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bonsaiTALK Neophyte
Join Date: Aug-2004
Location: Oakland
Country: USA
Posts: 3
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fertilizer and soil for growing out
I am a very green beginner, so i hope i'm not posting in the wrong place. I only have starter trees right now, all about 1-2 years old. I am going slow and want to grow them out for about a year before i do anything. I have repotted most into 1 gallon plastic containers. I think i made a mistake: I just stuck the trees, without shaking the soil or disturbing the roots, in what a bonsai-friendly soil mix of (fir bark, perlite, pumice and a little peat moss). Should i have matched the soil they were in if my intent is to grow them out?
The larger question is, should I treat them as i would if they were bonsai-trained, in terms of soil and fertilizer. For example, should i even worry about giving them a low nitro fertilizer. I just bought some water-soluble 0-10-10 fert and am realizing i might just be wasting my time. I am antsy to give them all this cool stuff, but if i am simply wanting to grow them out, should i just treat them as if they were "normal" trees?
off the subject, can i wire my trees as i grow them out? in their one gallon pots? of course, while watching growth so as not to scar the poor thing...I was told some teacher will not begin styling a tree until it is of a certain age...this might be for another post category...
If it helps, I have: trident maple sapling, pinus contorta, cotoneaster horizontalis, ilex serrata, pond cypress, juniperus chinesis, cupressus sempervirons, and a sweetgum
'preciate any tips, help!
Jamie
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Jamie
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