Type of Fertilizer

• When cherry trees are grown in fertile soil, nitrogen is the only fertilizer that should be needed annually. Additionally, test the the soil around the tree every three or four years to determine whether it needs lime application to maintain the proper soil pH. You may also find that your trees have a potassium or manganese deficiency, but verify the deficiency with leaf analysis before adding these elements.
  
  

Fertilization After Planting

• Cherry trees should be fertilized twice soon after planting--once about two weeks after planting and again four weeks later. Apply a nitrogen fertilizer such as ammonium nitrate, urea, or calcium nitrate or a complete fertilizer like a 10-10-10 or 5-10-10. Organic fertilizers, such as manure or bone meal, are not recommended because they release nitrogen continuously throughout the year, which is undesirable for cherry trees.
  
  

Annual Fertilization

• Beginning in the second year, cherry trees should be fertilized once a year. Fertilize your cherry trees about a month before they bloom, usually sometime during the early spring months, depending on the type of cherry. Sweet cherries will bloom earlier than tart ones. Once trees have begun to bloom, do not fertilize.
  
  

How to Fertilize

• Apply fertilizer to the soil at the base of tree. Spread it in a wide band around the tree, beginning about 1 foot from the trunk and extending out to the drip line of the branches. As a general rule, apply .05 to .10 lbs. of actual nitrogen per tree for each year of its age until it is mature, about eight years old. After that apply .6 to 1.0 lbs. of actual nitrogen on a yearly basis.