I just had a soil test conducted and recieved recommendations for a vegetable garden. I also have some fruit trees next to the garden (pear, peach, plum, and apple) that were there when we moved in. We are in central VA (plant hardiness zone 7) have been there 15 months, and the pears are doing well, but the plums, peaches and apples have not fruited, and are not growing much. One of the peaches and one of the plums are incredibly spindly and have put out a few new leaves but they have not gotten taller and the trunks have not thickened at all. Since they are obviously not doing well, I was hoping for some advice on how to fertilize and care for them now that I have the results of the soil test. I'm guessing that I should lime the soil, since it is acidic, but what about other fertilizers, and what time of the year should I apply them?
pH=5.3
phosphorous = 7 lbs/A (low)
Potassium = 106 lbs/A (medium)
Calcium = 1616 lbs/A (high-)
Mg = 236 lbs/A (very high) Is the high reading a problem?
Zn =0.7 ppm (sufficient)
Mn=10.0 (sufficient)
Cu=0.4 ppm (sufficient)
Fe= 43.1 ppm (sufficient)
B =0.3 ppm (sufficient)
They don't give a reading for nitrogen, but recommended 4 lbs/100 square feet of 5-10-10 fertilizer for the vegetable garden. Should I fertilize more or less for the fruit trees? Also, I plan to use composted horse manure instead of 5-10-10. Does anyone know how to convert the fertilizer recommendation to pounds of compost?
Thanks!
