This is the single most common fertilizing mistake with fruit trees. Your neighbor with the gorgeous, leafy apple tree that never produces apples? Probably using lawn fertilizer (which is 80% nitrogen) around the base.

Phosphorus (P) drives root development, flower formation, and fruit set. This is the nutrient that turns blossoms into actual fruit. A phosphorus-deficient tree will bloom fine but drop most of its developing fruit before it matures.

Potassium (K) strengthens cell walls, improves disease resistance, and helps the tree handle temperature stress. Potassium is what helps your peach tree survive a late frost without losing its crop.

Choosing between synthetic and organic fertilizer

Both work. The difference is speed and soil health over time.

Synthetic granular fertilizer (like a 10-10-10 from the hardware store, around $15-25 for a 10-pound bag) delivers nutrients fast. The tree can access them within days of watering in. Downside: synthetic fertilizer does nothing for your soil biology. It feeds the tree but not the microorganisms that make soil healthy long term.

Organic fertilizer (bone meal, blood meal, fish emulsion, composted manure) releases nutrients slowly over weeks. It feeds the soil food web. The microbes, fungi, and earthworms that break down organic matter also improve soil structure, water retention, and root health. Downside: it takes longer to see results, and organic products typically cost more per unit of nutrient.

My approach: I use organic compost as my base, spread 2-3 inches under the canopy every February, and supplement with a handful of bone meal (0-10-0) around each tree. The compost provides a slow trickle of everything. The bone meal gives a targeted phosphorus boost right when the tree needs it for bloom.

A 40-pound bag of composted steer manure runs about $5-7 at most garden centers. Bone meal costs $10-15 for a 3-pound box. For five fruit trees, you’re looking at maybe $30-40 total per year. That’s a good return when each mature apple tree can produce 200-400 pounds of fruit.

How much fertilizer to apply

The ISA (International Society of Arboriculture) recommends fertilizing based on trunk diameter, not tree height or canopy size. Here’s the general guideline:

• Young trees (1-3 years): 1/2 cup of 10-10-10 granular fertilizer, or 2 inches of compost under the canopy
• Established trees (4-10 years): 1 cup of 10-10-10 per inch of trunk diameter, measured 4 feet above ground
• Mature trees (10+ years): Same formula, but max out at 6 cups total regardless of trunk size

For organic compost, spread a 2-3 inch layer from about 12 inches away from the trunk out to the drip line. Don’t pile it higher. More compost is not better. Thick layers can suffocate surface roots and create a haven for rodents.

Species-specific feeding tips

Not every fruit tree wants the same thing. Here’s what I’ve learned over two decades with a mixed orchard in zone 9:

Apple trees are moderate feeders. A balanced 10-10-10 applied in February does the job. If your tree produces lots of leaves but few apples, skip the nitrogen entirely and use just bone meal (0-10-0) and sulfate of potash (0-0-50) for one season. That usually corrects the imbalance.

Peach and nectarine trees are heavy feeders. They need about 25% more nitrogen than apples. Use a 10-10-10 plus a side dressing of ammonium sulfate (21-0-0) at about half the rate of your balanced fertilizer. Apply the balanced fertilizer in February and the nitrogen boost in April after fruit set.

Citrus trees (zones 8-11) follow a different schedule entirely. They’re evergreen, so they don’t go dormant the same way. Feed citrus three times: February, May, and September. Use a citrus-specific fertilizer with micronutrients, especially iron, zinc, and manganese. Citrus in California’s alkaline soils frequently develop iron chlorosis (yellow leaves with green veins). A chelated iron supplement, about $8-12 a bottle, fixes it within weeks.

Pear trees are light feeders. Go easy on nitrogen or you’ll get fire blight, a bacterial disease that thrives on lush new growth. Stick with compost and bone meal. Skip the synthetic nitrogen.

Blueberry bushes need soil pH between 4.5 and 5.5. If your soil pH is above 6.0, standard fertilizer is nearly useless because the plant can’t absorb nutrients in alkaline conditions. Use an acid-forming fertilizer like ammonium sulfate, or mix in sulfur to lower the pH. A $15-20 soil pH meter from the garden center pays for itself on the first use. Test before you feed.

Blackberry and raspberry canes respond well to a 10-10-10 application in February followed by a nitrogen side-dressing in May when they’re actively growing canes. About 1/4 cup of ammonium sulfate per plant. Spread it 6-8 inches from the base.

How to spot nutrient deficiencies

If you’ve been skipping fertilizer or your soil is naturally poor, your trees will tell you. Here’s what to look for:

Nitrogen deficiency is the most common. Leaves turn a lighter green than normal, starting with the older leaves at the base of branches. Overall growth slows down, and new leaves come in smaller than they should. The whole tree just looks tired. One inch of growth on new shoots when you should be seeing 12-18 inches.

Potassium deficiency shows up as restricted growth and dieback at branch tips. Leaf margins scorch and turn brown, starting at the edges and working inward. This often gets mistaken for drought stress. The difference: potassium deficiency affects older leaves first, while drought stress hits the whole tree evenly.

