Feed Me, Seymour!

Vonsgardens

Andy,
I think Dave's point is that the full range of nurient's and their effects on plants may last for several months from a single fertilization. Just like with a defined salt mixture (e.g. Ammonium sulfate) there is both an immediate and a long term effect.

I cases where we use a good deal of organic material (bark) in our grow out medium we add lot's of chemical fertilizer (osmocote, etc) where we need lot's of nitrogen to feed the organisms that break down components of bark (lignocellulose, cellulose, etc) freeing carbon for use by the organisms that shate the pot.

Since our Bonsai mixes (mine and many others) contain no added organic material (except the roots and their friends) I am most comfortable in using organic based fertilizers to help establish and maintain normal soil microenvironmnets. This helps with nitrification and other processes to function as normal.

You will notice that I don't say everyone should use organics, I do because of the improvements I have seen in my own trees associated with shifting from chemical to organic over the past 10 years. What ever works best in your situation works best in your situation.

Like you, I just hope that we stimulate folks who don't fertilize enough to perhaps improve their tree care a little. Will save on many of the problems we see here. It is amazing what you can do to a well fertilized, drained and watered tree relative to a poor dry unfertilizzed tree.

Cheers,
John

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"Wiring is simple; However, it is not easy to do it right" Boon

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Graydon

Thanks Chris, and yes video footage would have been good. Now that I am taking video with me on bonsai trips I will hopefully be able to catch some good stuff in the future. I wish I would have had the time to discuss exact application principals with him such as removal of the cakes as you guys mention. I never thought of it and I now regret not going deeper in to the discussion.

I'm with you on following proven (perhaps decades old) results. I'm glad you and John so freely share these tips you learn from Boon. I just can't stop thinking about the whys and how comes with organic and chemical fertilizer. Thanks for what appears to become a great discussion topic that we can all learn from and use daily to advance our own trees.

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_gonzo_

As more or less stated, often too much attention goes to the visible part of the plant instead of the unseen foundation.

In the end improving the "soil" and therefore the roots, often requires both immediate and long term results for a tree's overall health. I am a fan of organics for this reason simply because (in So. Florida) I see great results.

I use about 60% Turface MVP, about 20% peat, and depending on the plant, 20% either fine bark chip, loam, or sand. All mixed with small amounts of various (beneficial) fungi spores as a basic soil.

I then use liquid organic fertilizers with nutrients that are chelated, meaning instantly available to plants and also employ bi-weekly foliar feeding (sprayed on and under the leaves) as many plants benefit from the underside of their leaves for nutrient intake.

If you are using various fungi to assist your root system you are also feeding them. I find that either 8-4-4 or 10-8-8 fertilizers seem to do the trick.

Finally, something with a bit of molasses (for instance) seems to be good. Whether this helps the plant, fungi or both convert simple sugars or just offers them directly, I don't know, but it does seem to work.

Cheers,

_gonzo_

nsmar4211

I use both kinds of fertilizer.....simply because I have a ready source of organics (goat poo)-every couple weeks I toss a handful of pellets into the plants or whenever I rake oout the pens I'll toss it over the plants. I also rinse out my fish filters over my plants, dump the turtle water into the plants, etc. But I use chemical fertilizers on a more or less regular basis. I tried making manure tea but it ended up being a smelly yuck that the dog *loved* to drink out of... and poo balls just sound like dog treats to me!

One of the first things Jim Smith said to me when talking about Portulacaria afra's is that they'll take all the food you can throw at them and still want more...if they aren't a nice dark green keep feeding em! I didn't notice how true this was until I compared one newly purchased plant to my existing ones and saw the difference in the leaf color. Oooops....... That's when I went to the miracle grow/whatever is on sale chemical feedings....

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