AusBonsai

OK so we're gearing up to give plenty of "healthy" doses of fertilizer to our trees this coming season..

I have always been curious.. how do people fertilize their trees using pellets

Do you just layer the pellets around the tree? Do you then scrape them off and apply a new layer when needed ??

I've got chook poo, dynamic lifter pellets, other pelletsss so now what for what is the question..

Tips welcomed!

I just chuck it on - but it does tend to form a very hard crust and can penetrate into the mix and stop water absorbtion. Some people use old stockings and just tie up a ball and leave it on the surface.

If you want to have some control over where you place your ferts you can use tea bags ...fill them with what ever it is your using and pin them to the soil with a tooth pick

Cheers
Barry

I use pellets ( Neutrog Sudden Impact for Roses), as I have had trouble with D.L buing I suspect to "raw" and strong.
I have losta few trees adn the only thing I can point is the DL so be careful with it.

for an 8" pot, I just sprinkle about 1/2 a handfull on the surface of the soil ( Azaleas and Natives about 1/2 as much). Pines and figs a bit more.
I replace every 6 weeks or so when it is almost gone.

Ken

I mix it into the potting mix when repotting--when fertilising other times I soften and mix the pellets in water i.e. make a weak tea with some soluble fert .added when immerse watering

I have just switched back to Osmocote to feed all year and the manure based and liquid stuff for add ons during the growing season. I don't worry too much about the fines clogging, the worms make short work of it and I am repotting at least every second year which removes most of that muck. To add to this, my trees are not that developed that I need to worry, most are still in nappies
You could try cheap tea bags as they are a ready made poo bag, but the bottom may rot out after a few months?

Damian Bee wrote:...I don't worry too much about the fines clogging, the worms make short work of it...

Worms!

Damian Bee wrote:...You could try cheap tea bags as they are a ready made poo bag, but the bottom may rot out after a few months?

I've used them for almost 3 years now and you'll replace them before the bags rot.

Hello Scott, you mean you use the tea bag as a fertiliser bag? There was me wondering if it were possible.

Hmmmm, yep. There are worms every where in the yard, when it pours they go vertical climbing up the house walls and tree trunks to get out of the wet, opening the compost is like something out of a horror movie..... They are in the boxes and pots too, I don't mind them as they help out with castings and micro organisms etc.
I have read somewhere that they are not good to have in pots but why is this so? Apart from the castings building up and potentially clogging the drainage what else are these guys responsible for?

Up until this season I used osmocote in the mix and then liquid fertilise. Seemed to get high salts from this?? Will try pellets this time around. Thanks for the caution on DL... Have got some DL for roses will try a small amount and see how it goes.

I mix osmocote into the mix for repotting. The 14-18 month one still gives fert when I forget to fertilise I also put chook poo pellets on top of the mix occasionally during the growing season - 10-20 pellets scattered on a 35 cm bonsai pot, more on a training pot to make them grow more. Add more when the first have started to disintegrate (every month?) but the remains seem to disappear, no need to scrape it off except at repotting.
I also try to remember to water on a soluble fert every 2-3 weeks - worm wee and occasional soluble chemical fert.

The salts are most likely from the Osmocote. I used to work in wholesale and the bottom of some of the older stock was crusted with white mineral salts, mmmmm-mmmmm and the run off into the drains was just delightful although that may have been the septic leaking
The salts are the main reason that I stopped using it and went back to organics but the regime of application catches me out hence the reboot. Now I am taking a similar approach to Shibui, trying to balance things out a little.

The other issue is it activates in high temps...not necessarily when a plant needs ferts. The DL for roses has a low P level (2) so I'll see how it goes.... Start with a small amount and maybe build up... Not too worried about figs and pines... More so the natives... Lilly pillies.

I tried using seasol spray but that just made the mix of diatomite n zeolite go all green like the colour of green residue found on rocks in creeks.. doesnt look good.. any solutions?

Pellets make my top dressing look a real mess but at least i know others do it kinda similar too

The Specimen wrote:I tried using seasol spray but that just made the mix of diatomite n zeolite go all green like the colour of green residue found on rocks in creeks.. doesnt look good.. any solutions?

Pellets make my top dressing look a real mess but at least i know others do it kinda similar too

I have had the Green Goo on top of most of my trees in Diatomite / Zeolite. Also get it on Kanuma as well.
Find that let it dry out a little and then scrape off or give a spray with vinegar /water, then scrape off when dry.

Usually find it builds up more during winter when the surface does not dry out as much. Summer usually do not see very much of it
see this thread where it has been discussed before. viewtopic.php?f=19&t=5559&start=15

Ken