Best Fertilizer for Fukien Tea

[falling_snow]

Hey everybody! I'm thinking of getting a Fukien Tea bonsai, but before I take the plunge I have a quick question. I was reading in a book on Bonsai that Fukien Tea does best with a low-nitrogen fertilizer, but I'm not sure what qualifies as "low-nitrogen" or what proportions the potassium and phosphate should be. If anyone has a Fukien Tea and has a fertilizer to recommend, or could tell me what fertilizer or fertilizer proportion they think would work best, that would be great. Thanks!

 

[Cypress187]

Hey everybody! I'm thinking of getting a Fukien Tea bonsai

That's a great idea. Welcome to the forum!

 

[sorce]

Hey everybody! I'm thinking of getting a Fukien Tea bonsai

That's a terrible Idea!

Welcome to Crazy!

Sorce

 

[GSCarlson]

I have been struggling with this issue. My fukien's leaves are turning yellow and dropping, but it is putting out flower buds like crazy. I suspect she is pulling nutrients, maybe nitrogen, from the leaves to feed the flowers. Extra hi-nitrogen fertilizer doesn't seem to be helping yet. Should I try a fert intended for blooming?

 

[JohnnyFive]

I feed my Fukien tea like I do my other trees, a lot and often with a balanced fert. It has been doing extremely well. Had it for about a year and I've repotted, styled it, and it hasn't skipped a beat.

 

[petegreg]

I don't think FTs are finicky eaters and use the same fert program as for other trees.
If you need strong growth, use high N fertilizers, if the tree is in refinement state, think twice and use some balanced product with lowered N.

 

[M. Frary]

That's a terrible Idea!

Welcome to Crazy!

Sorce

A fukien terrible one!

 

[Lobaeux]

Fukien Teas are amazing bonsai, I've got one and I love it.

Fertilizer isn't really "feeding" the tree, the tree does that all by itself. Fertilizer replenishes elements which can go missing.

I use an average every day liquid fertilizer and Milorganite for my Fukien, but as soon as the Milorganite is finished, I'll be switching to Osmocote. I was using an organic solid, which I felt was doing quite well, but it was bringing pests to the party.

 

[Lobaeux]

I have been struggling with this issue. My fukien's leaves are turning yellow and dropping, but it is putting out flower buds like crazy. I suspect she is pulling nutrients, maybe nitrogen, from the leaves to feed the flowers. Extra hi-nitrogen fertilizer doesn't seem to be helping yet. Should I try a fert intended for blooming?

It's not pulling nutrients from the leaves to feed the flowers, trees don't do that.

More likely what is happening is there is a deficiency in the elements that the tree isn't getting. A balanced fertilizer would help, but I wouldn't fertilize until the tree is back to getting healthy, IF there is a problem with it.

Fukiens are tropical trees, not sure how well the tree does in Colorado though.

I pinch the flowers off.

Yellowing of the leaves could be due to a couple of factors, maybe overwatering.

Maybe one of the experts will chime in.

 

[KingJades]

Fukien Teas are amazing bonsai, I've got one and I love it.

I use an average every day liquid fertilizer and Milorganite for my Fukien, but as soon as the Milorganite is finished, I'll be switching to Osmocote. I was using an organic solid, which I felt was doing quite well, but it was bringing pests to the party.

I ended up selling my older Fukien but did take 2 cuttings so I'm growing those out, successfully so far! The little 2-3 leaf pair "trunk" (it's just a stem....) is pushing leaf and flower buds. I should probably pinch the flowers at this stage since I really need to be developing leaves right now.

I use Osmocote but mostly because that's what all I my trees in development get.

 

[Carol 83]

Maybe the type of fertilizer matters, I don't know. But I have several of them and one week they look great, the next week they might drop leaves like crazy, the next week they're getting new leaves and flowers. No matter what I do. I think they're a bit frustrating, or maybe just like to piss me off.

 

[Anthony]

When the watering schedule changes --------------- leaves drop.
Ours are fed 1/3 strength Lawn Fertiliser [ say 10 to 12 Nitrogen plus whatever else is in the fertiliser ]
Placement is full sun.

