A series of fourteen Pacific North-west Douglas-fir installations, ranging in age from 6 to 26 years were analysed with respect to site factors, foliage nutrients, and growth response to applied fertilizer. Unfertilized basal area increment ranged from 1.2 to 3.1 m2 ha−1 yr−1 with no apparent relationship with soil, stand age or site index. Basal area increment was correlated with foliage N and a critical level for N was calculated as 1.7%. Applications of 220 kg N ha−1 as urea increased growth between 0 and 95% of the unfertilized basal area growth, with an average of 24.9%. Response could be predicted from foliage N and unfertilized basal area increment. When the same relationships were applied to previously older stand data, results were more variable as elements such as B and S showed evidence of being limiting.