On Wednesday, March 31, 2021 at 10:16:01 PM UTC-4, John Robertson wrote:
I am a homeowner without botany experience or knowledge.
I try to use logical "common sense" when/if/where I can be sensible.

I want to grow more elderberries (I have one adult elderberry bush only).

Googling how to propagate elderberry bushes I find this quote:
"Do not fertilize for the first year so as not to damage roots."
https://homeguides.sfgate.com/transp...rry-45396.html

If fertilizing is good for plants how can fertilizing in the
first year be damaging to the plants?

They didn't say "too much" fertilizer.
They said not to fertilize transplanted plants (in the first year).
And yet they said to put compost into the hole (isn't that fertilizer?).

Does that specific fertilizer advice from that site make any sense to you?
If so, can you explain the logic to me?
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My guess is that if you don't fertilize, the roots will be forced to grow deeper to get the nutrients the plant needs, establishing a good root system in the first year after transplantation.

Paul