How to feed your bonsai (Part 1)

Rod Smith has shared his knowledge with us and now it is time for you to learn from the master.

Let's start by learning the basic concepts about the nutrients, and then we will learn how, when and why to use them.

Macronutrients and Micronutrients

Plant need water, air, light, a suitable temperature and 16 nutrients to grow.  Plants get carbon, hydrogen and oxygen from air and water.  The other 13 nutrients come from the soil.  Soil nutrients are divided into two groups according to the amounts needed by plants.  

The macronutrients are Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium, Calcium, Magnesium and Sulphur.

The micronutrients, which are needed only in trace amounts, are iron, manganese, boron, zinc, copper, molybendum and chlorine.

These nutrients are essential for plant growth.  Plants will grow normally until they run short of one nutrient.  Then growth is limited by the availability of that nutrient.  Occasionally, two or more nutrients will run short at the same time.  If the nutrients are deficient, or too abundant, then plants will be discolored or deformed.  The deficiency symptoms will indicate which nutrient or nutrients are needed.  However, it is much better to supply additional nutrients before deficiency symptoms appear.  A soil test will tell which nutrients are low before growth is affected.

Macronutrients:

Nitrogen, N : Stimulates leaf and stem growth.  Nitrogen deficiency causes reduced growth and pale-yellowish-green leaves.  The older leaves turn yellowish first since the nitrogen is readily moved from the old leaves to the new growth.  If the soil is cold and wet, nitrogen in the soils is not as available to the plants.  Excess nitrogen may cause potassium deficiency.

Phosphorus, P:  It is important in the germination and growth of seeds, the production of flowers and fruit and the growth of roots.  Phosphorus deficiency causes reduce growth and small leaves that drop early, starting with the oldest leaves.  Leaf color is a dull, bluish green that becomes purplish or bronzed.  Leaf edges often turn scorched brown.  Excess phosphorus may cause potassium deficiency.

Potassium, K: Promotes general vigor, disease resistance and sturdy growth.  Potassium deficiency causes stunted growth, with the leaves positioned close together.  Starting with the older leaves, the leaf tips and edges turn scorched brown and the leaf edges roll up.  Excess potassium may cause calcium and magnesium deficiencies.

Calcium, Ca: It is a major ingredient in cell walls and is important for root growth, especially that of the root tips.  Calcium deficiency causes poorly developed roots with weak tips.  Leaves are distorted, with hooked tips and curled margins.

Magnesium, Mg:  It is a vital for chlorophyll production, and is important in most enzyme reactions. Magnesium deficiency causes different symptoms in different plants, but commonly includes leaf-yellowing, with brilliant tints.  Leaves may suddenly drop off without withering.  Symptoms show first on older leaves.  Excess magnesium may cause calcium deficiency.

Sulfur, S: It is an ingredient in proteins and is necessary for chlorophyll formation.  Sulfur deficiency causes slow growth, with small, round leaves that roll upward and are stiff and brittle.  Leaves drop off and tips buds die.

Micronutrients:

Iron, Fe: It is necessary for chlorophyll formation and for oxygen transfer. Iron deficiency causes leaf-yellowing, while leaf veins stay green.  Younger leaves are affected first.  Excess lime may cause iron deficiency.

Manganese, Mn: It is a catalyst for many enzymes, and is important for chlorophyll formation. Manganese deficiency causes different symptoms in different plants, but commonly causes leaves to turn yellow, while veins stay green.  White or gray specks may appear on leaves.  Older leaves are affected first.  Excess manganese may cause iron deficiency, and may cause symptoms similar to manganese deficiency.

Boron, B:  It is necessary for the movement of sugars, for reproduction and for water intake by cells.  It also tends to keep calcium in a soluble form.  Boron deficiency causes distorted and dead growing tips, hollow stems and deformed fruit.  Leaves are often scorched and curled and are sometimes mottled and discolored.  Young leaves are affected first.  Excess boron may cause scorched leaf edged similar to that caused by potassium or magnesium deficiencies.

Zinc, Zn:  It is necessary for the production of proteins and affects plant size and maturity.  Zinc deficiency causes leaf-yellowing between the veins, usually with purple or dead spots, starting with the older leaves.  Leaves are positioned close together, and are small and deformed.  Fruiting is reduced.  Excess Zinc may cause iron deficiency.

