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Feeding Your Bonsai Tree
by: leedobbins
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Your bonsai tree is somewhat dependent on you to provide it with the nutrients it needs to sustain life. While most trees can get the ease from the environment, the bonsai is confined to a pot and so it is up to you to be sure that it gets everything It needs to survive.
Just like anything other living thing, bonsai's need food. This, of course, comes in the form of fertilizer. Fertilizer can be found at your local nursery or even bought online. The most common fertilizer contains nitrogen, phosphates and potassium. In addition to these three elements, the bonsai also needs iron and, believe it or not, vitamins in particular the B-complex vitamins.
if you can't find the complex vitamins for your bonsai you might try beer. Of course the alcohol content needs to be very low or you might damage or tree. Try using a weak beer and dilute it using a half beer half water mixture before using it on your bonsai.
You can also get B-complex vitamins and supplement form but no matter how you are getting the vitamins to bonsai one good way to administer it is to spraying the leaves. This needs to be done when the temperature is below 85°F as above that temperature the holes in the leaves close and the tree stops breathing so the exchange of moisture, and therefore the vitamins, will be negligible.
While you're bonsai can benefit from having its leaves sprayed, doing this in hot weather can actually be harmful to your plant as it will cause the leaves to open up but then more sure be lost to the hot air. This can dry out the leaves and eventually the tree causing harm. The most common cause of bonsai death is actually incorrect watering so be careful when spraying your leaves.
You probably take vitamin pills to get your nutrients, right? Well you can give nutrients you bonsai the same way! You can buy commercially made pills that have all the nutrients your tree needs. Just put them in the soil on either sides of the trunk and water each day the water will cause the nutrients to be leached out of the pills and down into the soil.
How much nutrients you give your bonsai depends on many things includeing the species of the tree the size of the tree the age of the tree and how long it has been in Its current pot as well as the drainage in the pot and the development of the root system. Start off by following the directions on the nutrient package and watch your tree carefully. If you see signs of burnt leaves or drooping flowers you may be giving it too much nutrient.
When your tree is growing, you will want to give it more nutrients but in the fall you can also give It a little bit. Try using a mixture that is 0-10-10 (NPK) for the fall months.
Don't feed your tree right after repotting at but otherwise a schedule of every two to four weeks is ideal. After repotting you want to wait at least four weeks before feeding. Feeding is best done when the soil is moist.
Proper care, including proper feeding of your bonsai tree will ensure that you have a beautiful healthy plant for many years to come.
About the Author
Lee Dobbins writes for http://bonsai.garden-corner.com where you can learn more about bonsai trees and how to start your own bonsai hobby.
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