Homemade Organic Fertilizer Cakes

TreeBay

Late spring is the perfect time to fertilize your bonsai. _Pine candles extend and the deciduous trees put out a flush of growth that we typically pinch back, robbing the tree of energy. _If your tree is looking yellow or putting out little new growth, a fertilizer deficiency may be the cause.

Here are some homemade fertilizer formulas provided at a recent Midori Bonsai Club Meeting.


Bob's Organic Fertilizer Cake Formula:

Solids:
3.5 lbs blood meal 2-0-0
4.0 lbs bone meal 6-12-0
4.0 lbs Cotton seed meal 6-2-1
4.0 lbs Whitney Farms all purpose fertilizer 5-5-5

Liquids:
Lilly Miller Liquid Chelated Iron & Zinc
Atlas Fish Emulsion
Water

Could Also Add:
Rape Seed Meal
Liquid Seaweed
Alaska Natural Startup

Mix components into a slurry. _Let ferment for up to 60 days in a container with the lid on. _Form into balls using an ice cream scoop or melon spoon. _Place several of the balls on the soil around the trunk of your bonsai.

This recipe courtesy Bob Bugay

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TreeBay

Here's Larry's formula for homemade organic fertilizer cakes: AKA "Stinky Puffs"

Solids:
60% Ground Rape Seed
20% Cotton Seed Meal
20% Bone Meal

Liquids:
Water

Note - unground rapeseed can be purchased from An Jan Feed & Pet Supply and ground with a coffee mill

Mixing Directions:
Mix components into a slurry. _Let ferment for up to 60 days in a container with the lid on. _Form into balls using an ice cream scoop or melon spoon. _Place several of the balls on the soil around the trunk of your bonsai.

Cover your nose.

This recipe courtesy Larry White

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TreeBay

When I made fertilizer of this type I used a formula similar to Larry's and added a packet of bakers' yeast to accelerate the fermentation process.

You can also purchase ready-to-use organic fertilizers from TreeBay Bonsai Tools & Supplies in convenient 1.1lb (500g) bags for about $9 _Unlike the homemade variety, this stuff doesn't stink or reek. _It actually smells fresh:



CLICK HERE:JR-6046 Fertilizer Cake, 1 lb. Bag

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TreeBay

Here is yet another organic fertilizer recipe that originated with Bill Valavanis at International Bonsai Arboretum. *This one adds Sevin insecticide to prevent insect larvae from developing in your fertilizer, and uses some liquid fertilizer ingredients instead of water.

DRY INGREDIENTS:
3 parts each: cottonseed meal, agricultural lime***
1 part each: bloodmeal, bonemeal

LIQUID INGREDIENTS:
Fish emulsion
Peter’s 20-20-20 mixed with water according to directions

OPTIONAL INGREDIENTS:
Superthrive
Sevin Insecticide

Mix dry ingredients thoroughly, then add in the liquid fertilizers to bring the mix to a paste-like consistency. *Add in some Sevin insecticide and Superthrive.

Spoon onto waxpaper to dry in the sun, and cut into squares when nearly dry, or use a scoop to form into balls.

****Here with the municipal water systems tending to run alkaline, I am generally trying to move the pH downward a bit. * There is an article Here that discusses liming of soil *According to the article, as the organic fertilizers break down, they tend to acidify the soil, and sometimes the fertilizer manufacturer includes some ground limestone in the fertilizer to counteract this effect.

I'm hoping Soildoc can give us some insight as to the purpose *of the addition of of lime to fertilizer cake might be, and whether the practice is generally advisable. *Maybe it's a binder for the cottonseed?

Regards,

Matt

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mfp1028

does letting the fertilizer ferment really matter? Would it not in a crude sort of way be like adding alcohol to your liquid fertilizer and watering your trees with that.
I'm confused.... MOOOOOMMMMMAAAAAA!!!!