Copper, Cu: It is necessary for the production of proteins and is also important for reproduction.  Copper deficiencies cause bluish-green leaves that may wither or fail to unfold.  Younger leaf tips may be yellow at the edges.  Growing tips may form rosettes.  Excess copper may cause iron deficiency.

Molybdenum, Mo:  It is essential to nitrate enzymes and for the formation of root nodules in beans and peas.  Mo deficiencies cause yellow mottling and dead spots on the leaves.  In some plants, the growing tips are distorted or killed.

Chlorine, Cl:  It may affect carbohydrate metabolism and photosynthesis.  Chlorine deficiencies may cause stubby roots and wilting.  Excess chlorine may cause leaf edges to scorch in a similar way to that caused by potassium deficiency.

(Do not forget to review about feeding your orchids Here!!!!)

What is the pH of your soils? (Videos)

What is the pH of your soils?

The pH is an indication of whether or not the soil is Acid, Neutral or Alkaline.

The soil  reaction and condition is measured in pH units.  When growing bonsai, you will need to be aware of this.  

What soil mix is acid and what is neutral?

Both are important for the health of the bonsai.  The pH also tells you what food is correct for the bonsai.  Azaleas are acid loving (Check our post about Azalea bonsai), while maples are not.  Some conifers prefer a slightly acid soil, while others like a slightly alkaline soil.  Some trees that grow near the sea have an alkaline soil, while some grow on a peat soil, which is very acid.  

The scale for the pH goes from 0 to 14, with a neutral point being pH 7.  The soil increases its acidity from pH 7 to 0, and increases its alkalinity from pH 7 to 14.  

In other words:

• A value of 7 is Neutral
• A value below 7.0 is acid
• slightly acid: 6.1-6.5
• moderately acid: 5.6-6.0
• very acid: 4.5-5.0
• A value above 7.0 is alkaline
• slightly alkaline: 7.4-7.8
• moderately alkaline: 7.9-8.4 (sea water is 8,2)
• strongly alkaline: 8.5-9.0
• very strongly alkaline: above 9.1

Making the right soil mix will depend on the tree's requirements and your local best practice.

A pH lower than 5.5 will mean that many nutrients become very soluble and are readily leached from the soil structure.  At higher pH levels, the nutrients become insoluble and plants cannot easily extract them.  The best take-up is a pH value of around 6.0 to 7.2

Akadama: It has a nominal pH of 6.8. Always sift the fines out and do not use them anywhere near your bonsai, especially as a top dressing, as they will wash in and compact the soil

Kanuma: It has a pH of 4.5 to 5.  It is used for acid-loving plants, such as azaleas, satsukis, ericas and stewartias.

Kiryu: The pH of Kiryu is around 6.8. You should use acid-based fertilizers on acid-loving plants to compensate its alakalinity.

What is a Bonsai? The History of Bonsai (Part 2)

The training of bonsai probably originated before the eleventh century in China, where they were called P'EN TSAI, the precursor of the Japanese name.  Very likely the dwarf trees were developed from small temple landscapes, like bonkei, that symbolized Horai-san, the sacred Taoist mountain of eternal youth and the bonsai were the trees that grew on the steep slopes.  Although there are other theories, thirteenth and fourteenth-century scrolls picture temples with shallow boxes in the courtyards.  Some of the boxes contain small trees; others mounds of earth that suggest mountains.

At first, grotesque, deformed trees were considered good art.  It was not until the mid 1800's that growers in Azakusa Park, a famous nursery center near Tokyo, coined the name bonsai and turned to nature for guidance in shaping their trees.  The Emperor Meiji encouraged them and by the twentieth century bonsai had become a national art of Japan.

