Autumn feeding: what the garden needs in fall

Most fruit bushes, fruit trees and roses get no fertiliser in autumn. The RHS and university extension services advise feeding in early spring and only mulching from late autumn to late winter: nitrogen given from midsummer on pushes soft late growth that frost damages. The one crop fed after its harvest is the June-bearing strawberry, renovated and fed straight after fruiting, with the last feed by the end of August.

Feed right after the harvest

Fed after fruiting, not in late autumn.

Plant	When to feed	In autumn	Sources
Strawberry	June-bearers: straight after the last harvest (renovation), a second feed in late August	No fertiliser after 31 August; in late autumn cover with straw or leaf mulch	yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu, plantsoilcenter.cahnr.uconn.edu, publications.mgcafe.uky.edu, rhs.org.uk

No feeding from midsummer on

The sources name a cut-off: late growth after it is damaged by frost.

Plant	When to feed	In autumn	Sources
Raspberry	In spring, before new growth starts	No feeding: fertilising stops after harvest, late growth suffers in winter; mulch from late autumn	yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu, yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu, extension.oregonstate.edu, rhs.org.uk
Blueberry	Early spring, before the buds break (ericaceous feed)	No feeding after bloom; over-feeding gives tender growth and winter injury	yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu, rhs.org.uk, extension.umaine.edu
Grape	Early spring	No feeding in late spring or summer; stop as the grapes start to ripen	yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu, rhs.org.uk
Apple	Early spring, only if the crop was poor	No feeding from late spring on; mulch from late autumn to late winter	yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu, rhs.org.uk
Pear	Early spring, only if growth is poor	No feeding from late spring on; a regularly mulched tree needs no feed	yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu, rhs.org.uk
Plum	Early spring	No feeding in late summer or early autumn: it raises the risk of frost cracks and sunscald	extension.umd.edu, rhs.org.uk, yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu
Sweet cherry	Early spring	No feeding in late summer or early autumn: it raises the risk of frost cracks and sunscald	extension.umd.edu, yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu
Sour cherry	Early spring	No feeding in late summer or early autumn: it raises the risk of frost cracks and sunscald	extension.umd.edu, yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu
Rose	Spring and, for repeat-flowering roses, in midsummer after the first flush	Last feed about six weeks before the first frost (by 15 August in Colorado); mulch from late autumn	hgic.clemson.edu, planttalk.colostate.edu, depts.washington.edu, rhs.org.uk

Feed in spring only, mulch in autumn

No source advises an autumn feed; a mulch of compost or well-rotted manure from late autumn to late winter is enough.

Plant	When to feed	In autumn	Sources
Blackcurrant	Early spring	No fertiliser; well-rotted manure or a mulch from late autumn to late winter	rhs.org.uk, yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu
Redcurrant	Early spring	No fertiliser; well-rotted manure may go on in late autumn; bushes planted in autumn get nothing until spring	yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu, www2.gov.bc.ca
Gooseberry	Early spring, only if the soil is poor	Mulch only; too much nitrogen gives soft growth that mildews	rhs.org.uk, yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu
Blackberry	Early spring, only if the crop was poor	No fertiliser; in mulched soil no feed is needed	rhs.org.uk, extension.oregonstate.edu
Haskap	Once in early spring: compost or well-rotted manure	No feeding; newly planted bushes get no fertiliser	gardening.usask.ca
Hydrangea	Light feeds in March, May and July (Clemson)	The schedule ends in July; too much nitrogen cuts flowering; keep a mulch all year	hgic.clemson.edu, plantfinder.mobot.org
Lilac	After flowering, and only if a soil test shows a need	No feeding; too much nitrogen gives leaves instead of flower buds	barron.extension.wisc.edu
Rhododendron	Rarely needed; in pots, slow-release granules in spring	No feeding after midsummer; over-feeding burns roots and leaves	rhs.org.uk, depts.washington.edu

Sources disagree

Respected sources give different advice; both are shown.

Plant	When to feed	In autumn	Sources
Peony	Spring, with a mulch (RHS)	UConn: do not feed in late summer or autumn. K-State: feed again in autumn after cutting back	rhs.org.uk, homegarden.cahnr.uconn.edu, k-state.edu
Clematis	In the ground, rarely needed (RHS); in pots, through spring and summer	Oregon State: feed in spring, summer and autumn. Clemson: avoid excess nitrogen, which drives soft growth	rhs.org.uk, extension.oregonstate.edu, hgic.clemson.edu

FAQ

Should you fertilise fruit trees and bushes in autumn?

As a rule, no. The sources on this page advise feeding apples, pears, plums, cherries, currants, gooseberries, raspberries, blueberries and grapes in early spring; several say outright not to feed in late summer or autumn, because late growth is damaged by frost.

Which plant is fed in late summer?

June-bearing strawberries: they are renovated and fed straight after the harvest, and the last feed is at the end of August (UConn). Roses get their last feed about six weeks before the first frost (Clemson) or by 15 August in Colorado.

What can you do in autumn instead of feeding?

Mulch. The RHS gives late autumn to late winter (November–February) as the time to spread compost or well-rotted manure around fruit bushes, fruit trees and roses; Iowa State also allows well-rotted manure around currants in late fall.

First frost date in your city

Reference information: the dates are the sources' own; your soil and a soil test may say otherwise.