Four and a half types of Bonsai fertilizer (Will any type do?)

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

All i could think about was that dung getting stuck between Jelle's toes! Another informative video. Cheers

[@GrowingBonsai]

You should have seen my wifes face when I wanted to get into bed lol. But.. The owner of the stable was laughing very loud when I went in barefoot!

[@rebeccahunter725]

What a great breakdown! Fertilizing is just as open for debate as soil mix, watering and, indeed, everything else. So much is dependent on the specific climate of the garden the trees are grown in that there can not be a "one size fits all". For me, I love alternating organic and mineral liquid feeds applied weekly in the growing season fading to whenever I think of it across winter. I work on a "varied diet is best" theory for my trees as much as my children!

[@GrowingBonsai]

Yes! Diversity makes one eat! Exactly when I do. I flip through my fertilizers. I might have 10 different boxes and bottles laying about. Each slightly different. It is the one element that is most absent that limits growth. WHich it is, is hard to judge!

[@sbragaglia]

Very interesting, as always! Also cute to see the man in the blue denim pushing a pink wheelbarrow around!

[@GrowingBonsai]

Glad you did not notice the bare feet in horsemanure!

[@neilatkinson174]

That was unbelievably helpful thank you

[@GrowingBonsai]

:D So happy to hear this. Thank you!

[@PeterJames468]

Very informative and educational thanks Jelle. Some people put organic pellets into a tea bag packet and then pin it to the soil with a toothpick. This works much the same as the basket but is not as pretty!.

[@GrowingBonsai]

Very true! I personally do not use the baskets but just sprinkle the fertilizer on the surface.

[@jeffhurst4744]

As stated in other comments: great breakdown on pros/cons; speed and effect of getting the nutrients from the fertilizer into a beneficial aspect for our trees. I find, besides the climate zone one is in - the tree species and soil mixture also play a good part into which one variety to use. I like giving majority of trees a pellet variety (prefer organic) initially for a boost, the slow release organic, such as BioGold or similar. For foliar spray I only use on deciduous varieties at present - mixed results for evergreens. Liquid varieties: have seen and heard of nightmares, as TOO OFTEN the individual did not follow recommendations on bottle, and made the diluted solution WAY TOO STRONG, causing problems. Thank you.

[@GrowingBonsai]

👍

[@Bonsaiandknives]

Thanks Jelle. Very good explanation.

[@GrowingBonsai]

Youre very welcome!

[@robmartin3312]

Great explanation of what to use and when

[@GrowingBonsai]

Thank you!

[@tasanastasi7799]

You got my attention straight away ..good marketing Jelle ...and great presentation also , thank you .

[@GrowingBonsai]

Nothing like a pink wheelbarrow to grap attention huh!?

[@kitchenGardenofficalchannel027]

Beautiful😘😘😘 sharing❤

[@GrowingBonsai]

Thank you so much! GLad you liked it!

[@greenmachinesweden]

Great breakdown, The only one I use is the one you think is negative. In combination with pond water off course which is easily accessible fertilizer from Animals. There you have your fifth type :)

[@GrowingBonsai]

pond water.. Is it a fertilizer type? Or is the fish manure the fertilizer you use?

[@greenmachinesweden]

@@GrowingBonsai in the pond water the fish waste is broken down to pure mineralized nitrogen and phosphorous. It is from an organic source but is 100% ionic just like mineral fertilzer but without the environmental impact. My pond water holds very low levels. But it is used in every watering. Small levels all the time. The manure itself is flushed out on the lawn. I would think it would clog up the substrate very badly.

[@Darkfire1300]

Ditto re the baskets. I just started using them but didn't know about the sphaghum moss to hold moisture. As usual, great explanation and illustrations. I always learn so many things from your presentations and get a chance to get more details about what I am already doing. Have to say I would be reluctant to wander through the poop barefoot even if it is dry! 🤭Thanks!

[@GrowingBonsai]

Nice to hear you got something out of it. Well.. What can I say. I am an outdoors kindof person!

