Stark® Orchard Fertilizer

Yes - use in the early spring around bearing trees (not young ones) by spreading around the drip line. See the package instructions for amount which varies with trunk diameter.

According to my email from Starkbros customer service.

Thank you for contacting us. 2 cups of fertilizer would equal 1 pound. 
 We appreciate you reaching out to us! Your planting success is important to us and we value you as a customer. If you have any further questions please don't hesitate to reach back out to us, remember that we're here for you. Have a great day!

I'd stick with the Tre-Pep for now. It's more well-rounded for young trees. Once the trees all hit their fruit-bearing years (approximately their third year in the ground), they will take more nitrogen from the soil to support their fruit production cycle and then you may want to consider using Orchard Fertilizer to provide nitrogen (as needed).

I only used the fertilizer, but my main goal was to produce a lot of greenery in my apple trees since they were growing slow.

Tre-Pep. 22-24-12. "Wonderful" fertilizer!

I have only applied once since my purchase and had followed instructions by sprinkling on the ground and did so just hours before a gentle rain fell which appeared to dissolve the fertilizer. My trees are 3 years old and still relatively small but they all have bloomed this year and had not before but as I said, they are 3 years old and was hoping they would bloom this year. I will continue to use this product and monitor results but so far so good. Just sprinkled on ground approx. diameter of total tree width (didn't go any further than the branch width), grass is sure growing well around trees!

No, it shouldn't hurt anything to apply this fertilizer once new growth has started emerging. Just follow the label and be sure not to make the application after July 1.

It's just nitrogen granules (derived from urea), but it's not composed of organic matter like leaves or grass cuttings.

Yes, according to Stark Bros. it should be used on trees 3 years or older. Easy to apply and it dissolves with the next rain and penetrates the soil. There are some good videos on the subject on the Stark Bros. website.