The finest line of elegant bonsai
trees from around the world that have been carefully selected and
styled by professional bonsai artists. We offer a wide variety of
finished and pre-bonsai trees and provide you with the proper plant
care information and supplies to get you started enjoying the wonderful
art of bonsai.
If there is anything that you may be interested in that you do not see
listed in our web site, please feel free to contact us and we will do
what we need to supply your operation.
What is the most common mistake in fertilizing?
Without a doubt, overfertilizing is the most common mistake made by
beginners and experienced bonsai enthusiast alike. We want to see our
trees with plenty of flowers and nice green leaf but because a little
is good, does not mean more is better. It is much better to err by
giving a plant too little than too much.
Every package of fertilizer gives three numbers, such as 12-6-8. What exactly do these numbers mean?
They indicate how much nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K)
is in that fertilizer. The numbers are percentages of the total package
and they are always listed in the same order, N-P-K. A package labeled
12-6-8 will contain 12% nitrogen, 6% phosphorus and 8% potassium by
weight.
12-6-8 only adds up to 26%. What else is in there?
Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium are all joined to at least one other
element to form a molecule. Synthetic (non-organic) fertilizers are
then mixed with something that makes it easier to spread. These are
listed on the label as inert ingredients.
Macro-nutrients and micro-nutrients, What do they mean?
Primary nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, sulfur,
calcium and magnesium are called macro-nutrients. Nutrients needed in
much smaller amounts (such as iron, manganese, zinc, chlorine, boron,
copper, nickel and molybdenum) are called micronutrients. Keep in mind
that just because a plant needs less of a micro-nutrient doesn't mean
it is less important to the health of that plant.
Pros and cons of inorganic fertilizer.
Inorganic fertilizers, also called non-organic and synthetic, are made
up strictly of nutrients obtained from non-living sources. They are
available in higher concentrations and their nutrients are readily
available to the plants and inexpensive, making it is very easy to use
too much.
Pro's and Con's of organic fertilizer.
Natural sources of nutrients, usually derived from living things, are
referred to as organic fertilizers. Organics are slowly released to the
plants and have low levels of nutrition. Organics also improve the soil
is structure and ability to hold nutrients. Organic fertilizers tend to
be more expensive than inorganic. It is hard to use too much organic
fertilizer.
Differences between dry and liquid fertilizers.
These vary quite a bit. A dry granular fertilizer is usually the least
expensive and easiest to spread over a large area. Liquid and water
soluble fertilizers are more quickly absorbed, aren't much more
expensive than dry, but take more time to apply.
What is meant by slow-release?
Fertilizer granules can be coated with something that releases the
nutrients slowly over a period of weeks or months, depending on the
coating. These slow-release fertilizers are very useful in indoor
plants and containers, but may be too expensive for general use.
What do they mean by pH and is it important?
pH is a measurement that tells you about the soil's acidity level. It
can greatly effect your plant's ability to make use of the nutrients in
the soil. A neutral pH is 7.0. Measurements below 7.0 are considered
acid and those above 7.0 are called alkaline. Most garden plants grow
best when the soil is slightly acid to neutral (6.0-7.0). Very few
plants require acid or alkaline soil. It is important to check the pH
every year or two and make the necessary adjustment. We have an
information sheet available on soil pH.