Topic: What should I feed a 2 year old apple tree

[newspud9]

Last summer I planted a 2 year old James Grieve apple tree.  A few months ago, I fed it some general compost and now its just beginning to show very small buds.   Would be grateful to know the best feed + feeding schedule over the next 12 months.

Many thanks for all the comments.

[goodlife]

If you tree is planted in ground, you only need very simple 'schedule' for feeding. Late winter/early spring give a application of general feed..growmore or blood, fish and bone meal on the area that is directly bellow the canopy (spread of the roots) and if you keep mulch on that is about all you need to do about it. There is more 'specific' feeds about but I would not venture to those unless your tree should show sign of 'shyness' regarding fruit/flower formation or there is some other form of 'problem'.
If you keep the mulch on all year round..I would suggest to do the feeding first each year before applying any new/fresh mulch layers..the feed has less distance to travel through the mulch and it can get to work that bit sooner.
If it looks that your tree is not making much growth..you and also give it application of bone meal each autumn/early winter. Bone meal will encourage root growth, good root growth = better top growth.
It is as easy as that.  I do 'spoil' mine with some seaweed meal and rock dust ..for 'just to make sure they've got it all' for healthy growth

[goodlife]

Oh..just to add. All those 'instant' liquid feeds don't tend to work same way with trees. Trees like things 'slowly' and what ever you apply and do to the soil to make it better (mulching) this year, the three won't show you the benefits from it until following year.
They just want 'good home' and they will grow to be perfectly happy trees in future
Yes..just like kids

[Russell]

If your tree is a James Grieve, they are better than most varieties at fending for themselves, so you might not need to feed it at all. Over-feeding an apple tree can reduce your crop by prompting the tree to make too much leaf and shoot, and not enough flower buds.
If your rootstock is MM106 (quite common) that will also make the tree good at finding food.
It all depends on your soil, I suggest you wait to feed until there are definite signs that food is needed (sparse growth, yellowing leaves).
I have two James Grieves on MM106 twelve years old have never needed feeding.

[Robert_Brenchley]

I have one which was broken off just above the graft and vandalised. I almost gave it up for lost, but it regrew, and crops merrily.