[@TheBonsaiGarden]

A lot of valuable info presented here. 👍

[@GrowingBonsai]

❤

[@johng3669]

Thank you for the explanation on the basket with organic fertilizer. I saw those recently but wasn’t able to get much information on them, and the additional information on using an organic to keep it moist is very helpful.

[@GrowingBonsai]

Great to hear this was of help!

[@coltranem]

Thanks for the tip on keeping organic solids wet. For my deciduous this seems less or a problem but for conifers I feel they dry out fast.

[@GrowingBonsai]

Great!

[@iamaduckquack]

I use organic granules spread evenly over the surface every 4 or 5 weeks. During the growing season I use liquid seaweed most days and half strength liquid/mineral fertiliser thrown in as well a couple of times a week. No flies at all. Birds leave it all alone. Smells like a small farm by the ocean. Fantastic if you like both of those things!

[@GrowingBonsai]

:) Yeah, neighbourhood complaints aplenty :)

[@drphilrays]

Thanks for sharing. Probably another topic that could be debated at length. I am finding fish fertilizer is very quick acting..but then again it’s not one size fits all..cheers!

[@GrowingBonsai]

agreed, it feels that way sometimes!

[@h0wardl0vegr0ue9]

Hi. Thanks for an informative clip. I have a question, I’ve been trying grow Japanese maple from seed and wonder how and when to fertilise. Ive been losing quite a few over the years and wonder if they all too delicate to fertilise in there early years . Have you any advise around this topic. Regards Howard

[@GrowingBonsai]

They should not be. Then again, going low on fertilizer makes growth rates low which is GOOD initially, as it helps create short internodes!

[@kahve28]

Thanks for the video Jelle, what about slow release fertilizers? Would they be a solution for advantage of mineral fertilizers with long lasting properties?

[@GrowingBonsai]

I am not sure. I am biased on these, as when they first came out, there were lots of problem with the temperature sensitivity and on hote days they would just release so much that plants got damaged.

[@kahve28]

@@GrowingBonsai Thanks 🙋🏻‍♂️

[@deedahl2866]

I used peat moss in my rabbit pen for bedding. So it holds the pee/poo and keeps the floor dry. Makes great fertilizer for my garden, I put some in the bottom of a pot and then plant things in it. When the root systems grow down to that level they EXPLODE with growth and look fantastic. What about using this rabbit waste/peat moss for bonsai?

[@GrowingBonsai]

The main challenge I see is that it would occupy a lot of valuable space in the pot and might keep the substrate clogged and wet?

[@scheers100]

I have heard that the organic(granules) fertiliser will lose al nitrogen within a month. Used by the plant or not. Do you know anything more about this? I use organic on most of my pots/plants, and to be sure about having nitrogen there where I want, when I want it. I combine this with regular micro dosing of liquid mineral fertiliser. Happy to hear your thoughts about this.

[@GrowingBonsai]

I typically add new fertilizer 4-8 weeks apart. but I ao not convinced continuous availability of fertilizer is required. I do switch between products too!

[@mariamincikova6187]

Hello Jelle, can you explain, how organic fertilizer work in anorganic soli mix. Thanks.

[@GrowingBonsai]

Just like it would in an organic soil. No fundamental difference.

[@mariob.3232]

Thanks! Did not know. So after repoting, and waiting 2 to 3 weeks, we should use mineral fertilizer at the beggining for fast growth in spring? Or you advice to put still organic?

[@GrowingBonsai]

I am not one to wait with fertilizer after repotting, typically. I just put trees in my regular fertilizer routine with the rest of the trees.

[@raymondbirds2392]

Hi, would you recomend pigeon droppings/poo as a good fertiliser.

[@GrowingBonsai]

Never having tried it, I cannot recomment in favour or against I am afraid

[@GrowingBonsai]

Well.. What is stopping you?

[@MarkusMh]

Your videos are the shit Jelle. Put some damn shoes on you savage.

[@GrowingBonsai]

Live a little my friend! It is not like I went to work like this. Or did I..?

