[IBC] Fertilizer

Jim Lewis

I am wondering if some of you discuss some of your fertilizing
techniques and the brands you use.

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Brands don't matter. One commercial fertilizer is as good as any
other, despite their advertising claims. A few, like Osmocoat,
can be a bit dangerous to use in bonsai and should be used very
sparingly, if at all, but of the non-time-release fertilizers,
get whatever you find on sale.

What is important is the NPK content. Generally a balanced
fertilizer (where the NPK is in an approximately 1-1-1 ratio --
the most commonly found is 20-20-20, but others that
approximately balance, even a 1-2-1 ratio, will be just as good,
though the P can build up in soil.

Many claim that a high P and K and low N fertilizer should be
used in the fall, but I have never seen anything that makes
scientific sense to justify that for me.

Fertilizers used for Azalea (and other ericacious plants) should
have NO nitrate nitrogen, but beyond that it doesn't matter much
what form it (N) comes in.

I like to use organic fertilizers with highly INorganic bonsai
soils, on the theory that the organics tend to adsorb to the
surface of the inorganic materials and hang around a bit longer
than if you use inorganic fertilizer with inorganic soils.

Most organic fertilizers are low (or lacking) micronutrients,
though, so you will have to add iron, manganese, magnesium, etc.
or (best) occasionally use a fertilizer that contains the
necessary elements.

Jim Lewis - jklewis@nettally.com - Tallahassee, FL

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