Dormancy and Fertilization for Plants Received in Zone 10

[777thSunRay]

I have some plants/trees which have been shipped to me dormant, without leaves. I think they came from colder climes (gotta recheck). Could a tree go, or stay dormant where the absolute minimum temp is 42? (I understand about 40 is a high temp for entering dormancy). They have been growing. Will a dormant plant grow? I live somewhere that never gets below 42f, and that very rarely (and also recently). If the plant is growing, can it still be dormant? Will it come out of dormancy if it stays in the high fourties’ to sixty or so?

So my simple question is, should I be fertilizing these plants, which I am not sure would be considered dormant in my growing zone 10, and if so at what concentration/frequency? Should I still wait for branches and buds or leaves before fertilizing, even if the bare plant is already growing? And what is the case for seedlings vs bigger trees? I imagine that if the plant is growing, maybe it is storing nutrients in advance to sprout faster as the temp climbs…

 

[Potawatomi13]

One might expect beginning wake up with such drastic change. However if species photo period dependent "maybe" not. Trees will be confused.

 

[777thSunRay]

One might expect beginning wake up with such drastic change. However if species photo period dependent "maybe" not. Trees will be confused.

Oh I see, I was only thinking of temperature, not light! lol (our days will be a slightly longer, but maybe best to play it safe) Though is the fact the tree is growing any kind of indicator of whether dormant or not, or is budding the only way to be sure?