Fruit Tree Fertilizer in Zone 7 Clay: Soil Test First, Then Decide

NW Arkansas (Zone 7), clay/rocky soil, 2-year-old plum, peach, nectarine, apricot, cherry bushes. Asking for best NPK (10-10-10?). Answer: impossible without soil test.

Why Guessing Fails

• Soil may already have high P, K — adding more blocks other nutrients (excess P blocks Cu/Zn; excess K blocks Mg/Mn/Fe).
• Wrong pH locks out iron — no matter how much you add.
• Fertilizing = balancing weights, not depositing money. Ratio matters.

Action

Provide zip code → I'll find your local soil test lab. Test first. Amend precisely. Fruit trees are heavy feeders — but only of what's actually missing.