What fertilizer is good for apple trees?

Apple tree topdressing time

Apple trees can be top-dressed once in May and June, mainly with potassium fertilizer. This can promote the enlargement of apple fruits and meet the needs of branch and leaf growth and flower bud differentiation.

What fertilizer to use for apple tree topdressing

The topdressing for apple trees should mainly be quick-acting nitrogen fertilizer, and it should be supplemented with an appropriate amount of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers to meet the various needs of the plants, so as to improve the quality and yield of the fruit.

Generally, apple trees need more nitrogen fertilizer for topdressing. Among nitrogen fertilizers, urea is the most widely used and effective, so urea should be used for topdressing apple trees.

Apple tree topdressing method

1. Choose the type of fertilizer according to the needs of the apple tree. It likes fertilizers containing nitrogen. Urea is the most widely used and effective.

2. Determine the most suitable spraying site. After the nutrients are applied, their mobility on the apple tree is different. Nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium are extremely mobile, followed by sulfur and chlorine. Iron, manganese, zinc, molybdenum, and copper are not easy to move, and boron, magnesium, and calcium hardly move. Therefore, the spraying sites should be differentiated. It is best to spray trace elements directly on the organs where they are needed.

3. Determine a reasonable concentration for spraying fertilizer. Apple trees require different concentrations in different growth stages. Apply thin fertilizer to young leaves, and the concentration can be slightly higher for mature leaves. It can be appropriately higher in the rainy season, and vice versa. In addition, the spraying amount should be sufficient, and the concentration of foliar fertilizer should be slightly lower.

Principles of topdressing for apple trees

When applying topdressing to apple trees, it is important to focus on combining organic and inorganic fertilizers. Fertilizer can be applied during land preparation. Do not focus on applying only one fertilizer. Pay attention to balanced fertilization. The amount of fertilizer applied and its nutrient ratio also need to be adjusted according to growth.

Apple tree topdressing dosage

To produce 100kg of fruit, 0.8-2.0kg of nitrogen (N), 0.26-1.2kg of phosphorus (P2O5), and 0.8-1.8kg of potassium (K2O) are required.

Precautions for topdressing apple trees

Top dressing for apple trees should be carried out according to the growth stage and time, and the depth of fertilization should be controlled. When applying base fertilizer, it should be fully mixed with the soil. Watering should be done after fertilizing to reduce the fertilizer efficiency and avoid fertilizer damage.