New leaves are starting to grow on my eastern red bud tree. (Cercis Canadensis) Should I give it some fertilizer now?
Wait until the leaves have grown to about half their normal size then apply fertilizer that contains nitrogen. The tree will be able to use the fertilizer better when it has more foliage. Also, if you wait a while before you apply fertilizer, the weather will be a little warmer and there will be less chance of frost damage to the new leaves. If you use a soluble fertilizer, scatter it lightly on the soil under the tree’s dripline (at the edge of the branches) then irrigate to dissolve the fertilizer and carry it into the soil. Do not apply fertilizer close to the trunk, since this may injure the tree.
