What ratio NPK do you prefer for the miracle grow for summer fertilizer? How often are you fertilizing?
Beginner with soil question
- Thread starter vario
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What ratio NPK do you prefer for the miracle grow for summer fertilizer? How often are you fertilizing?
sorce
Nonsense Rascal
A 3-1-2 fert is arguably the most useful ratio.
Any "balanced" 101010 is fine.
I like the Shultz drops for ease of use.
Nursery pots usually have a bit of slow release in them...
After repotting you can fert more...
A little always, or a lot every week.
Of Spruce....
I haven't worked with bird nest...
But Spruce tend to be quite vigorous for me and can get away from you.
You may have to do something!
Here's a good guide.
http://www.bonsai4me.com/SpeciesGuide/Picea.html
Yours looks healthy enough for a possible May cutback.
I have a corn shit time with trees in nursery soil...
But Spruce do very well.
I am may attempt a spring repot of one...
And a Post FATHERS day, (Mugo schedule) repot of another....
I'll let. You .know how it goes!
Sorce
Paradox
Marine Bonsologist
I have used the regular green powder (forget the NPK ratio), mixed to half strength every 2 weeks along with a single application of the 10:10:10 granular in the spring.
I now use organic fertilizers but let's keep it simple and get you up and running before we start on that convo.
M. Frary
Bonsai Godzilla
I have used Napa 8822 for a few years.
What I've found is it's good by itself for deciduous trees.
For conifers it holds too much water,isn't airy enough.
I've been adding lava now for a year and the results are much better.
What I've found is it's good by itself for deciduous trees.
For conifers it holds too much water,isn't airy enough.
I've been adding lava now for a year and the results are much better.
M. Frary
Bonsai Godzilla
That should work good.
sorce
Nonsense Rascal
Got the Napa 8822 today and its dusty stuff. Wondering about best way to remove dust. So I just pour water into the top of the bag from my hose and the dust filled water comes out the bottom? Then the remainder is good to go or sift after that?
Vance Wood
Lord Mugo
This is not too bad except for the Cat Litter. I would suggest for your clay component using Espoma soil Improver. It is basically a calcined clay but less likely to break down and trun to mush as Cat Litter or Turface. This is the important factor in a bonsai soil, consistency and durability of soil structure. As the soil structure breaks down you drainage will change. The more dense and compact the soil structure becomes the less the soil will drain and the more the potential of root rot.
I would suggest composted Pine Bark Mulch available as composted garden mulch. I do not care a great deal for potting soils. They tend to break down and are not consistent.
f1pt4
Chumono
first sift. then rinse.
Crabman
Seedling
I have trimmed a few things back to fit on my shelf, but for the most part I am letting everything grow through the summer. No wire yet except for my first tree that I got a bit eager on. Once I get things cleaned up and make it through the semester I will make some posts on my set up. I have found that watering heavily twice a day helps. After I moved to basically flooding everything at lunch and at night things exploded with growth and back buds.
Crabman
Seedling
That is what I did. The rest of the dust washes out of the pod basket holes during waterings. Working with it while it is wet kept the dust out of my eyes and lungs.
Nice I put it in a contractor cleanup bag with some holes punched in the bottom and filled up with water, then pressed the water out and repeated until water wasn't dusty then put it on a screen and sifted, then dumped into a bucket for now. Did it that way so I didn't use the whole bag up. Really absorbs water like a champ, I see. There seem to be only two particles. Bonsai sized and dust. So it wasn't too bad once the dust was removed.
This is the San Jose Juniper. Roots looked good, just cut them vertically a bit. I wired it in with 2 wires lightly around the tops of the root clump so it stays in place.
Going to prune it up in a few days after I see how it takes to its new pot.
So I mixed up my fertilizer into some gallon jugs, about 2x strength recommended, so 3 tbsp per gal. The fertilizer sort of runs out immediately because its a high drainage setup. Should I put some of these Jobe Indoor Plant Spikes as well?
https://www.amazon.com/Jobes-5001T-Houseplant-Indoor-Fertilizer/dp/B000279304
I was going to put about a cup of mixed miracle gro fertilizer once every week. Watering twice a day.
Other question I have is about sunlight. This patio gets quite a bit of light in the summer. Wonder if I should put it so it gets a bit less.
Also if any designs pop out from these pics let me know, I was going to reduce the foliage a bit in a few days like I said and maybe a design plan will emerge. Not to much prune, just enough to see what I have.
Going to prune it up in a few days after I see how it takes to its new pot.
So I mixed up my fertilizer into some gallon jugs, about 2x strength recommended, so 3 tbsp per gal. The fertilizer sort of runs out immediately because its a high drainage setup. Should I put some of these Jobe Indoor Plant Spikes as well?
https://www.amazon.com/Jobes-5001T-Houseplant-Indoor-Fertilizer/dp/B000279304
I was going to put about a cup of mixed miracle gro fertilizer once every week. Watering twice a day.
Other question I have is about sunlight. This patio gets quite a bit of light in the summer. Wonder if I should put it so it gets a bit less.
Also if any designs pop out from these pics let me know, I was going to reduce the foliage a bit in a few days like I said and maybe a design plan will emerge. Not to much prune, just enough to see what I have.
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Vance Wood
Lord Mugo
lighten up on the fertilizer until you know the tree is responding.
Ok will do, I see some people saying use lots of fert with this type of soil, others say not use much. I guess I'll have to experiment and see. I read the Walter Pall guide and it influenced me on this.
bonsaidave
Shohin
Welcome vario and crabman.
Reading everything you can is good. Learn about your soils, watering, fertilizers, and the environment each of your trees need to survive. Bonsai Iligan has lots of nice videos. I like that he uses many plants, pots, and soils that are available to him locally.
Personal suggestions to add:
*Look for locally owned nurseries if there are any. Some of them have far different trees and shrubs than big box places. They can have better prices too. Remember it's ok to not buy anything too
*Try taking some cuttings from local trees and bushes. Something to take up a little more of your time. It's fun to try. I have some boxwood cuttings from my first year of Bonsai that almost look like bre-bonsai now.
* Find a club and if there is a Bonsai convention within driving distance go. Nothing makes you want to dive in deeper than seeing nice trees on display.
Don't get discouraged! You can do as little or as much work as you want in Bonsai. Just keep at it. And try not to kill all your trees at once
Reading everything you can is good. Learn about your soils, watering, fertilizers, and the environment each of your trees need to survive. Bonsai Iligan has lots of nice videos. I like that he uses many plants, pots, and soils that are available to him locally.
Personal suggestions to add:
*Look for locally owned nurseries if there are any. Some of them have far different trees and shrubs than big box places. They can have better prices too. Remember it's ok to not buy anything too
*Try taking some cuttings from local trees and bushes. Something to take up a little more of your time. It's fun to try. I have some boxwood cuttings from my first year of Bonsai that almost look like bre-bonsai now.
* Find a club and if there is a Bonsai convention within driving distance go. Nothing makes you want to dive in deeper than seeing nice trees on display.
Don't get discouraged! You can do as little or as much work as you want in Bonsai. Just keep at it. And try not to kill all your trees at once
