How to fertilize flowering bonsai properly? These key points and precautions must be mastered
How to fertilize flowering bonsai? Fertilizing is indispensable throughout the daily care of flowers, and only by fertilizing cleverly will the flowers grow vigorously and develop well. Below we introduce the fertilizers and fertilizing methods commonly used in flower care.
1. How do you achieve rational fertilization?
Rational fertilization means paying attention to fertilizing at the right time and in the right amount. The right time means fertilizing only when the flowers need it. The indicators for fertilizing are finding that the flower plants are growing thin and weak and that the leaf color has become pale. As for when to apply which fertilizer, this depends on the different growth and development stages of different flowers.
What counts as fertilizing in the right amount? At the seedling stage, it is best to apply more nitrogen fertilizer to promote vigorous seedling growth; at the bud stage, it is best to apply more phosphorus fertilizer to promote large flowers and plump seeds; at the early fruit-setting stage, the amount of fertilizer should be controlled. In short, no matter what stage it is, fertilizing should always be done with attention to the amount. If there is too much nitrogen fertilizer, the plants are prone to leggy growth; if too much potassium fertilizer is applied, it will hinder the growth and development of the flowers and affect their flowering and fruiting.
2. What principles should rational fertilization follow?
(1) Fertilization must distinguish among flower types. Different types of flowers have different fertilizer requirements. For foliage-oriented flowers, the emphasis can be on applying nitrogen fertilizer; flowering flowers need an appropriate amount of fertilizer during the flowering period; fruiting flowers should have fertilizer and water appropriately controlled during the flowering period and be given sufficient fertilizer during the fruit-swelling stage to achieve the expected results.
(2) Fertilization changes with the seasons. In winter, when the temperature is relatively low, flower plants grow slowly, so generally no fertilizer is applied; in spring and autumn, flowers are in their peak growing season, so the amount of topdressing should be appropriately increased; in summer, when the temperature is highest and water evaporates quickly, most flowers are in their peak growing period, so the number of topdressings should be increased and the concentration should be low.
(3) Taboos in applying organic fertilizer. The biggest taboo in applying organic fertilizer is applying fertilizer that has not been fully decomposed; it must be fully decomposed before it can be applied.
3. Why can't undecomposed fertilizer be applied?
Some flower lovers often bury eggshells, animal offal, cake fertilizer, raw horse manure and so on into the potting soil. In this way they try to increase the nutrients in the soil, but the result is the opposite of what they wanted: not only do they fail to achieve the intended purpose, but they harm the flowers instead. The reason is that during their growth, flowers need to absorb various nutrient elements such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and magnesium from the soil that have been fermented and dissolved in water. The decaying food or some animal manure added to the potting soil and buried directly in the pot without fermentation will decompose when it meets water and ferment, producing high temperatures that directly scald the flower roots. In addition, the activity of microorganisms causes severe oxygen deficiency in the soil, ultimately leading to the death of the flowers. At the same time, when undecomposed fertilizer ferments, it produces a foul odor that easily attracts flies to lay eggs, and the maggots can easily bite the root system and harm the flowers. Therefore, when growing flowers, fully decomposed fertilizer must be applied to ensure good flower growth.
4. What are the benefits of foliar feeding?
The most notable advantage of foliar topdressing is that a relatively small amount of fertilizer can quickly produce a significant fertilizing effect, and the fertilizer will not be fixed and is not affected by the absorptive function of the root system. Under normal circumstances, after foliar spraying of inorganic fertilizer, it can be absorbed in 5 hours. The fertilizing effect can last 7-10 days, so foliar topdressing should preferably be sprayed once every 7-10 days. Except during the flowering period, foliar topdressing can be carried out at all other growth stages.
5. What precautions should be taken for foliar topdressing?
(1) Not every kind of fertilizer can be used for foliar topdressing; only fertilizers with relatively good solubility can be used for foliar topdressing.
(2) During foliar topdressing, the fertilizer concentration is relatively low. For example, the concentration of ferrous sulfate is 0.2%-0.5%, the concentration of superphosphate is 1%-3%, and the spraying concentration of urea should not exceed 0.1%, etc.
(3) Foliar topdressing is generally chosen in the morning or in clear, windless weather. The most suitable time is after 3-4 p.m. Never apply topdressing at noon, so as to avoid scalding the leaf surface.
(4) When spraying the leaf surface, try to make it as even as possible, because the underside of the leaves contains a large number of stomata and absorbs faster than the leaf surface, so it is best to spray the fertilizer solution on the underside of the leaves as well. The amount sprayed only needs to moisten the leaf surface.
(5) The fertilizer must be dissolved evenly, and insoluble substances must be filtered out. Sometimes fungicides and insecticides can also be mixed in for use, so that pests and diseases can be prevented and controlled at the same time.
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Precautions for fertilizing bonsai flowers
Bonsai
Fertilizing bonsai flowers should be based mainly on organic fertilizer, combined with chemical fertilizer. The following points should be noted when applying:
1. Organic fertilizer is mainly used as a base fertilizer before transplanting or repotting, and it must be fully decomposed.
2. Whether chemical fertilizer is used as a base fertilizer or a topdressing, excessive fertilization must be prevented. Generally, 0.15-0.2 g of nitrogen (N) is applied per 1 kg of soil, and the application amount of nitrogen fertilizer or compound fertilizer can be estimated on this basis. Specifically, it should be based on the size of the pot and the size of the plant; usually 10-30 granules of compound fertilizer are applied per pot each time.
