Repot next spring while still dormant. Prune in late winter or before buds move - about the time you repot. Al

I've read the various Al/Tapla (whom I trust) water, soil, fert, and tree posts in the Container forum over the past couple years. He suggests the 3:1:2 ratio as a "general all purpose fert" but never seen the advice deviate when asked for various different types of container plants & trees. For Apricots he suggested the same ratio -- except when fruit bearing to use a little less FP 9-3-6 add more Pro-Tekt to up the K. I know other experienced fruit tree gardeners in this forum may not subscribe to this ratio. It seems the CRF needs supplement for at least the first 30-60 days, so using soluble w/micros may be problematic if large CRF doses were used, too. As Al has commented the smaller window of micro-nutrient toxicity or antagonistic deficiency resulting from mixing two ferts with micros. So wondering what you folks think of this and what you use...

Meyermike is correct about slow release fertilizers releasing their nutrients according to the temperature. The warmer the temperature, the grater the nutrient release, and accordingly, the cooler the temperature the lower the release of nutrients. This is exactly what makes them so valuable to the grower. In fact slow release fertilizers are the #-1 method of fertilizing container trees, including citrus trees. In volume no other type of fertilizer comes close. This is because just about 100 percent of all commercial nurseries fertilizer their container production using a 6 9 month slow release fertilizer. The benefit of a slow release fertilizer reacting to the temperature, is that during the spring and summer season, when the temperatures are optimum for tree growth, a slow release fertilizer releases a higher level of nutrition, just at the time when the tree's growth demands it. Then during the cooler fall and winter months when a tree still requires some nutrition, but because of the cooler temperatures, the nutrition is supplied at a reduced level, again just what a tree requires. It certainly is not "feast or famine", rather it is nutrition supplied according to the tree's need. Further, many growers use both a slow release fertilizer, and a water soluble fertilizer as their fertilizer program. Osmocote Pro is a very popular slow release fertilizer. Osmocote Prod contains the three macro nutrients nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium, plus all 12 of of trace elements. You can find it at most Home Depot Store.

Jacquelynn - In the future you may get more answers and you can get them coming directly to your email if you start a new thread for a question rather than adding on to an old one. Just go to the main New England forum page and scroll down to the bottom to start a new thread. Check off the box to get thread additions emailed directly to you. Sure - any size or variety of blueberry shrub can be grown well in the ground! In fact they will probably be happier with less fussing on your part in the ground. I have both high bush and low bush blueberries growing wild all over my old farm. For good fruiting, if you are growing the shorter ones, be sure that they are positioned so that they aren't shadowed by taller plants near them. Mulch well with an organic mulch since blueberries have relatively shallow roots and don't like to dry out. The birds like blueberries too, so you may need to cover the shrubs with bird netting as harvest time gets close. Enjoy - blueberries are one of the easiest fruit crops in my experience. As a bonus you get spring flowers and lovely red autumn foliage.