How To Feed Your Bonsai

[@user-HolyTrinity3]

Your videoographer does do a very good job. We respectfully request that they get closer shots when Peter is trimming, feeding, or showing seeds, candles, or bark of trees, so we may get a good look at what you are doing. It is so facinating and educational, that we appreciate the close up of hands on. Thank-you!! We love your videos, Peter.

[@stuartCcash]

Awesome content as always, thanks to peter and the team. Also the least complicated but most helpful vid I have seen about fertilising trees. Take care all.

[@TheScubatrucker]

These videos are just marvellous , I did 1st buy a bonsai supermarket style , love it. Out cleaning the back alley I found a 1" high two small leaves on it Maple seedling between two paving stones eased it out and been growing it now for 3 years. Your videos especially on the maple have been so very informative. Long way to go , but I am enjoying the trip me and this little tree are making. Many thanks for all the help.

[@stylezhiiipower]

The grand master speaks! ✊🏾😎

[@peterchan3100]

Really ? No -- I am just sharing my experience from what I have been experimenting for years.

[@steev927]

Best button-down shirts in the Bonsai game! Great informative video, loved the little mesh feeding pots, I'll have to look for some!

[@sharagreen2432]

It must be a joy to work for you, Lovely nursery.

[@almac2598]

Thanks Peter, all good knowledge.

[@mk-jf1ux]

thanks from Usa

[@rtregear]

Very useful, Peter. Thanks. Nice shirt!! 😀

[@dodgersfnshepard8673]

The perfect topic for today. One I struggle with and am scared I will get wrong

[@gregv04]

I use bonsai fertilizer pellets. I add them once in spring and another smaller dose in early fall. They work great for me so far. I need to learn more thanks for video.

[@DavidChow-n4x]

Great needed lecture. Peter Takes care have a great day.🙏🙏🙏

[@scheers100]

I find(feel like) al the water soluble fertiliser is best to use in every watering. Of course micro dosing

[@cathierose2009]

Exceptional video. Very helpful. Thanks

[@bonsaikitchen]

Fine 👌 Big greetings and respect from Bonsai Kitchen team. 🍴🔥🧑‍🍳

[@cyndy338]

Thanks Peter! Lots of good info!👏👏👍😊🙏

[@lek498]

Thank you Peter! Learn your knowledge with a clear way! I have extra questions: How can you remember which bonsais are feed and which are still need to be done? Or you will do it in one go? 2 What is the difference between a NPK 3-3-3 and 5-5-5? Hope I can meet you offline one day. Have a nice day!

[@mick681]

Very comprehensive and useful.

[@briangallagher3106]

Nice. Can’t wait to watch on the commute home from work.

[@Poopeh_le_pieux]

N : nitrogen, it's purpose is to make green leafy matter P : phosphorus, it helps with roots propagation and the formation of flower K : potassium, is for fructification So in the early life of the plant you give it a fertilizer rich in N When it starts to flower, you need a fertilizer rich in phosphorus When the flowers start to become fruits, you need a fertilizer richer in potassium Note : you shouldn't feed a plant that doesn't show signs of hunger an you always use half of the recommended dose because you can add more but you can't take back if you gave too much and too much food is as bad for plants as it is for animals Great video, take care of you !

[@lorenzomoseley5926]

When should I start feeding? I'm growing a few horse chestnut trees and some other trees, but i don't know what they are called. Anyway they all popped out of their seeds about a month or two ago, so are all saplings is it too early to start feeding?

[@gerritplays9985]

Thanks Peter

[@Rstytrsrs4325]

Thanks Peter, very useful information. I would love to come to the UK to visit your nursery one day, you have many lovely trees.

[@pezpythons1532]

I use pond filter water for my trees when I clean my koi ponds, it works very well

[@鹤阳孙]

thank you chen

[@kevintiemann6366]

Thank you for sharing. 👍

[@MidniteSan]

thx for sharing Peter 👍

[@Adventur.]

Very interesting video, MR !

[@annissa485]

This is so informative, thank you.

[@rep001]

Thank you !

[@vedsingh8843]

VERY GOOD INFO,,,👍👍👍

[@dariokrizman3117]

thx for info master

[@uchimartos7674]

Saved the video. Thank you!

[@savaer.bonsai]

Bedankt

[@danicagrahek-ogden4444]

Peter, what is best to use to promote the root development?

[@peterchan3100]

Hormone rooting liquid in mild dose is good.

[@danicagrahek-ogden4444]

@@peterchan3100 thanks!

[@Bee-Kochi]

Thanks a TON!! Master💖

[@Zerlum-g6k]

nice video

[@shivangnisharma9448]

Thank you 🙏🏻 some of my plants like lemon, gardenia are growing pale leaves with dark veins. It seems to be iron deficiency, will chelated iron help or making the soil acidic do the trick? You had promised to bust a few myths about soil, waiting for that video. ❤

[@pansepot1490]

I would definitely try chelated iron. I use it for my hydrangeas and it works a treat. In my experience it works best when applied in spring (or when the plant is in full growth depending on your climate). Prevention is better than cure, meaning that it’s easier to get green leaves when you treat them young and more difficult to get them to green up once they have grown large and yellow. Hope this helps. Cheers.

