Fertilized soil and fruit spikes?

[frdnicholas]

I just received a beautiful dwarf nectarine tree from Willis Orchard, which, by the way, I can't recommend highly enough. Any tree they've sent me have been incredibly healthy looking and extremely well rooted. Anyway, my question is this: I've put some finished compost and soil with 5-4-5 (I think) fertilizer at the bottom of the hole. When I plant the tree, I will add more of that soil to fill the hole. After I plant the tree, would it be too much to add the Jobe's fruit spikes?

 

[Marck]

It should be fine either way. In all likelihood, the addition of the spikes will be neither harmful nor necessary.

 

[Chuck]

My experience is to not add amendments to the soil that is going to fill the hole. If you do the roots of the tree many times will not grow into the surrounding soil and will grow in a circular pattern, thus encircling roots. I always put amendments such as fertilizers and compost on the surface out a little past the drip line. I have never had good luck with spikes on anything.

 

[Meadowlark]

I agree w/Chuck. In my experience, it is best to NOT add fertilizer to the planting hole the first year. After the first growing season, fertilize around the drip line.

 

[frdnicholas]

Thank you for your help. Does it matter if the existing soil is all sand with crabgrass roots in it?

 

[Chuck]

Thank you for your help. Does it matter if the existing soil is all sand with crabgrass roots in it?

The crabgrass may be a problem but if you cover the ground under the tree with about 1 inch of good compost and about 3 inches of mulch the crabgrass will be MUCH easier to control.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

It might matter in terms of stopping the root system escaping the soil of the pot it came in, unless it was bare rooted. What Chuck describes above, being pot bound without the pot because the roots don't make it across the divide between two soils, is pretty common. I have found it to be okay if you make a point of mixing soils so there is no hard divide. If it is all sand I would be making a mix of the soil dug out with something better to back fill the hole, disturb the roots and break off what soil I could to mix with it around the plant, (there is usually some spare in the top of the pot). Then break the sides of the hole as I filled it and use that soil to fill in on top where I had robbed soil from the pot. All it is really is making it as easy as possible for the plant to cross barriers and making the surface soil, which water will drain through, the same as the surrounding soil

 

[cpp gardener]

The sandy soil should be fine. The fewer different layers of soil you make the better the drainage. Each interface has to become saturated before water will move to the next layer. Not a big problem in well-drained sand, but in denser soil it can be a real problem.