Fertiliser

Jonny D

Didn't no whether to post this here or on the soil etc.. forum but any way...

I currently use soluable tomatoe feed as my fertiliser which is what my teacher instructed me to use, and it works great, however, the only draw back is the application method. I normally water with a hose pipe which is quick and efficient, but therefore once a wek have to resort to my watering can to feed my bonsai, needless to say this takes considerable time and effort, my watering can isn't great and others that i've tried produce to big a water droplet and disturb the soil surface.

So I figure i've got two choices either change fertiliser e.g.: to fertiliser cakes or somthing similar - therefore what would people recommend as i have no experience of them, how do you apply them?, UK supplier?

Or two, to buy one of those watering cans you see in the books and magazines with the long spowt to create high presure and good water droplet size - again i have no experience of them so would welcome comments quick? easy? Good? Supplier UK? Cost?

Which would people recomend? Is there any problem in switching fertilisers?- are the tree better to stay with one?

Jonny

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TreeBay

You might look into an applicator for water soluble fertilizer. There are a few different types.

1. On the inexpensive end is something like this that can go right on the hose end:

You should be able to find those just about anywhere.

2. Nicer still is an applicator that Miracle-gro used to market that goes between the hose bib and the hose. It has a long 3/16 tube that will go down into a bucket of fertilizer and pull it into the stream at a configured rate. It was a chunk of brass that looked a little like a sprinkler valve, and it had an attached flexible tube with what looked like a stretched spring inside its length.

I don't think Miracle Gro is still selling those, but I will check my archives for a picture

3. Next up is an injector of the type you can get at ***CHARLEY***.


Check "EZ-flo" there for details, or look it up on the web to find a UK distributor.

4. The Mercedes-Benz of injectors is a Dosatron http://www.dosatron.com/

They are pressure compensated and extremely accurate. It will probably set you back a couple hundred bucks, though.

5. On the organic fertilizer front, here are a couple of recipes:

http://forum.bonsaitalk.com/showthr...=&threadid=1455
Many organic fertilizers contain beef by-products (bone meal) so our Japanese source was cut off by customs due to the whole Mad Cow thing.

You may have better luck in the UK, but I can't make any recommendations for you.

Good luck.

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Jonny D

Hi Treebay,

Thanks for the information i'll certainly look into some of the things you've suggested. I like the Mercedez benz injector looks good, but probably a bit beyond my needs and price range. Number 3. the injector type thing looks very interesting.

Cheers Jonny.

clrosner

Johnny D:
In England I believe there is a Hand watering can made by Haws with a brass faced rose for good watering and fertilizing....

I opt for the hand watering, since it gives me a chance to check each tree as I water.

It is a good idea to use more than one fertilizer, since they do not all have the same micro nutrients.

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