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fertigation of fruit trees a good idea?

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Posted by NorthGa7A none (My Page) on
Sat, Nov 3, 12 at 19:37

Just purchased a drip irrigation system to water vegetable garden and the dwarf apple trees I have on order and I am considering fertigation for both. Anyone out there using fertigation for their fruit trees that can give some input?

Based on some reading, it appears that calculating how much fertilizer your trees are actually receiving can be tricky, plus the fertilizer injectors and the appropriate liquid fertilizers can be pricey, not sure if it is worth the extra work and expense.

Some folks at Cornell University seem to think so.

http://www.nyshs.org/pdf/fq/2004-Volume-12/Vol-12-No-1/Fertigation-of- Apple-Trees-in-Humid-Climates.pdf

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RE: fertigation of fruit trees a good idea?

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  • Posted by fruitnut z7b-8a,4500ft SW TX (My Page) on
    Sat, Nov 3, 12 at 20:43

In your climate and if your soil has limited water holding capacity, irrigation might be good at least during dry spells. But in my opinion one thing wrong with store bought apples is that they tend to be over watered and over fertilized. This results in big fruit that isn't very sweet.

The commercial growers get paid on fruit size and appearance, not on taste. A quick read of your link said only a 15% increase in size. Not worth it for a home grower but a big part of the profit margin for a commercial orchard.

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