Let’s talk about Fall fertilizers. I am including some suggestions here from Norma Connolly, a friend who has some knowledge about this:

Potassium: Associated with better fruit color, and more sugar, this is something best applied in the Fall because it does not move quickly in the soil.  Consult with your local nursery about amounts to use for your particular tree.

Micronutrients: If one can obtain Azomite, this would be great. Email donricks@hotmail.com if you are interested in how to obtain this and I may refer you to Norma or to another source.

Liming: Dolomite lime is usually a good addition in our highly acidic, rainy  Seattle soils. But the best way to be sure you are adding the right amount  is to make sure you have first  tested the PH of the soil yourself.   Test by digging down 8 inches and then get your soil from there.    By adding lime, some nutrients like potassium will sometimes become more available. Application rate for 100 square feet would be about 4.5 pounds of lime for each rise of one PH point you hope to achieve.

Nitrogen: sometimes good for trees with low vigor but NOT good for Fall application.  Wait until Spring if you think you need to make the trees more vigorous.   Heavily pruned trees will probably NOT require nitrogen even then as they are already putting out too much “sucker” type growth.

Phosphorus: This product can help with flowering, but unfortunately, the best time to have applied this was by putting in the soil before the tree has grown and has become  well established.

Make all applications evenly and work in the soil and be sure to have fun….otherwise, what’s the point?

      Have you discovered disease on your fruit tree and you wonder what it is?
      Every Monday from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Center for Urban Horticulture, Master Gardeners are on hand to help look at your diseased branch or leaf samples. The service is free and open to everyone.

     Location is:  3501 N.E. 41st St/ Seattle (google for directions.  The Center is approximately a  half mile from Husky Stadium)

      http://kingcountymg.org/  is the website for Master Gardeners
        206- 897-5268 is the “Garden Hotline” number staffed by a Professional at the Center for Urban Hort.

        Consider bringing a sample of  a diseased branch, leaf , or fruit  sometime (along with a sample of the same tree that is not diseased).   Come on a Monday night between 4 and 8 pm.  to this location.   Not everything will have an immediate answer, but if these samples need a more thorough analysis then they may be sent to Puyallup for professional diagnosis from there.  (for a very small fee)

    On April 11th, from 6 to 9 p.m. ,   members of the Seattle Tree Fruit Society will be visiting this Master Gardener Clinic as well as learning more about the Miller Horticulture Library next door. We will also watch some videos on anthracnose that night in the Isaakson classroom of the Center for Urban Hort.
     Think about dropping by on this night.   If you can not make it on this particular Monday, don’t worry…..come another Monday with your diseased or troubled plant to try to get a diagnosis.     Sometimes your local nursery can help to diagnose your plant problems, or sometimes you can find a Master Gardener at a Farmer’s market,   but this service provided by unpaid volunteers is  another good place  to keep in mind for the future.