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G’day G’day all…

"...Fertilize your trees. Use organic, use chemical, use both, use them however you like, just use them...".

The above statement is, IN MY OPINION, the best advice in this entire thread. Thank you John.

I happen to be of the school that uses exclusively liquid chemical fertilizer.

Across the years, I have arrived at a number of conclusions in regard to fertilizer. Here are a few of them...

The process of manufacturing “po-po” balls is messy, smelly and time consuming.
The ingredients are many and sometimes hard to find.
“Po-po” balls must decompose in order to render chemicals…as in chemical versus organic…that the roots can process. Decomposition takes time. The chemicals in the liquid chemical fertilizer that I use*, are available quickly when compared to those in rendered by “po-po” balls.

I have yet to learn of any difference between the chemicals rendered by “po-pos” and those from chemical fertilizers.

Micro organisms in chemical fertilizers that are not in nitrate form**, need to be broken down into a usable form.

Plants do know the difference between nitrates from an organic source or from an inorganic source.

* Dyna-Gro Grow 7-9-5 (NH4 and NO3)

** Plants readily take up and use two forms of soil nitrogen, ammonium (NH4+) and nitrate (NO3_)*. Other forms of nitrogen must be converted to one of these compounds by natural or artificial means before plants can utilize them directly as a source of nitrogen for plant growth. (Thus “nitrate form).
University of Nebraska

Works for me...

Pat

__________________
BONSAI isn't about surviving in a storm, rather, how to dance in the rain.
THE ONLY WAY: Always remember, and don't ever forget, that whatever you read here is not cast in concrete... the intent of any advice is to help. In no way should you feel that I’m saying that my way is the only way…heaven forbid! I've seen far too much of the "my way or the highway" attitude in bonsai as well as in other areas of life.

Pat Patterson...Bonsai in the Greater Bay Area, Northern California

28-Feb-2008	#15
PatArizona Bonsai Master, in my mind Join Date: Feb-2005 Location: Back Home in Northern California Country: USA Posts: 1,726	G’day G’day all… "...Fertilize your trees. Use organic, use chemical, use both, use them however you like, just use them...". The above statement is, IN MY OPINION, the best advice in this entire thread. Thank you John. I happen to be of the school that uses exclusively liquid chemical fertilizer. Across the years, I have arrived at a number of conclusions in regard to fertilizer. Here are a few of them... The process of manufacturing “po-po” balls is messy, smelly and time consuming. The ingredients are many and sometimes hard to find. “Po-po” balls must decompose in order to render chemicals…as in chemical versus organic…that the roots can process. Decomposition takes time. The chemicals in the liquid chemical fertilizer that I use, are available quickly when compared to those in rendered by “po-po” balls. I have yet to learn of any difference between the chemicals rendered by “po-pos” and those from chemical fertilizers. Micro organisms in chemical fertilizers that are not in nitrate form, need to be broken down into a usable form. Plants do know the difference between nitrates from an organic source or from an inorganic source. Dyna-Gro Grow 7-9-5 (NH4 and NO3) ** Plants readily take up and use two forms of soil nitrogen, ammonium (NH4+) and nitrate (NO3_). Other forms of nitrogen must be converted to one of these compounds by natural or artificial means before plants can utilize them directly as a source of nitrogen for plant growth. (Thus “nitrate form). University of Nebraska Works for me... Pat __________________ BONSAI isn't about surviving in a storm, rather, how to dance in the rain.* THE ONLY WAY: Always remember, and don't ever forget, that whatever you read here is not cast in concrete... the intent of any advice is to help. In no way should you feel that I’m saying that my way is the only way…heaven forbid! I've seen far too much of the "my way or the highway" attitude in bonsai as well as in other areas of life. Pat Patterson...Bonsai in the Greater Bay Area, Northern California