How To Fertilize Bonsai

The single most effective strategy for fertilizing bonsai.

How to fertilize bonsai. The nutrients are washed out of the soil through normal watering so liquid bonsai fertilizers should be applied every three to six weeks in the off season. Fertilizing deciduous bonsai you should fertilize deciduous bonsai every two weeks during the growth phase. The contention is that feeding well into the fall and early winter with nitrogen will force new growth that will be killed by frost. Deciduous bonsai trees should be fertilized weekly during the growing season and stopped once the leaves have fallen.

A few exceptions are worth pointing out. During the fall and winter months feed your bonsai a 0 10 10 fertilizer. This generally is after bud break in the spring until late summer. However it is important to note that increased flower production could come at the expense of leaf and shot growth since your plant will be receiving less nitrogen.

Read more about the benefits of zero nitrogen fertilizers. Some fertilizers are much stronger than others. Some enthusiasts find it unnecessary to fertilize during the winter months whilst others may fertilize monthly using a fertilizer with 0 nitrogen content. For conifers during the growing season fertilize weekly.

During the fall and winter months feed your bonsai with a nitrogen free bonsai fertilizer. The more you fertilize the more the medium is acidified. For indoor bonsai we recommend a balanced liquid fertilizer you can follow the guidelines as stated on the product packaging. A very acid medium slows down the assimilation of the fertilizer.

So using for example a 0 10 10 fertilizer. Create a schedule and put it on the calendar. Conifers should be fertilized weekly during the growing season. To encourage bonsai to flower use a fertilizer with a high phosphorous p content like npk 6 10 6 and for older trees you might want to use fertilizer with a slightly lower nitrogen n content or reduce the quantity of fertilizer applied.

When applying pour the liquid bonsai fertilizer directly over the leaves and allow it to drip into the soil. For example if you want to encourage your tree to flower you will need to use a bonsai fertilizer with a high potash or potassium content. Allow to settle and then sprinkle to neutralize the soil medium sprinkle with the ash and water mixture. If you re worried about fertilizer burn overfeeding your trees.

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