What's the best fertilizer for growing specifically tropical fruits please? What's the NPK values please? I have guava, durian, lemon, pear and longan and I'm in zone 10A.
Thanks
Thanks
Best Fertilizer For Growing Tropical Fruits
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Back when I lived in Florida I used a citrus fertilizer from Home Depot and had very good results. I can’t remember the name of it but it was the only one that they carried.
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IMO there is no "best" fertilizer. Any organic fertilizer is better than any chemical fertilizer for a number of reasons. The main reason is that organic fertilizers feed and maintain the micro-organisms in the soil which includes the necessary fungi and bacteria needed for the plant to uptake the nutrients. Chemical fertilizers feed the plant, not what the plant needs to uptake nutrients. Over time chemical fertilizers literally burn out the organic matter in the soil, the same organic matter the soil micro-organisms need to survive, leaving behind an array of mineral salts. This leads to insect problems and diseases. For the very best production, applications yearly of compost and mulch around the base of the tree out to the drip line and twice-yearly applications of an organic fertilizer such as Espoma will assure you of a good harvest. Plus, you will find that by doing this your costs will be lowered, your trees healthier and production higher.
How often do you apply compost a year? Everytime you apply fertilizer?
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I usually applied compost every spring when I did my spring fertilizing. I just raked back the remaining mulch and applied about an inch or so out to the drip line and reapplied the mulch and added more if needed. I usually fertilized twice a year, spring and fall.
Can I ask what fruit trees you have? Do you get maximum production of fruits from your trees every year?
Is this the Espoma fertilizer for fruit trees you are using?
Espoma TR4 4-Pound Tree-Tone 6-3-2 Plant Food
What do you think about Dr. Earth Natural Wonder Fruit Tree Fertilizer 5-5-2? The N-P-K values are different from Espoma
Is this the Espoma fertilizer for fruit trees you are using?
Espoma TR4 4-Pound Tree-Tone 6-3-2 Plant Food
What do you think about Dr. Earth Natural Wonder Fruit Tree Fertilizer 5-5-2? The N-P-K values are different from Espoma
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Where I live now it is too cold for tropicals. However, before I moved here I lived between Houston and Galveston where I had many citrus trees, mostly grapefruits but also quite a few orange and some lemon trees. I didn't have any dragon fruits although I am familiar with them. I also had 13 acres of tomatoes plus a large vegetable garden. I ate, gave away, juiced and froze the citrus. I grew paste tomatoes and contracted them out. Back in those days (70's) there was no such thing as commercial organic fertilizers so we had to make our own or use chemical based fertilizers. I made my own for the vegetable garden and fruit trees out of chicken manure, rabbit manure and cow manure. I had to use chemical based fertilizers on the tomatoes. Today things are vastly different and all of the above mentioned fertilizers are great. Most fruit trees have way too many blooms and set too many fruits for them to maintain and grow to a good size, so, IMO the middle NPK number is not important as it is mainly for bloom production. You will have success using ANY organic fertilizer. The numbers are not important. To get the most out of your soil you must know the Ph and in many cases which minerals are available for uptake and if any are needed amend properly. If you use liquid seaweed on a regular basis this will probably alleviate any mineral problem you might encounter but a GOOD and COMPREHENSIVE soil can really help.
I ordered a soil test kit to test Ph and NPK levels of my garden already. I'll post back here once I find out about those levels.
I'm a newbie at all this and I focus on fruit trees first. if you don't mind, I'll ask you questions if I have any, I really appreciate it.
I'm a newbie at all this and I focus on fruit trees first. if you don't mind, I'll ask you questions if I have any, I really appreciate it.
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NO PROBLEM
Hi...One more question, what month(s) do you prune your trees please?
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I prune citrus just before the buds open. The dates change from location to location and from variety to variety.
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Your soil is alkaline plus short on nitrogen. You can't do anything permanent about the Ph but here is what I would do for your overall situation. First I would remove all of the grass and weeds, if any, from under the trees out to the drip line. Next, I would apply 3 lbs of a good poultry based fertilizer per inch of caliper of the tree out to the drip line. Next, I would water in the fertilizer and as soon as you have done this apply 2 oz of molasses per gallon of water until it starts to stand. Then I would apply a good (nothing by Scotts or MiracleGro) compost to a depth of about 2 inches. And finally I would heavily mulch out to the drip line. After the first couple of months of letting what you have done begin to work I would apply 4 oz per gallon of water of liquid seaweed out to the drip line. Then, next year before the buds open, I would do everything again. Do this for a couple of years and your soil will be excellent and easy to maintain. Your soil will also become slightly less alkaline after a couple of years, probably down to about 7.2 which is pretty good.
@Chuck Once my soil's nitrogen level gets back to normal, do I have to re-apply nitrogen ingredient every year? I heard P and K remain after each season but Nitrogen is used up and gone after each season so we have to re-apply nitrogen ingredient every year to make sure the nitrogen level is sufficient. Is that correct?