Fukien teas from the MAll come from South China, zone 8 and 9 ----------- NOT TROPICAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
In a bonsai pot probably the roots come closer to zone 9 to 10.

Ours go moist into the night and the leaves bark are dry.
Full watering before 7.00 a.m. Observation on the oldest one [ growing them since 1983 -5 ] is to see the drainage holes slowly drip.

Easy shrubs, but dry them and they drop leaves, over soak them at night and they drop leaves.

You need to keep them always growing shoots during late spring to early autumn, just about 8 to 10 leaves, then cut back.
Stimulates the shrub.
Understand this is also a HEDGING plant.
Can bud from anywhere even the root.

LOVES FULL SUN

Good Day
Anthony

***** I am in the Tropics, but they still rest from Christmas to February. No new growth.

 

[Eric Group]

I think Fukien Tea do make decent fertilizer... You just have to grind them up into wood chips, and mix with the rest of your compost, let it sit for at least 3-6 months- depending on how often you turn the pile- once the mix is dark black, the consistency of black Cow, you should have something you can mix into garden soil and grow veggies in!
Sorry... Bad joke... I just think they are junk personally.

Hey everybody! I'm thinking of getting a Fukien Tea bonsai, but before I take the plunge I have a quick question. I was reading in a book on Bonsai that Fukien Tea does best with a low-nitrogen fertilizer, but I'm not sure what qualifies as "low-nitrogen" or what proportions the potassium and phosphate should be. If anyone has a Fukien Tea and has a fertilizer to recommend, or could tell me what fertilizer or fertilizer proportion they think would work best, that would be great. Thanks!

Ok, low nitrogen.... You see those three numbers on your fertilizer bag/ container? Yes, ANY FERT, ANY TYPE, ANYWHERE.... it should be prominently displayed, sometimes you have to go looking in the break down on the back... But you are looks for the N-P-K numbers. If N is significantly lower than the other two, it is a low Nitrogen Fertilizer. Yep, it is that simple.

If that is too much trouble, look for something claiming to be a "bloom booster" or something comparable...
Go read some of the fertilizer threads though, there is lots of evidence out there that trees use what they need when it comes to nutrients, so all this balancing act of applying certain frets at certain times for certain trees.... Is probably worthless. The most important thing to do when it comes to fertilizer is to GIVE THEM FERTILIZER! The tree will use what it needs, the rest will probably wash right through, and unless you are dumping massive amounts of heavy salts into you dirt, it probably won't hurt!
Some people have strict rules about withholding frets for refined specimen trees at certain times to reduce growth/ leaf size/ needle length.. may be some value in all that but for the normal tree, young and in training, just feed it! Good luck!

 

[Anthony]

When you have a few good efforts Eric, you will find yourself saying ------------------ no more.
Better to cultivate the Serissa s. or the Sageretia t.

Healthy, you have to focus on mounds. Mounds show best under overhead lighting.

It's like Ficus, best as mounds or trunk/roots.

Not a good plant for a beginner, wood rots easily, bugs and watering techniques.
Great mallsai. Great hedge for well drained soil.
Good Day
Anthony

 

[Culper Woodhull]

I use an average every day liquid fertilizer and Milorganite for my Fukien, but as soon as the Milorganite is finished, I'll be switching to Osmocote.

Have you made the switch to Osmocote? If so, how does the Fukien Tea like it?

 

[Culper Woodhull]

I use Osmocote but mostly because that's what all I my trees in development get.

How do you apply Osmocote? Is it granules or a spray? How much do you apply? I definitely need a fertilizer for multiple trees. I've got a Juniper, Jade and Fukien Tea 12.

 

[MichaelS]

That's a terrible Idea!

Welcome to Crazy!

Sorce

Do you prefer Fukien coffee?

 

[Culper Woodhull]

Do you prefer Fukien coffee?

No he prefers Fukien bon fires....I promise.

 

[Anthony]

@Culper Woodhull,

organic oil seed meal if you have to over winter. Ask the others how.
Good Day
Anthony

 

[just.wing.it]

I obtained my FT relatively late in the season last year, and it hasn't stopped growing since I pulled it out of the box.
Shoots and flowers.