The art came slowly to the West. The earliest bonsai to come to the west came mostly from Japan. It was in Paris at the Third Universal Exhibitions in 1878 and later exhibitions in 1889 and 1900 where bonsai were shown for the first time. One of the earliest exhibitions was held in London in 1909, and about the same time a grower from Yokohama, a Mr. Sato  brought to New York the first bonsai most Americans had ever seen.  Although Sato and the London show caused comment, neither did much to popularize bonsai.  Sato held private exhibitions and sold many of his plants to wealthy New Yorkers, but steam heat and lack of information on how to grow them soon caused their demise.  Thus the myth arose that bonsai belong to Japan and are not suited to the conditions in the
West, or to our attitudes.In these early years many westerners felt that the trees looked tortured and many openly voiced their displeasure in the way the trees were being treated by bonsai masters. It was not until 1935 that opinions changed and bonsai was finally classified as an art in the west.

With the end of World War II, bonsai started to gain in popularity in the west. It was the soldiers returning from Japan with bonsai in tow that sparked western interest in the art, even though most of the trees brought home by these soldiers died a short time after their arrival. They survived long enough to create a desire in westerners to learn more about the proper care of their bonsai. The large Japanese-American population was invaluable to Americans in this respect. Their knowledge of the art of bonsai was of great interest to many Americans learning the art.
Today, most of the bonsai in the west clearly show a strong Japanese influence. This is, of course, only natural, given the fact that in the west, this art has been introduced and taught by Japanese.
Gardeners, experienced ones at that, still say "I cant grow bonsai. You have to think as a Japanese to do it" . But I soon discover most of them never tried.  They seem to think the techniques as both difficult and mysterious.

This is far from the truth.  If you can grow other potted plants you can learn to grow bonsai, and you don't need an Oriental turn of mind to be successful.  Bonsai offer delightful contrast to full-scale gardening, a solution to problems of space, an elegant, artistic form of expression. Culture is not complicated.  Just as confined conditions and natural elements keep some wild trees small, certain cultural techniques, purposely applied, accomplish the same thing for our plants.

Dwarfing depends upon growing in a minimal amount of soil, fast drainage, planned prunnings and sometimes wiring.  Because objectives differ from those for other container-grown plants, bonsai are watered, fertilized, top and root pruned differently.  A house plant is rarely potted until it is root-bound.  Bonsai are repotted and root-pruned on schedule to keep them both small and healthy.  (Check out our post about root pruning).

Culture is not complicated, but when I began a friend exclaimed with horror: "You'll lose your mind.  There is so much to learn and it takes forever".  Of course, he was wrong.  While bonsai is hardly one-season gardening from a packet, it is neither so complex nor so prolonged as my friend said.

Techniques are fun to learn and the technical jargon, not difficult to master.  I discovered it was possible to develop attractive in a year or two if that was the objective, and in the beginning it was.  I made "instant bonsai", pruning, trimming and potting low-growing shrubs like juniper with immediate and pleasing results.

Some people call bonsai-growing an art, others call it a hobby. I believe it can be both, the difference more a matter of plant perfection than personal attitude.  I find a special green-thumb enjoyment in growing bonsai, in training and trimming plants.  No other type of gardening has proved so enjoyable.

In Japan several "schools" have developed, each with its own techniques.  The master of one insists on a complex soils mixture for certain decidious trees; another master recommends a very different mixture for the same trees.  The fact that both techniques are successful proves only one thing:

"There is more leeway in the culture of bonsai than is generally admitted".

Thanks Behme.

How to grow Herbs in containers

In all the years I have been growing herbs I have only found a very, very few that cannot be grown in containers.

Containers:

Choose the container to suit the plant.  If it is a tall plant make sure the container has a base wide enough to prevent it toppling over, even if placed outside in a high wind.

A collection of containers is sometimes much easier to look after than a window box, and you can give each herb its own individual bit of tender loving care. If using unconventional containers (old watering cans, sinks, a half beer barrel: make sure they have drainage holes, and gravel or broken pots in the bottom of the container to stop the holes clogging up)

Herbs can suit Hanging baskets but the position is crucial.  They dislike high wind and full sun all day.  Also, they are mostly fast growers and if too cramped or ver-or under watered they will drop their leaves.  They also benefit from being picked regularly, which is not always possible in a hanging basket.  I can recommend the following:  double-flowered chamomile, creeping thymes, prostrate rosemary, catmint, creeping savory, golden marjoram, dwarf marjoram, pineapple mint, pennyroyal and maiden pinks.  

