SUMMER CARE OF FRUIT TREES!

Courtesy Rocky Point

Growing your own fruit trees is not only rewarding but also cost-effective. Just think about the price of a single passionfruit or avocado at the store compared to the cost of a vine or tree. Once your fruiting plants begin producing, they quickly repay your initial investment.

Each type of fruit tree has unique requirements, including sunlight exposure, soil preferences, pruning practices, potential pollination needs, and fertilising schedules. Researching these factors for each tree type will help ensure successful growth and bountiful harvests.

Soil Preparation and Planting

Before planting your fruit trees, enrich your soil by adding generous amounts of Rocky Point Organic Health Garden Soil or for existing beds dig through ActivGrow Soil Improver (compost) or Cow Manure Plus to create a nutrient-rich foundation.

Once planted, cover the soil with a layer of Rocky Point Lucerne or Sugar Cane Mulch. This mulch not only protects plant roots, suppresses weeds, and retains moisture, but also serves as a food source for beneficial microorganisms in the soil. As they feed on the mulch, these microorganisms break it down, releasing nutrients that help nourish your plants while increasing carbon levels in the soil. Just remember to keep mulch away from the trunks and stems to avoid collar rot.

Fertilising

 As the weather warms up, fruit trees enter their peak growing season, focusing energy on leaf growth, and in many cases, flower and fruit development. This active growth phase calls for plenty of nutrients. Most fruiting plants benefit from a balanced fertiliser that provides essential NPK—Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium—along with trace elements like iron, magnesium, sulfur, and zinc, which supply vital micronutrients. Remember, fertilising guidelines can vary for potted versus in-ground trees.

Recommended Products:

Rocky Point offers a range of high-quality fertilizers that are safe and effective for all your fruiting plants and edibles, ensuring they receive the nutrients they need for healthy, productive growth.

Rocky Point ActivGrow Pellets are safe to use on both newly planted and established fruit trees. They offer a nutrient-rich blend, including composted organic poultry manure, natural gypsum, sulfate of potash, fishmeal, feather meal, meat meal, zeolite, and seaweed.

Apply ActivGrow Pellets every 4-6 weeks during spring, summer, and possibly autumn, depending on your climate.

Rocky Point Blood & Bone blend is a pelletised fertiliser high in nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and calcium, with added composted organic poultry manure for easy application. It can be used throughout the growing season alongside ActivGrow Pellets for enhanced nutrition.

Trace elements are essential for fruiting plants, as they consume key nutrients quickly during flowering and fruiting. Rock dust minerals, available for purchase, can be applied annually—typically after fruiting—to replenish these elements. Additionally, give your trees an extra dose of natural gypsum once a year to provide valuable calcium.

The amount of fertiliser needed depends on the age of your tree; older trees generally require more. Always follow the instructions on the packaging for safe application.

Fertilising Tips:

• Fertilise after harvest to encourage new growth post-harvest.
• Avoid fertilising while your fruit trees are bearing fruit, as this may trigger premature fruit drop if the tree shifts focus to growth instead of fruit development.