Using Bone meal

[Oleg]

I have just potted my trees after the winter using river stone, lava, Turface, Opti sorb and pine bark. The mix changes for the tree: Pines, junipers, cedar, fir, larch-(developing-pine bark) and a cherry. It's the first time I've not used soil: Peat moss, triple mix, sand and a little clay. While some like the junipers still have the inner rootball in soil ( not much of a shock) others the cedar and cherry were bare rooted and the larch had a pretty strong root pruning. I have read that the use of bone meal (high in phosphorous 2:14:0) directly after root pruning/repotting can be advantageous, has anyone used this? like this?
Thanks
Chris

 

[kirk@localbonsai.com]

Howdy Chris - I haven't tried bone meal after repotting/transplanting , but I do switch fertilize with a bone meal-based organic fertilizer in the later season to reduce nitrogen. I've had good results. I buy the finest (smallest particle size) powder I can find, as it's more readily available to be absorbed by the roots. I'd say bonemeal and superthrive could be a good shock-reducing combination

 

[DougB]

Some folks add bone meal to their bonsai soil mix. Careful putting on top as it will clump if to much is put on the surface. From experience that is not helpful and is a mess.

 

[Oleg]

Thanks for your response, sorry it took so long but I didn't get an e-mail. Yes looking into it, the fall is when it seems to be used. It was suggested in another forum http://ibonsaiclub.forumotion.com/ that a balanced fertilizer would be fine after root pruning, I recently read something similar at http://www.bonsai4me.com/Basics/Basics_Feed.html. I gave my regular at 75% strength and I'll use the bone meal in the fall. The other thing Doug was saying it can clump, in this case I was thinking it might wash out the bottom as the particles in some pots are 1/4" in size. it might not work in an inorganic soil.