To prepare your hanging basket, line the basket with sphagnum moss followed by a layer of black plastic with holes punched in it. Then, fill the basket half full with compost.  Position the plants, trailers at the side, taller, more upright herbs in the middle.  Do not overcrowd.  Fill up with compost.  Water in well.  Let it drain before hanging on a secure hook or bracket.  Check hanging position for accessibility.  In the height of the season you will need to water at least night and morning.  Make sure that it cannot fall on anyone's head!!

Compost and organic fertilizers:

Choosing the right compost is essential for healthy plants.

Own Soil-Based mix:

If you wish to make a soil-based compost of your own this recipe is fairly reliable:

• 4 parts good weed-free garden top soil
• 3 parts well rotted garden compost
• 3 parts of either coir or wood fiber or composted fine bark, all of which must be moistened prior to mixing with the other ingredients
• 1 part sharp river sand.

Fertilizer:

When making your own compost you will need to add a fertilizer either in granule form or as a liquid feed.  Add at the rate that the manufacturers recommend.  You can buy organic fertilizers from garden centers and hardware stores.  The following organic fertilizers are ideal to be added to potting or seed-sowing composts:

• Liquid Seaweed: This contains small amounts of nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium and it is also rich in trace elements.  It not only makes a good soil feed but as the elements are easily taken in by the plant, it can also be sprayed on as a foliar feed.
• Calcified Seaweed: This contains calcium magenesium, sodium and numerous trace elements.  It is ideal for adding to seed compost.  Add according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Potting and Seed Composts:

• Multipurpose Potting Compost: This is usually a peat-based compost with added nutrients.  However, the nutrients are too strong for seed sowing and not enough for potting.  therefore I advise you to use a seed compost for seed sowing and a good peat-free potting compost for all your potting needs.
• Peat-free Compost: These are now readily available.  Over the past three decades the options have grown tremendously:

1. Coir:  This is a by-product of coconuts.  Its main advantage is that it is very light.  However, the main disadvantages are that it dries out very quickly, and it leaches the fertilizer.  For this reason it is worth looking out for coir mixed with clay, which acts as a buffer and stops the fertilizer from disappearing, and it also stops the compost drying out too fast.
2. Composted bark:  This is a byproduct of the wood industry.  It is available in many sizes and shapes.  For potting and container growing it is essential to get bark that has been properly composted for an adequate length of time.  This is because newly harvested bark will not only burn the roots and stems of young plants, it will also take the nutrients from the plant and the compost as it starts to decompose.
3. Composted wood fiber: This is another product of the wood industry and is now becoming readily available.  The advantages are that it is very light and absorbent and behaves well in containers.  The disadvantage is that it has to be heat treated, which puts up the cost and is not particularly environmentally friendly.
4. Green Waste: This is a byproduct of city waste.  Many local councils now sell green waste and many composts now include this.  The advantage is that it is environmentally friendly; the disadvantages are the consistency of the contents and if it has not been correctly composted, you can have an invasion of compost fly. There can be a certain amount of heavy metal waste within the compost, which can cause the plants to become distorted.

Maintenance:

Spring:  This is the time of year to pot plants if necessary.  A good sign of when they need this is that the roots are truly protruding from the bottom of the container.  Use a pot next size up.  Carefully remove the plant from its old pot.  Give it a good tidy up (remove any weed and dead leaves.  If it is a perennial, trim growing tip to promote new busy growth)  Place gravel or other drainage material in the bottom of the container and keep the compost sweet by adding a tablespoon of granulated charcoal.  As soon as the plant starts producing new growth or flowers, start feeding regularly with liquid seaweed.

Summer:  Keep a careful eye on the watering; make sure the pots do not dry out fully. Move some plants out of the midday sun.  Deadhead any flowers.  Feed with liquid seaweed, on average once a week.  Remove any pest-damaged leaves.

Fall:  Cut back the perennial herbs.  Weed containers and at the same time remove some of the top compost and redress. Bring any tender plants inside before the frosts.  Start reducing the watering. 

Winter:  Protect all container-grown plants from frosts.  If possible, move into a cold greenhouse.  If weather is very severe, cover the containers in a layer of sacking.  Keep watering to the absolute minimum. 

Thanks Jekka McVicar.