Don't Cheat Your Harvest – Feed Fruit Bushes in March for Double the Yield and Bigger, Juicier Berries
Plus, we reveal the best fertilizers to use
Feeding fruit bushes, including currant and berries, in early spring is key to supporting strong growth and providing nutrients the plant needs for a bumper crop of fruits that season. If you want the best berries this year, take time to fertilize this month.
March is an ideal time to fertilize fruit bushes as they are starting to emerge from dormancy. It is a period of great activity for the bush, and feeding with balanced, granular fertilizer or organic matter provides the nutrients they need to grow, flower, and fruit profusely.
If you are planning your gardening month, early spring is a perfect time to fertilize fruit trees and bushes. Just remember, when you are growing currants and berries, different fruits do require specific feeds, and we’ll reveal the best fertilizers to use here.
Article continues belowWhy You Fertilize Fruit Bushes in Early Spring
Growing stems, developing flowers, and producing and ripening fruits take a lot of energy out of a fruit bush. It often means that bushes may produce less fruit over the years if the soil’s nutrient levels are not topped up annually. A lack of key nutrients weakens the bushes; the result is a poor crop.
For the best harvests, it is recommended to fertilize fruit bushes each spring to give the plants a strong start to the season and all the essential nutrients they need to grow healthy and produce a high yield of fruits.
March is a great month to fertilize fruit bushes, as it marks the start of the active growing season in many climates. At this stage, they need lots of nutrients to support healthy growth and give the bush the stored energy to flower and fruit prolifically.
Chris Cerveny, a soil science and agronomy expert from Just Good Soil, advocates for supplementing the soil ‘early in the season’ to coincide with warming temperatures and the bushes awakening from the winter slumber.
He uses compost as his feed of choice at this stage, and adds: ‘As the soil warms, microbial activity increases and gradually releases nutrients just as the plants begin vigorous growth.
‘It becomes a kind of natural, metered feeding system. That steady nutrient availability is key for fruit quality and nutrition.’
He adds that, while organic material like compost, well-rotted manure, or leaf mold can be added a tad earlier, inorganic fertilizers are best added when the fruit is ‘actively growing’, as the buds start to break.
‘That helps avoid stimulating tender new growth that could be damaged by a late frost,’ warns Chris. Keep a close eye on your plants for breaking buds this month, as that means the window is open to fertilize fruit bushes.
Regular fertilizing becomes even more important when you are growing berries in containers.
As there is only a limited amount of soil in the container, it can quickly get depleted, so regular feeding is a crucial part of maintenance. While fruit bushes in the ground can suffice with just one feed a year, fruit bushes in a container garden need regular feeds throughout the year.
Dr. Chris Cerveny is a soil science and agronomy expert with deep roots in horticultural innovation and product development. As Co-Founder and Head of Product & Innovation at Just Good Soil, Chris leads the scientific development of next-generation soil health solutions, blending rigorous research with practical applications that empower gardeners, growers, and soil stewards to cultivate thriving, resilient landscapes and harvests.
Best Fertilizers For Fruit Bushes This Month
The ideal feeds provide the right mix of essential nutrients that the bushes need for the season ahead. For many types of fruit, a balanced feed will be the best option, but there is one particular type of berry that needs different conditions to prosper.
Organic matter, including homemade compost and well-rotted manure, is a great choice as it contains all the essential nutrients fruit bushes need, and releases them to the plant over an extended period.
If you can’t access homemade compost, a bag of ready-made compost, such as this one containing a blend of compost and manure available at Amazon, is perfect for the job.
Alternatively, a balanced, slow-release fertilizer can be a great option. Maksim Kazakou, resident botany expert at Plantum, recommends using an all-purpose fertilizer as it offers a balanced ratio that ensures ‘healthy’ plant development. An example of such a product is this 12-12-12 multi-purpose fertilizer at Lowe’s.
‘Such products contain nitrogen in multiple forms available for both immediate uptake and longer-lasting feeding,’ says Maksim. ‘They also supply plants with phosphorus and potassium.
Phosphorus stimulates healthy root development, while potassium helps plants become more resilient to unfavorable weather conditions.’
A different feed is required when growing blueberries, which prefer acidic soil compared to other fruit bushes.
To get a blueberry bush to fruit, use a feed formulated for acid-loving plants (such as this Down To Earth Acid Mix fertilizer at Amazon) or specially for blueberries (like this blueberry fertilizer, also at Amazon).
When applying such a product, apply it at the recommended rates around the bush in a circle as wide as the branches, and lightly fork it into the soil surface. If no rain is predicted for the coming days, gently water it in.
Maksim Kazakou is a resident plant expert for the Plantum app, which helps users identify plant species, diagnose their conditions, and get specific care advice.
Maksim Kazakou from Plantum also advises mulching the fruit bushes after feeding to retain moisture. He claims a lack of water is ‘a more common issue than a nitrogen deficiency’.
To combat this, a 2-4 inch layer of mulch keeps essential water in the soil, smothers weeds, regulates the soil temperature, and also provides nutrients as it breaks down. The best type of mulch for fruit bushes includes bark (get bags of natural pine bark mulch at Lowe's), wood chippings, compost, or leaf mold.
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What to Shop
Berry-tone has an NPK of 4-3-4 and is formulated for all berries, including blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries.
This all-purpose granular plant food has an NPK of 4-4-4. It can feed plants for up to three months and is suitable for fruit, vegetables, ornamentals, and container gardens.
This granular, slow-release feed has an NPK of 10-10-10 and is ideal for feeding fruit bushes and trees in early spring. It feeds for up to eight weeks.