Phosphorus deficiency is rare in most California soils but worth knowing about. Foliage takes on a dull, dark green or purplish-bronze appearance, particularly on the undersides of leaves. Growth is stunted but in a less obvious way than nitrogen shortage. Fruit production drops even when the tree looks otherwise healthy.

Iron chlorosis is extremely common in California fruit trees, especially citrus. New leaves emerge yellow with bright green veins. This isn’t a fertilizer problem. It’s a soil pH problem. The iron is in the soil, but alkaline conditions lock it up so roots can’t absorb it. Apply chelated iron (EDDHA form works best in alkaline soils) and work on lowering soil pH over time with sulfur amendments.

If you’re seeing any of these signs, a soil test is worth the $15-30 it costs through your county extension office. The UC Davis Analytical Lab does comprehensive soil tests for homeowners. It tells you exactly what’s missing so you’re not guessing or throwing money at the wrong product.

How to apply fertilizer correctly

Spread fertilizer in a ring under the canopy, starting about 12 inches from the trunk and extending out to the drip line. The feeder roots that absorb nutrients are out at the drip line, not next to the trunk. Most people apply fertilizer way too close to the trunk where it does the least good and can actually cause bark damage.

Water it in thoroughly after application. A deep soaking (30-45 minutes with a soaker hose or slow-running garden hose) washes the nutrients down to root depth. Surface-applied fertilizer that doesn’t get watered in just sits there feeding the grass.

Don’t pile fertilizer against the trunk. Don’t exceed the label rate. Excess nitrogen in particular can burn roots and push leafy growth at the expense of fruit. If you accidentally over-apply, flood the area with water immediately to dilute the concentration around the roots.

For trees planted in lawn areas, the grass is already getting fertilizer from your lawn care routine. Reduce the fruit tree application by about one-third to account for this. Otherwise you’re double-dosing with nitrogen, and you’ll get that all-leaves-no-fruit problem.

The soil test shortcut

I used to guess at fertilizer needs every year. Then I started doing soil tests, and realized I’d been wasting money on potassium my soil already had plenty of. A basic soil nutrient test through your county extension costs $15-30 and tells you:

• Soil pH (critical for nutrient availability)
• Nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium levels
• Organic matter percentage
• Micronutrient levels (calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc)

Test once every 3-4 years. Pull samples from under the drip line of your fruit trees, about 6-8 inches deep. Mix samples from 4-5 spots around the tree for one composite sample. The results come back with specific fertilizer recommendations for your soil type.

In my clay-heavy Sacramento Valley soil, I always have adequate potassium but low phosphorus. So I stopped buying triple-balanced fertilizer and started buying bone meal instead. Saved money and got better fruit production.

What about mulch

Mulch is not fertilizer, but it’s the best companion to fertilizer you can apply. A 3-4 inch layer of wood chips under your fruit trees does several things at once: retains soil moisture (reduces watering by 25-50%), moderates soil temperature, suppresses weed competition, and slowly adds organic matter as it decomposes.

Apply mulch after you fertilize. Keep it 6 inches back from the trunk to prevent bark rot. Arborist wood chips are free from most tree service companies. Call around and ask if they’ll dump a load. You’ll get a full truckload for nothing, and it’s the same stuff garden centers sell for $5-8 per bag.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use lawn fertilizer on fruit trees? No. Lawn fertilizer is typically 28-3-3 or similar, almost all nitrogen. It’ll make your fruit tree grow leaves like crazy and produce almost no fruit. Buy fertilizer labeled for fruit trees or use a balanced formula.

Should I fertilize a newly planted fruit tree? Not at planting time. Wait until the tree has been in the ground for at least 6-8 weeks and shows signs of new growth. Fertilizing at planting can burn roots that are still recovering from transplant shock. If you’re planting new trees this season, our guide on how to plant bare root trees covers everything about getting them established first.

How often should I fertilize fruit trees each year? Most deciduous fruit trees need just one application in February. Heavy feeders like peaches benefit from a second, lighter application in May. Citrus needs three applications (February, May, September). Berry bushes do well with February and May feedings.

Is Epsom salt good for fruit trees? Epsom salt is magnesium sulfate. It only helps if your soil is genuinely deficient in magnesium, which most California soils are not. A soil test will tell you. Randomly applying Epsom salt without knowing your magnesium levels can actually create nutrient imbalances that lock out calcium. Skip the internet myths. Test your soil.

My fruit tree looks healthy but doesn’t produce fruit. Should I fertilize more? More fertilizer is probably the last thing it needs. Non-producing but healthy-looking fruit trees usually have one of these problems: no pollination partner (many apple and pear varieties need a second tree of a different variety for cross-pollination), too much nitrogen (all growth, no fruit), too much shade (fruit trees need 6-8 hours of direct sun), or the tree is simply too young (most fruit trees take 3-5 years after planting to bear).

For the full picture on spring tree maintenance beyond fertilizing, our spring tree care checklist covers everything from pruning dead wood to refreshing mulch. And for guidance on seasonal yard care and maintenance planning, there’s a month-by-month breakdown that helps keep you on schedule. If you’re not sure when your trees need trimming alongside their fertilizer, check our guide on when to trim your tree for species-by-species timing.