Fertilizing bonsai? Chemical, organic, how, when?

[M. Frary]

5 Times the amount prescribed? You trying to be a salt miner?

I just grow lush healthy trees.

 

[Lazylightningny]

The problem with chemical fertilizer is that you are killing off the beneficial microbes in the soil. Organic fertilizer sits on the soil, leeches in and feeds and promotes the growth of these microbes. The mycorrhizae relationship between the fungus and bacteria and the plant itself is the most important thing in nature you can have going on in your soil. These microbes promote health in your trees that inorganic fertilizers cannot provide.

Is this based on solid scientific research or word of mouth?

 

[Lazylightningny]

if you have the right substrate, fully inorganic modern bonsai substrate, and water properly you can and ought to use a higher dose because most of it flushes away and part of the rest is not even in a chemical form that can be assimilated and would need microbial activity to be transformed into an asimilable form. It would be useful in garden soil planted trees but not in bonsai substrate because it flushed away whereas in the soil it lingers enough. Please read Walter Pall’s blog on the subject.

Feeding, Substrate and Watering - English

Feeding, Substrate and Watering Methods of Walter Pall (edited by Victrinia Ridgeway) I was asked to write a paragraph on the 'feeding of...

walterpallbonsaiarticles.blogspot.com

My takeaway from that article is quite the opposite. Rather than being not useful in bonsai soil, chemical fertilizer at 3-4 times the normal dose is his main fertilizer.

 

[Rafael Najmanovich]

As I allude to in the video, whereas there are claims that chemical fertilizer inhibits the creation of mycorrhizae, the lack of it may not be that much of an issue as evidenced by the fact that these people's trees such as Walter Pall's and Mike Frary are healthy and thriving. Considering that only part of the Nitrogen in chemical fertilizer comes in molecular forms that are directly assimilable by the plant, it makes sense to use extra strength as long as its been applied on a tree planted on a modern substrate where most of it washes away and in conjunction with proper watering (i.e., when it is time to water, really drenching). In my case without having a syphon system it is too much work to use liquid chemical fertilizer, I use it only very early in the spring and fall, while the rest of the year for me it is easier to use organic.

 

[Rafael Najmanovich]

My takeaway from that article is quite the opposite. Rather than being not useful in bonsai soil, chemical fertilizer at 3-4 times the normal dose is his main fertilizer.

absolutely right.

 

[Anthony]

I believe the microbes use N,P,K in it's pure form and as long
as the concentraton is not too great [ toxic level ] does no
harm.

H\owever for a tree in the maintainance stage - 8 N as supplied
by fermented oil seed cake is sufficient.
Plus, the compost formed from the fermented cakes, feeds the
millions of microbes.

Since our soil mix uses compost [ less than 3 parts out of 10 for
most trees in refinement ] we can use Lawn Fertiliser [ Miracle Gro ]
at 12 to 8 N - has no P , yoiu get that from the compost.

For trunk thickening for most trees, we use any old fertiliser.

Soil in the first 3 feet under a mature tree is supposed to have
8% organic content.

Pity the guy didn't ask Mike to explain.
Good Day
Anthony

 

[MiguelMC]

sorry to hijack the topic, but I was wondering if a 26-0-0 fert was a good idea for trees that are in the "let it grow for a few years" phase. this will most likely produce long inter-nodes but since this is to be used on trees that are still in the their very early stages might not matter much, the problem is the lack of PK. What do you think? useless idea or reasonable?

 

[Rafael Najmanovich]

I think if it had even a bit on P and K the fact that it has lots of N would not bother me. If you have lots of it use it but perhaps supplement with something that has little or no N but PK. Or if you need to buy I'd go for something more balanced.