Fall Fertilizer Program

[RobertB]

Interested in what different people prefer for fall fertilizer. Been researching it some this summer. Normally, I just use Miracle Grow Big Bloom applied weekly starting around Sept here as its still pretty hot then and first freeze isn't normally till Dec.

I know that its recommended to use a low (or none) nitrogen fertilizer but interested in what everyone else uses.

 

[cmeg1]

Probably does not matter much for growing out purpose.
For growing out trees I would probably load it on till leaf fall and whatever un-needed soft growth will just die back to harder growth.
I use eartjuice bloom 0-3-1 with every watering when I WANT to slow things down.
I personall would not load on grow ferts on a refined bonsai where I do not want to see soft growth die back at first cold snap because I would risk losing ramification.
Every tree species is its own animal though.
Depends for me on what stage of refinement.

 

[RobertB]

Good response and I agree with your comment about stage of refinement.

Interesting about pushing till frost while growing out. I was under the impression that the trees needed higher P & K to build up sugars for the winter to help prevent them from dyeing all together.

 

[coh]

I use my regular fertilizer well into fall (October and maybe even early November). Have never had a problem with trees pushing late growth, the trees seem to "know" when to shut down. Maybe the seasonal signals aren't as strong in warmer climates like yours, so perhaps late use of higher nitrogen could encourage growth later than you want.

I'll sometimes use a blossom booster type fertilizer in the fall, especially on pines. This was recommended by a couple of growers I respect as a way to enhance bud development. I know the research says otherwise and I haven't seen much evidence that it does anything, but it also doesn't seem to hurt.

 

[RobertB]

I would think that using a lower N and higher P&K in the fall would also help with a strong bud push in spring. From what Ive heard from listening to Ryan Neil in his various free lectures is that if we were are to fertilize at any 1 point during a yr it should be in fall.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

Just keep in mind that excess levels of P destroy soil microbiota. Excess levels of both p and k tend to lead to nitrogen issues around here. I can't chemically or biologically explain why, but it happens.

I use all round nutrients all year round, dosed to the needs, except for winter. I honestly believe it's not beneficial to remove nitrogen from the feeding plan, it's the most important nutrient in nearly every plant process from DNA synthesis, to protein, to chlorophyll.
Without nitrogen, most winter-protection proteins, or functional proteins in general, can't even be built.

Winters come slowly here, there's enough signals for most plants to shut down and go dormant at their own pace.

 

[bwaynef]

Brent's got a good article I think titled "The myth of 0-10-10". Ask the Googler for it.

 

[WNC Bonsai]

Brent's got a good article I think titled "The myth of 0-10-10". Ask the Googler for it.

Brent who? Couldn’t find it.

 

[Dav4]

Brent who? Couldn’t find it.

Brent Walston at evergreengardenworks.com... The Godfather of bonsai horticultural knowledge in the USA.

 

[coh]

I think the 0-10-10 myth article was actually on Michael Hagedorn's blog, I didn't find one on Brent's site.

 

[Dav4]

I think the 0-10-10 myth article was actually on Michael Hagedorn's blog, I didn't find one on Brent's site.

Brent has an article there that covers the same things... he recommends balanced ferts well into the fall.

 

[MrWunderful]

http://bonsainurseryman.typepad.com/bonsainurseryman/2006/08/the_myth_of_010.html

This is the link I found.

 

[Lazylightningny]

Since organic ferts take around a month or so to become available (according to ryan neil at least) isn't it a good idea to fertilize going into dormancy so those nutrients will be available in the spring?

 

[GGB]

I used to abide by the 0-10-10 fall myth. I just go well rounded as I can now. Here I fert from April to November

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

Since organic ferts take around a month or so to become available (according to ryan neil at least) isn't it a good idea to fertilize going into dormancy so those nutrients will be available in the spring?

Yes and no. Depending on how much of your fertilizer is broken down already, like fish stuff which is broken down, or dung which needs time. P and K take their time, nitrogens tend to be faster and sometimes evaporate or wash out.
I fertilize a week or two before they wake up. But that's hard to time correct.

 

[Lorax7]

I left my fertilizer tea bags on all my trees throughout the fall and winter last year, seemingly with no ill effects. I had one tree that died, but I attribute that to root work and repotting that I did to it this spring, not fertilization. I use a fairly balanced and diverse mix of slowly releasing organic fertilizers.

 

[dirk hoorelbeke]

First frost in november here. I slow down fertilization in the "heat" of summer. And in august i restart until oktober. I don't switch to "special" fall fert. I don't prune after end of July so a new late growth spurt is not induced by fert. i guess. I think it is a different story in warmer climates where plants can restart a new growth spurt later in the year. Local climate might ... so it depends.

 

[M. Frary]

I blast them until the leaves fall off in autumn.