Best Fertilizer For Growth?

[tmjudd1]

I currently have a few 'Sticks 'n' Pots' that I'm wanting to grow, grow, grow this upcoming season. At least grow as much as can be expected in small containers/pots. Some of them are still in potting soil, the others in Bonsai soil. Is there any 'one' general purpose fertilizer that will pack on a lot of growth, safely, for these different species? (JBP, Kingsville Boxwood, Chinese Elm, Tsukumo Cypress, and Juniper). I was looking at Jacks Classic No.1.5 20-20-20 All Purpose Fertilizer. Would 20-20-20 work, or would this be a bit much for small subjects such as this?

 

[AZbonsai]

Lotta folks use Miracle Grow myself included. I am going to do some organic stuff this yesr as well. Have not figured out the mix just yet. You should head over to the fertilizer forum and peruse the offerings.

 

[Potawatomi13]

I currently have a few 'Sticks 'n' Pots' that I'm wanting to grow, grow, grow this upcoming season. At least grow as much as can be expected in small containers/pots. Some of them are still in potting soil, the others in Bonsai soil. Is there any 'one' general purpose fertilizer that will pack on a lot of growth, safely, for these different species? (JBP, Kingsville Boxwood, Chinese Elm, Tsukumo Cypress, and Juniper). I was looking at Jacks Classic No.1.5 20-20-20 All Purpose Fertilizer. Would 20-20-20 work, or would this be a bit much for small subjects such as this?
View attachment 223398

Size of tree matters not. Only nutrition of same. Personally use 20-20-20 for several years. Great results. Be aware not over watering/polluting environment.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

Where are the trace elements?
NPK is one thing, but plants like calcium, magnesium, iron, copper, boron, and a lot of extra small stuff that allows the plant to make the best out of those NPK's.
They need just minute amounts, but if you're going for solid qualitative growth, it's best to not forget those trace elements.

Usually, they can be found in every hardware store or garden centre. Sometimes sold as a product to bring back some greens in houseplants.

 

[WNC Bonsai]

Where are the trace elements?
NPK is one thing, but plants like calcium, magnesium, iron, copper, boron, and a lot of extra small stuff that allows the plant to make the best out of those NPK's.
They need just minute amounts, but if you're going for solid qualitative growth, it's best to not forget those trace elements.

Usually, they can be found in every hardware store or garden centre. Sometimes sold as a product to bring back some greens in houseplants.

Most commercial fertilizers now contain trace elements as well as the NPK.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

Most commercial fertilizers now contain trace elements as well as the NPK.

Over here they don't. It's the more expensive 5% that does (apart from the organics, but who knows what's really in there?! We tested it once and found 80+% differences in single batches for P and N).

So we actually benefit by buying the cheapest NPK, and just adding a 8 dollar bottle of trace elements ourselves. It saves around 50 bucks per season.

 

[WNC Bonsai]

Over here they don't. It's the more expensive 5% that does (apart from the organics, but who knows what's really in there?! We tested it once and found 80+% differences in single batches for P and N).

So we actually benefit by buying the cheapest NPK, and just adding a 8 dollar bottle of trace elements ourselves. It saves around 50 bucks per season.

In that case then our local arboretum adds MicroMax to their custom bonsai soil mix. It is an expensive option. The analysis is:

Guaranteed Analysis:
6% Calcium
3% Magnesium
12% Sulfur (combined)
0.10% Boron
1% Copper (water soluble)
17% Iron (16% water soluble)
2.50% Manganese (water soluble)
0.05% Molybdenum
1% Zinc (water soluble)

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

That's a decent amount @Cofga ! Looks good to me.
Most commercial nutrients sold here contain around 20-20-20 NPK and then a dash of magnesium, but that's about it.
When we want full spectrum nutrients, we can count on the price tag being 500% of the NPK+Mg nutrients.
That's a little too much for my wallet. So I decided to spend some time figuring out what the ideal homeblend would be, and it can be done cheap! Right now I spend about 10 bucks per year on nutrients and I haven't seen a deficiency in 5 years.

 

[BrianBay9]

One other thing I consider when looking at ferts is the amount of nitrogen available as ammonia or ammonium salts, vs nitrogen as urea. Urea needs to break down to become available for plants but ammonia does not. With my mostly inorganic soil mix I'm assuming my fertilizer doesn't hang around all that long, and the urea may not get a chance to break down.. So, I prefer nitrogen as ammonia rather than urea.

 

[tmjudd1]

 

[Paulpash]

What is your aim exactly? If it is to get a bigger trunk or better taper all talk of fertilizer is moot.

 

[tmjudd1]

What is your aim exactly? If it is to get a bigger trunk or better taper all talk of fertilizer is moot.

Nope, just looking to pack on foliage and grow branches. I'll never get fat trunks in these tiny containers...

 

[BrianBay9]

View attachment 223510

Nope, just looking to pack on foliage and grow branches. I'll never get fat trunks in these tiny containers...

This label demonstrates what I mean. 90% of the nitrogen comes from urea. If you use inorganic substrates and water at least once a day the urea will wash away before it can break down into usable nitrogen. Unfortunately most chemical ferts are similar. The exceptions seem to be those designed for orchids.

 

[tmjudd1]

This label demonstrates what I mean. 90% of the nitrogen comes from urea. If you use inorganic substrates and water at least once a day the urea will wash away before it can break down into usable nitrogen. Unfortunately most chemical ferts are similar. The exceptions seem to be those designed for orchids.

Is there any way to break down the urea prior to application?