Bonsai Tree Care - Feeding Nutrients

Trees as a very self-sufficient plant. They can take in all of the elements they need in their environment without needing to run around and get their nutrients like animals do. This is an advantage, but it can be troublesome as well, depending on what the tree needs and what it is getting.

Most of the time, trees gain elements from the nutrients that sink into the soil and come into contact with the roots. Since the bonsai are confined to their pots, they will need to have their nutrients added artificially. Supplying the right nutrients at the right time is the most important thing to the life of your tree.

You can buy bonsai “food” at a local nursery or gardening section online. Most of the time, your bonsai food will contain NPK or nitrogen, phosphates and potassium. The potassium will be found as potash, which is made from the ashes of wood and plants. The bonsai will also need iron and vitamins, especially B-vitamins. Beer can also make a good nutrient for your bonsai as a substitute for the B-complex. Make sure that the alcohol content is low in order to not hurt the tree. If you use weaker American beer and dilute it with water, it should be fine for your tree.

Spray the leaves in cooler or only moderately warm weather to best apply these nutrients. If your tree gets warmer than 85F, the holes in the leaves or stomata will close and the tree stops breathing. This will obviously give the tree far less nutrients during this time.

If you spray the leaves during hotter times, they will cool off and open up some, but they will still lose moisture to the hot air. The leaves will become dried out and this will eventually work its way to the tree itself. If you incorrectly water your plant, your tree will become one of the many victims to incorrect watering practices.

A great and safe way to apply nutrients to your tree’s soil is through a commercially available pill. If you place them in the soil, If you place your pills on the right and left side of the tree, you can water it daily. The water and natural leeching processes by the roots will help the tree gain the nutrients in this way.

Depending on the age, size and species of your tree, you will give more or less nutrients to your tree. The amount of time since your plant was last re-potted, the development of the roots and how well the pot drains will all affect your nutrient dissemination as well.

You will most likely need to experiment with your plant, but in the beginning, follow the directions on the back of the packet. If you see your leaves are burned or the flowers are drooping, you will know that you have put too much or too few of the nutrients on the tree.

You can add large amounts of nutrients during the growing season, but you can also put in small amounts of nutrients during the fall months to help with more color to the tree. If you use NPK 0-10-10 you will see the best results.

         

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