AusBonsai

Just wondering what peoples thoughts on using powerfeed with natives particularly banksias. What strength/ratio do people use? as no dosage for natives are listed on the bottle

leamos wrote:Just wondering what peoples thoughts on using powerfeed with natives particularly banksias. What strength/ratio do people use? as no dosage for natives are listed on the bottle

We have been using the full recomended dose which equates to roughly 25ml in 9 litres of water or 30ml in 10ltr.

They recomend every every 2 to 4 weeks but we are now fertilising every week and using Seasol as well. (I am fertilising at a higher rate than recommended so you must trial yourself for your climate)

Grant

I use Powerfeed aswell at just over the recommended amount, Last season i used quite heavily every 10 days, no problem and alot more growth than previous years, All trees are in freedraining substrates,. good luck

Thanks guys, should I work up to that or just good straight to that strength? I used 10ml in 9L yesturday because I wasn't sure but will use more next week, again thanks for the advice

leamos wrote:Thanks guys, should I work up to that or just good straight to that strength? I used 10ml in 9L yesturday because I wasn't sure but will use more next week, again thanks for the advice

If in doubt always build up to full recomended dose or higher.

For the previous 4 weeks we fertilised with Maxicrop(5% nitrogen) before moving to the powerfeed.

With Banksia it is important not to hit it with full strength straitaway but build up to it.

viewtopic.php?f=66&t=812&hilit=Banksia+ ... +as+bonsai

An article on Banksia

Grant

Is it true that Banksias do not like Phosphorus that well ??

Can someone be kind enough to recommend a low to zero Nitrogen feed formula I can easily purchase in Melbourne?

Cheers,

Han.

FatMingsBonsai wrote:Is it true that Banksias do not like Phosphorus that well ??

Can someone be kind enough to recommend a low to zero Nitrogen feed formula I can easily purchase in Melbourne?

Cheers,

Han.

I have not found Banksia sensitive to normal levels of Phosphorus in general purpose fertilizers except as mentioned above in terms of building up.(Proteoid roots!)

I have found(at least with east coast banksia) that in fact they prefer normal fertilizer than special "native" blends.

Why do you seek a zero Nitrogen Fert?

Grant

For some good colours in my deciduous and to strenghten the wood for winter as some of my trees have delicate and fine twig structures. We have some cold winds and weather in Melbourne's north last year. My Japanese maple has had some die back due to cold weather.

I am wrong to assume the use of it Grant??. Would love your input for further strengthening and maturing of the bark in terms of what fertilizer to use in this case.

Han.

Just checking that you hadn't read a book by a Canadian preparing his bonsai for winter hibernation and burial in a hole in the ground for winter etc.

I am not convinced of the need for zero nitrogen fertilizer in Oz; even in Canberra which will be much colder than where you live.

Start with a good fertilizing regime and do it methodically and see where you are next year.

Grant