I fertilized about 500 of my pines this past spring. I couldn't believe the growth on the one I did fertilize!!!!! They are growing unbelievable! I know it takes about 5 or 6 years for them to really get established but the fertilizer helped, 12-12-12!! I take a hammer and pound it twice into the ground at the end of the longest branches so when the rain drips off the tree it soaks the fertilizer into the ground! It ends up being about 2 shot glasses deep and works great! I'll do this every other year! I didn't have enough to do about 200 more trees and they didn't grow half as much as the ones I did do! I recommend it! I would make sure the ground is already moist and rain on the way! Good luck!!!