3. When fertilizing, chemical fertilizer should not be placed at the base of the roots, so as to avoid burning the roots and to avoid being unfavorable for absorption; the fertilizer should be applied at the edge of the pot; do not scatter the fertilizer on the leaf surface, to prevent burning the leaves.
4. Once fertilizer burn occurs, water promptly or repot, replacing part or most of the potting soil with new soil.
Key points for autumn care of bonsai and precautions for fertilizing
Key points for autumn care of bonsai and precautions for fertilizing
Autumn is the season when all things begin to wither. The general characteristic of tree growth in autumn is that the spring and summer shoots have already become woody, a new root and leaf system has formed, and the tree's assimilation area has increased, accumulating nutrients for autumn shoots and flower bud differentiation. In evergreen trees, autumn shoot growth and flower bud differentiation proceed at the same time, and the distribution and competition for nutrients are intense; vegetative growth is superior to reproductive growth, reproductive growth consumes more than vegetative growth, and they can inhibit each other.
If nutrient accumulation in autumn is insufficient, the autumn shoots cannot become woody, and the following year there will inevitably be fewer flowers and smaller fruits. New and old branches that have not become woody must withstand the test of severe winter. The test of severe winter on plants is more cruel than the test of intense heat, so in autumn conditions must be created for bonsai plants and trees to overwinter, promoting early sprouting of autumn buds, prolonging growth time, speeding up the tree's vigor, and fully accumulating nutrients to help them overwinter smoothly. In autumn, tree stumps sprout late, the growth time is shortened, nutrient accumulation is insufficient, small branches do not become woody, and old weak branches and inner branches do not accumulate enough nutrients, making them prone to branch shrinkage and dead branches during overwintering. (This is especially true for newly planted raw stump bonsai.)
Therefore, autumn bonsai management is an important period, and soil, water, fertilizer and light should all be strengthened in a targeted way. Evergreen trees should also be pinched back to promote the autumn branches to become woody as soon as possible and create conditions for overwintering. Coniferous trees and deciduous trees form buds but do not sprout in autumn, so in late autumn they should be prompted to enter dormancy on schedule, so as to avoid wasting nutrients and affecting their smooth overwintering.
Key points for autumn care and management of bonsai:
1. Light: In autumn, bonsai plants and trees should have enhanced light. Place the pot in a location with full sunlight and let the sun shine on it, which helps the trees accumulate nutrients, take root, grow leaves, flower and fruit.
2. Potting soil: The soil should alternate between dry and wet, watering thoroughly when dry. Loosen the soil regularly to let air penetrate and increase the air content in the soil. With alternating dry and wet potting soil, when dry there is little water in the soil and air can penetrate into the spaces filled by water when wet, allowing the roots to breathe smoothly. Appropriate drying can promote root growth, benefit autumn shoot development, and help form small leaves.
3. Fertilizing: Fertilizer should be applied at the right time and in the right amount. In early autumn, apply light fertilizer promptly and multiple times (pot enthusiasts can use Yufei, which is convenient, hygienic, has no unpleasant odor and is rich in fertility); in mid-autumn, apply less; in late autumn, control fertilization so as not to promote late autumn shoots. Using fertilizer in this way can promote early and vigorous autumn shoot growth, allow vegetative growth and reproductive growth to proceed at the same time, and ensure lush leaves, abundant flowers and many fruits the following year. If the tree is very vigorous and there is more autumn fertilizer, spring flowers may open in autumn. My Chinese persimmon and Buddhist pine have repeatedly shown spring flowers opening in autumn and spring fruits setting in autumn. Early autumn fertilization is used more in fruit tree production, while stump management is more refined, so early autumn fertilization should be applied even more.
How should bonsai be fertilized?
Generally, apply light fertilizer frequently:
(1) Flower-viewing and fruit-viewing bonsai such as pomegranate, crabapple, wisteria, firethorn and nandina should be given more phosphorus and potassium fertilizer.
(2) Foliage-viewing bonsai such as five-needle pine, boxwood stump and ivy should be based mainly on nitrogen fertilizer, supplemented with phosphorus and potassium fertilizer.
(3) For pine and cypress bonsai, you can make your own decomposed bean cake water and dilute it as fertilizer, 3 times a year.
(4) Fertilizer can be applied during the spring, summer and autumn growing seasons, and stopped during the winter dormant period.
(5) For trees that have just been potted, new roots have not yet grown, so fertilizer must not be applied.
(6) Liquid fertilizer must not be too concentrated; it must be diluted before use, otherwise fertilizer damage will occur.
(7) Organic fertilizer and cake fertilizer must be fully decomposed before they can be used, otherwise they will ferment in the potting soil and produce high temperatures that burn and kill the root system.
(8) Liquid fertilizer water used as topdressing should not be sprinkled on the leaves.
(9) Fertilizing on sunny days is good; fertilizing is not suitable on rainy days or during the plum rain season. 4. Pruning: During the growth period of bonsai plants and trees, apical dominance is obvious. Under conditions of good soil, fertilizer, water, light and air, growth is vigorous, and the external proportions of the bonsai become deformed and enlarged during autumn shoot growth, with leaves concentrated at the edges. Nutrient distribution is also uneven, and old branches and central branches receive insufficient nutrients, which may cause them to die in winter. In the following spring, autumn shoots will also sprout at the top shoots, becoming even larger, losing their center of gravity, breaking the compositional proportions of the bonsai, and becoming rather unattractive. Therefore, before the autumn buds form and grow out, carry out thinning and shortening pruning; after the autumn shoots grow out, pinch them back, overcome apical dominance, combine suppression and promotion, distribute nutrients reasonably, and maintain a good growth condition.