"See if you can find any information about P that is actually based on research in the field where a lack of it has caused production problems. Check into Australian fruit production because, as I recall, their soil is ancient and very low in P." I Googled for a little bit and really didn't come up w/ much scientific info. (At least they didn't explain any science behind it.) I quickly came across a few examples like this: http://archive.agric.wa.gov.au/objtwr/imported_assets/content/pw/gard/nutritional_gn_formatted.pdf where they have a quick blurb about P, where they say, "Phosphorus is essential for the development of flowers, fruit and roots....In fruit trees, flowering and fruiting may be affected. Deficiency symptoms are more prevalent during cold, wet conditions. To correct the deficiency apply solid or liquid phosphate fertilisers." Ive read lots of stuff like this in the past, but I know you are looking for something more substantial. In Prof. D. Layne's book "The Peach, Botany Production and Uses", he mentions that P is rare in peaches and that generally there is no response to adding it. Interestingly he does say that P deficiency can occur, causing reduced growth, without any visual symptoms in the foliage. I'd post the link to the book, but since it's a copyrighted book, the link may not pull up the same pages I was reading. Google books does that sometimes. I know you are somewhat annoyed that commercial guidelines could recommend adding P w/o a soil test, but again it's only for the first two years, it's a small amount, and in a commercial orchard, where that amount of P would probably be used up by the time it got down to the root zone. The U.C. Davis link you posted above get their info. from their nutrition manual (linked at the bottom of their page). The authors of it even state, " In fact, annual requirements of fruit trees in general range from 5 to 10 lb/acre (6 to 11 kg/ha), which is much lower than for many field crops." Although they don't specifically state a maintenance program for P is required, they do imply it. Of course they don't recommend application of nutrients w/o testing, but U of GA only mentioned it for the first two years, which isn't a big issue to me. I've always read that P is very stable and immobile in soil, so I think the risk of pollution from a couple very light applications of P is very minimal. It seems most pollution from P comes from sewage treatment and feed lots. The link from the U.C. Davis nutrition manual says,"However, there is minimal leaching loss of phosphorus from the soil because it exists predominately in these insoluble forms." To me the danger of too much P is the reduced uptake of Zn, which is pretty important to peach trees. But there is little risk of too much P in this area, unless someone was careless w/ applying it. You may be right, that P doesn't matter for fruit trees, but there seems to enough university publications recommending a minimum level for it, that I think it warrants addressing in soils low in P, such as in this locale. Although I agree, there does seem to be a degree of conflicting advice about it. I think Rayrose has a very good point that Ph is just as important as the actual level of P in the soil, in terms of root uptake. I also agree that too much emphasis should not be placed on any one nutrient. I hope I haven't left the impression that P is the only nutrient that matters, or even the main nutrient. I just originally addressed Clark's situation based on my own soils, which showed P the most deficient of all nutrients. But I tried to qualify that by recognizing soils my be different in his part of the state.

You might want to contact your local extension office. They should know what it is. You could even contact LSU. You'll have to look it up to find an email address.

Walter So far as much as we can tell the crops are find. Spoke with others and they too are on high enough land they seem OK as well. The coast and the routes to them are in big time trouble. I-5 the main freeway in OR and WA is under water at Chelahalis in WA to get to Seattle you must go around robinhoods barn and many miles. Hopefully if no more rain it will reopen on Thurs or Fri. Catch is they are staying more rain is due. Vernonia a little town north west of Portland is an island now, no store, no hospitial...many homes LOST. Might be months. Both Gov. of WA and OR have declared most of areas as disaster areas. I feel for our lovely coast and all those who now are without homes or homes so damaged they can not live in their homes. D

In addition to local nurseries you could check out this great business called Edible Landscaping, which specializes in fruit trees. They're located in VA so most of what they carry will do well in our area. http://www.eat-it.com Juneberries/Serviceberries (amalanchier) are one of my favorite native fruits, and will do fine in some shade since they often grow in the forest. They have small red-purple berries with an edible seed inside. My husband says they taste like blueberries and I think they taste like Sweet Tarts (maybe I don't let them get all the way ripe!). The birds will love whatever you don't eat. I'll eat a pawpaw or two in the wild but the kerosene like aftertaste stops me after that, so I wouldn't plant them in my yard. Some people don't seem to be bothered by them though. Gooseberries and currants can also apparently take shade, especially afternoon shade (which side of your yard is the forest on?). Otherwise most fruit trees will do better in full sun. Figs THRIVE in my neighborhood in Takoma Park/Silver Spring. (There are so many trees within a few blocks of us, I have the theory that they're all cuttings off of one or two trees that have been passed around over the years.) I think the ones I like the best are Celeste, if I've identified them right. Animals seem to leave them alone, which is a major plus. You can dry whatever you don't eat fresh. If you've never had a fresh fig, there's nothing quite like it. I'm a huge fan. In general most folks I know seem to think apples and peaches are too high-maintenance to be worth it. I have a peach tree in my backyard that produces massive amounts of fruits but the squirrels like to eat them when they're green, so I get very few. It's kind of heartbreaking -- every year I see the number of fruits and my hopes are so high for good, fresh peaches, and it never quite comes out that way. We also have a pear tree that is not nearly as productive, but just as attractive to the squirrels. I have yet to eat a pear. I have a neighbor who grows plums somewhat successfully but loses a lot to the plum curculio bug. Mulberries grow pretty much as a weed tree in this area because birds eat so many of them and spread the seeds. I find them very tasty. You can easily feed yourself and the birds. You'd just have to stay on top of any seedlings that start coming up where you don't want them (especially along fences where birds perch). This year I have plans to plant a sour cherry. Birds are supposed to like them less than sweet cherries. We'll see. I'm also looking into Japanese persimmon. Blueberries also can do well here if you amend the soil to be acidic enough for them. You will have to fight the birds for them, too. Good luck!