In article ,
"Terry Coombs" wrote:
Fruit trees - mine have been in the ground for 1 and 2 years , they aren't
doing so well. Suggestions for a fertilizer that's eco-friendly ? These have
never had anything but a little fish emulsion last summer , and I'd like to
see them grow more , they haven't gottan any bigger since they were planted

If your trees are being shaded by the forest (I think you are in a hole
in the forest around your house), harvest some more firewood - light
makes the biggest difference. But, 1-2 years is a short time in the life
of a tree (the best time to plant one is 20 years ago, the second best
time is now.)

As for bad soil, with trees I think the best approach is to leave it be
when planting - the tree deals with what *is* and grows through it,
where a tree in a hole of improved soil in the midst of bad soil is more
prone to be potbound and unwilling to poke its roots out. For much the
same reason I think a smaller/younger new tree is better than an older
one to transplant in a difficult location. While almost everybody would
love to be on the loamy gravel, plenty of trees manage just fine on less
pleasant soils. Improve it from the top...

Build a ring of compost at the dripline - that's where most of the
feeder roots are. Potholing compost/worm fodder (dig postholes, not too
close to each other, and fill with compost/compostables) can help get
things down more, but it's more work and the worms will do that
eventually from stuff on top. But if you want to feel more active about
it, go to. As the tree manages to grow, keep the ring at the dripline
(ie, moving out.) This will also naturally keep your pile from being
built-up near the trunk, which is problematic for several reasons and to
be avoided. If you avoid anything too hot you can simply build a pile
right there, or you can start it in another location and move it to the
trees after it's cooked a few months. Shredded leaves are a good base
for whatever else you are putting there - they will break down to leaf
mold eventually and will moderate runoff/leachate from more active
compost above - don't mix them in, just layer them under, and when you
stop turning (if you turn at all) over.

Do not add fresh material when it might induce a growth spurt going into
winter. After things are fully dormant you can pile it on, but from
roughly August (northern hemisphere) until then you should hold any
collected materials in a pile _not_ around the trees - but do keep
collecting as much as you can lay your hands on, or have dropped off by
the dump-truck load. Manure, spoiled hay, mushroom compost, clean
woodash, apple pomace, lawn clippings, etc.

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