The pot measurements are for the interior diameter.  I have two slow release Im thinking of using.  Osomocote garden and vegetable (14-14-14) or Jack's ClassiCote (http://www.jrpeters.com/Products/Jack-s-Classic/ClassiCote.html).

My question,  do I follow dosing directions on the side of the container or would I add more?  I say that because it seems in ground fertilizing recommendations on the web frequently suggest 1lb per year of age or Foot of tree...that sounds like a lot to me.  I look at those little pellets and wonder how I can equate that level of feeding from a few tablespoons...especially for a pot that would likley flush lots of nutrients out.

My concern is that my growth this year was a bit lack luster, initially due to bad soil choice holding too much moisture, and during the second growth spurt this past 2 month after the tree settled into the new potting (Pro-Mix HP).

Both trees are about 4.5ft tall, one a 5 branched bush, the other a typical erect type.  Each tree grew about 6 inches, both with very dense and short nodes, all my leaves are bunched in compact tuffs ate the ends of the braches.  The leaves are good sized, with some of the newest leaves apparently stuck in mid-growth in small and intermediate sizes...they've been stuck that size for a few weeks. 

Im looking to get these trees to fill out, not such much concerned with hieght(if I cant reach the fruit without a ladder its too high).  Right now, they look like that poor Christmas tree from Charlie brown.

The bush is a Mission.  The erect is a Peter's Honey.  Im just a few miles inland of the Los Angeles coast.

I have great results with osmocote but it doesn't last 4 months.  I use more than it says and repeat every 2-4 weeks as the plant growth slows.  Will your plants go dormant?  If dormancy is less than 6 weeks away you shouldn't fertilize.  If you have at least 8-10 weeks of temps over 75 day and 55-60 or more nights you can fertilize heavily and get old stem growth.  If you want to speed that up just cut off what's growing now and the old wood will put out new growth.  Fertilize first then a few days later cut it off and either make new trees for yourself or offer the cuttings here or on ebay or all 3.  If you don't have enough time of high temps left just let your trees go dormant and do it next year once they've started growing.  There are many ways to do things, that's just my take.   :)

I just toss a bunch in.  For my 1 gal pots Probably 10-15 pellets.  Proportionally more for bigger pots.  If you mean early Nov will give you daytime highs in the high 60s I would wait till next year to cut off the growing clumps. 

Next year it is...maybe like March?