[@shivangnisharma9448]

@@pansepot1490 thank you

[@briankavanagh7191]

Peter have you changed your shopping area to the big greenhouse and where have you put the trees?

[@peterchan3100]

Nothing has changed. Our back greenhouse is usually empty in Summer

[@briankavanagh7191]

@@peterchan3100 👍

[@ironelegance]

Amino acids and fulvic acid are the way! If you're going to drive growth with NPK, don't skip the calcium! If you're using R.O. water, humic acid will act as a buffer to prevent 'lockout' or antagonization/bonding between anions and cations.

[@normallyChallenged]

@@ironelegance Hi! Bonsai novice here. How does the calcium help the plant?

[@mcmak666]

Thank you. I think I may have been feeding slightly too much. So I will dial it back a little.

[@J_3_P_O]

I learned a few things thank you. Is there a method of using natural layers of mulch to feed the trees rather than synthetic fertilisers with bonsai?

[@JonaWolf11]

In theory this is possible, but in practice you have little control over the nutrients the tree receives and the soil becomes compacted as it rots.

[@peterchan3100]

More difficult to get the NPK right using Natural fertisers.

[@J_3_P_O]

@@peterchan3100 Thanks, I am good at gardening and have a lovely ornamental flower and shrub garden. But my one attempt at bonsai failed. I think due to these synthetic fertilisers. I got the dose and timings completely wrong. I have a Juniper am going to have attempt two with 😅.

[@voligod2773]

what about mushrooms fertilizer, where shroom grow in symbiosis with a tree

[@peterchan3100]

Do you mean mushroom compost? If so that's very good because it is made from horse manure.

[@JonaWolf11]

Inoculating the soil with mycelium can help improve nutrient absorption in some tree species, but does not replace fertilizer. Instead of buying mycelium, I would reuse some of the old soil when repotting, as the fungi and microorganisms that live in symbiosis with the tree are already in there.

[@Gbhmagic]

I prefer making my own as the Japanese stuff is ultra expensive vs what you get. i just grind stuff to a powder and put it in tea bags. i use 5.4.6

[@TronWynn]

So will low nitrogen, high phosphor, and high potassium give better color in spring also?

[@moro8274]

Is it OK to collect and recycle the fertilizer water so it wont go to waste?

[@peterchan3100]

Of course - I like to stand the trees in trays to collect the water that runs off as it has a lot of nutrients from the fertilisers

[@gracepeterson7483]

What about Tsuga? (Hemlock trees?) I have heard they shouldn't receive nitrogen.

[@peterchan3100]

I don't think so. Leguminous trees which fix Nitrogen in the soil might need less N but Tsuga is not leguminous.

[@brucedeacon28]

👍👌🙂

[@maanjezus8622]

I only use liquid feeding, because of stealing birdies. They even took those feeding baskets with them.

[@pansepot1490]

So that’s why some people tie them to the pot!

[@maanjezus8622]

@@pansepot1490 . Yeah and it looks stupid and ugly.

[@luisrojas2893]

My dog eats it

[@RemiBusseuil]

what about magnesium and calcium?

[@peterchan3100]

Many synthetic fertilisers have trace elements added

[@Gowalkabout]

Peter: is 20-20-20 too potent for trees in development?

[@pansepot1490]

Imo in theory it’s the same: you only have to use a lot less. However the risk of harming/killing the tree is 4x higher if you get the dosage wrong. Don’t ask me how I know it. 😁

[@peterchan3100]

It is a bit high. I have not come across fertiliser with this high a NPK

[@Gowalkabout]

@@pansepot1490 Nigel Saunders (The Bonsai Zone) uses 20-20-20, but very diluted, during each watering. I've been using that method for several years now with no apparent detriment to the plants. Nevertheless, I thought Peter's input would be instructive.

[@JonaWolf11]

at 20-20-20 the NPK ratio is 1-1-1 you just have to dilute more. Rule of thumb is N ensures leaf growth, P ensures flowers and fruits and K ensures healthy wood. Depending on what is more important in development and what type of tree you are caring for, the ideal proportions can be different. The fertilizer I like to use has a ratio of 5-2-3. But these are subtleties that in most cases hardly make a noticeable difference.

[@timjones7888]

Just use less

[@chaiwatpotichanid]

🥰😙

[@henrychan1]

I saw a squirrel 🐿️ steal one of my tiny fertilizer baskets the other day.

[@nancyfahey7518]

N= Shoots P= Roots K= Flowers and Fruits

[@Minstera]

I take one with me to .. Mc. Dnlds 😉

[@GoGoGadgetGiveadamn]

No liquid instructions? :(

[@nancyfahey7518]

You want to liquid feed your plants every 2 week? The granulated lasts 3-6 months.

[@martinredfern9130]

Thank you Peter , very informative

[@frederickdominguez4829]

Thank you Peter. Really good info.