[@YoYo87778]

Hi! What about organic Bio liquid like Pokon? This is made of plants.

[@GrowingBonsai]

What about it? I would say, organic, liquid fertilizer?

[@YoYo87778]

@@GrowingBonsai its not smelly. Is this nice way to fertilize?

[@maryoverton7245]

I am a bit surprised. I often use osomocote in repotting I am under the belief that it takes up to 6 weeks to break down which is about the time roots take to respond to repotting

[@GrowingBonsai]

Osmocote is however a very different type of product! I do not use it myself. as far as I understand, it starts releasing fertilizer as soon as it is in the substrate

[@FrostBiteBonsai]

Barefoot in the manure to keep your fancy leather shoes clean? Or just so we don't notice the pink wheelbarrow? Was your wife holding her head in her hands this day? Haha! You sure know your uh, fertilizer... You said it stinks and attracts flies. There came the flies! All joking aside, this was an entertaining and extremely informative video! I use some fertilizer dissolved in water, but likely not as often as I should as it is costly. I water out of the aquariums all winter. My houseplants love it so I though my Bonsai would as well, higher nitrates. Now I'm learning that perhaps my well water, even out of the aquarium might not be the best for all my trees by what others are saying. So, I have started to use my dehumidifier water, at least for misting leaves, as I have no place indoors to melt snow without raising the humidity too much. I will look into organic fertilizers for summer. I'm not sure if the summer growing season is long enough to get rid of the stink... HAHA! Thank you Jelle! Great video!

[@GrowingBonsai]

:) Well.. More to shock and awe I suppose. Little things to keep the video above the pure boring level :)

[@andreasweber1533]

Completely missed the most important sub-categories of solid mineral fertilizer - slow release and corntrolled release (CRF). They will give off the minerals either slowly over time or depending on environmental conditions (faster when it's wet and warm and the plants grow). I've worked some Basacote Plus 9M into the surface of my pots a few weeks ago and that will keep the plants supplied for the year (9M is their 9 month nominal type, other durations are available). As opposed to organic matter there are no variables like how much life is in the pot, it doesn't smell noticeably and animals aren't interested.

[@GrowingBonsai]

I guess this is a regional difference. I do not know anyone that uses this for bonsai.

[@andreasweber1533]

Basacote may be more a European thing, being a German product (although it is sold internationally). The US equivalent would be Osmocote Plus, pretty much the same stuff. That's what e.g. one Bjorn Bjorholm uses ... (Edit: just saw it in one of David Easterbrook's videos as well, and then on the Momiji-En channel.) Generally it's common practice in larger nursery operations. Mass produced plants will very often show the telltale orange or teal balls on/in the soil.

[@gayefanner731]

Thanks Andreas. In my diary on April 14th I wrote: MUST GET CONTROLLED RELEASE FERT ! I still intend to when I can get out. You have , in effect, condoned my resolve! ✌️

[@deedahl2866]

Do you ever use K L N?

[@GrowingBonsai]

I do not know what the abbreviation stands for, so probably not :)

[@JackC1961]

Another very informative video. Thanks Jelle, I guess its that time of year to start thinking about fertiliser. Hope you washed your feet after the dung pile 😳

[@GrowingBonsai]

Good point. [walks to shower to wash feet]

[@buonleo]

what about organic-mineral fertilisers?

[@GrowingBonsai]

I think that is a contradiction. As far as I can tell, all mineral fertilizers are inorganic.

[@buonleo]

@@GrowingBonsai I don't know if they are for sale in all countries, here in Italy we have mixed fertilizers, eg 15% organic, 85% mineral.

[@brucedeacon28]

👍👌👌🙂

[@GrowingBonsai]

😍

[@natrjack965]

Bear feet😂 you are brave...

[@GrowingBonsai]

Nice and warm. Creamy lol

[@oscar_jjuarez5266]

🌱🪴🌳👍

[@GrowingBonsai]

:D

[@h0wardl0vegr0ue9]

Oh and whats with the bare feet?

[@GrowingBonsai]

Would not want to get my shoes dirty!