Feeding Recipe for a Happy Tree

How would you feel if I was in charge of your care, but I simply failed to feed you?
How long would you expect to survive? Yet this is what happens in many cases with plants that are expected to produce.

If you starve a tree, it will starve you.
If you feed a tree, it will feed you.

Citrus are heavy nitrogen feeders and nitrogen leaches out the fastest of all nutrients.
It is important to have a good fertilizing schedule, due to the leaching of nutrients in sandy soils and the fact that citrus require high nitrogen intake. Trees simply cannot produce fruit if the tree is lacking nitrogen. When watering your Citrus many nutrients are lost. So FEED FEED FEED your trees!

RECOMMENDED FERTILIZERS

Notice: Avocado Trees: adjust use of DynaGro to once per month.

• ☼ Osmocote Flower and Vegetable Smart-Release Plant Food: twice a year.
• ☼ Espoma Citrus Tone for Citrus and Avocado:  every 30 days (approx. 3 tsps. for a 15" pot)
  OR
  ☼ Miracle-Gro Miracid, Acid-Loving Plant Food 30-10-10: every 2 weeks to 30 days. (DO NOT USE IF YOU'RE USING ESPOMA)
• ☼ Fertilome Concentrate Fish Emulsion Fertilizer
• ☼ Dyna-Gro DYFOL008 Foliage Pro
• ☼ Miracle-Gro Cactus Palm and Citrus Potting Mix

If you have just received your tree, then I suggest you not re-pot your tree until you have waited at least 2 weeks to insure the tree is not in shock. Re-potting is the worst thing you can do to a tree that is under stress. If your tree is having issues, DO NOT RE-POT!
Many people make this mistake thinking they will fix a problem and end up making it worse.
Use Miracle-Gro Cactus Palm and Citrus Potting Mix, when you’re ready to re-pot.

FERTILIZING SCHEDULE

Notice: Avocado Trees: adjust use of DynaGro to once per month.

February (beginning of the fertilizing year)

• Osmocote

March through October

• Week 1:  Espoma OR Miracle-Gro, Spray Dyna-Gro on Foliage
• Week 2:  Spray Dyna-Gro on Foliage
• Week 3:  Fish Emulsion, Spray Dyna-Gro on Foliage
• Week 4:  Spray Dyna-Gro on Foliage

November

• Osmocote

December and January are rest period for trees planted in the ground, if tree is inside you can continue to feed.

Foliar feeding is important and Dyna-Gro has 16 of the minerals essential for optimum plant growth. Using Dyna-Gro gives plants the nutrition they need. Plants take up the complete nutrient formula and foliar applications have greater mineral uptake than regular soil fertilizing.

Foliar Application: Mix a quarter to half tsp. per gallon of water and spray directly on leaves. It is important that this is done only in the morning and sprayed on underside of leaves as well, use a biodegradable wetting agent to maximize adhesion to the leaf surface, so the nutrients don't just roll off the leaves.

If you have any questions about fertilizing, you can reply to this blog with a comment or call us at 866-216-TREE (8733).

Wishing you great success in your citrus growing!
Nancy