Hi all;

Last weekend I purchased two nice 20 year old azaleas in training pots. Two
inch trunks with nice growth and back-budding.

I have a hard (well) water problem here in central PA.
Should I be using an acidifier ?

I have a bag of Vigoro time released 15-7-7 that I use on my yard azaleas
with good results, and I'm wondering if I can't sprinkle some on the bonsai
soil ?
Or should I be using diluted Muracid directly in the water ?

Comments ?

Mark Hill
Harrisburg, PA
Zone 6a (and frozen !!)



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+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

Last weekend I purchased two nice 20 year old azaleas in training pots. Two
inch trunks with nice growth and back-budding.

I have a hard (well) water problem here in central PA.
Should I be using an acidifier ?

I have a bag of Vigoro time released 15-7-7 that I use on my yard azaleas
with good results, and I'm wondering if I can't sprinkle some on the bonsai
soil ?
Or should I be using diluted Muracid directly in the water ?

Comments ?

I have no idea what "Vigoro" is; does it contain micronutrients? Because the problem of the twentieth century is the problem of iron uptake in azaleas, or something like that. If your bonsai is in an artificial medium like bark:turface, there are no sour
ces of micronutrients except those that you supply, and therefore you need a full-spectrum fertilizer like Miracid with chelated iron (soluble and in a form plants can utilize). Don't dilute fertilizer; use it at directed strength.

I have never heard of anyone having iron deficiency in a bonsai'ed ericaceous plant. Has anyone? It would be useful to know if this is more of a perceived problem than an actual one. Certainly it is a problem in nursery propagation, but the water used f
or irrigation is often substandard.

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Lisa Kanis++++
************************************************** ******************************
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+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

Thanks Nina;

Both azaleas are in 18" X 12" X 4" mica training pots, in turface based
bonsai soil.
I don't see very much bark etc in the mixture.
Drainage isn't a problem.

Vigoro is a time released product with the following:
Total Nitrogen = 15% (7.31% Ammoniacal Nitrogen and 7.69% Urea
Nitrogen)
Total Phosphate = 7%
Total Potash = 7%
Total Magnesium = 1.5%
Total Sulfur = 3%
Total Iron = 2%

Apparently the Urea Nitrogen is slow release, through polymer coated
pellets.

I usually add a drop of two of SuperThrive to each watering and a few
Biogold pellets spread around the surface of each pot. However, if you
suggest Muracid with chelated iron will be better for my azaleas, I'll pick
some up and follow the directions.

I was more concerned that my salt treated well water is alkaline rather than
acidic.

Mark


-----Original Message-----
From: Internet Bonsai Club ] On Behalf Of
Nina Shishkoff
Sent: Friday, October 03, 2003 12:36 PM
To:
Subject: [IBC] hard water and azaleas ??

I have no idea what "Vigoro" is; does it contain micronutrients? Because
the problem of the twentieth century is the problem of iron uptake in
azaleas, or something like that. If your bonsai is in an artificial medium
like bark:turface, there are no sources of micronutrients except those that
you supply, and therefore you need a full-spectrum fertilizer like Miracid
with chelated iron (soluble and in a form plants can utilize). Don't dilute
fertilizer; use it at directed strength.

I have never heard of anyone having iron deficiency in a bonsai'ed
ericaceous plant. Has anyone? It would be useful to know if this is more
of a perceived problem than an actual one. Certainly it is a problem in
nursery propagation, but the water used for irrigation is often substandard.

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Lisa Kanis++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

Dear Amiga: So that the water is but acida, as they like the azaleas, you must prove to place in a liter of water 10 drops of vinegar, of this form, the water becomes acida and asi your azalea you goes it to be thankful. I hope that it serves to you and
that your azalea is itself esplendida. I burn for all,
Cristian Cangaro
Asoc.Los Tilos
Argentina



Estimada Amiga: Para que el agua sea mas acida,como les gusta a las azaleas,tienes que probar de colocar en un litro de agua 10 gotas de vinagre,de esta forma, el agua se torna acida y asi tu azalea te lo va agradecer. Espero que te sirva y que tu azalea s
e vea esplendida.
Un abraso para todos,
Cristian Cangaro
Asoc.Los Tilos
Argentina







Last weekend I purchased two nice 20 year old azaleas in training pots. Two
inch trunks with nice growth and back-budding.

I have a hard (well) water problem here in central PA.
Should I be using an acidifier ?

I have a bag of Vigoro time released 15-7-7 that I use on my yard azaleas
with good results, and I'm wondering if I can't sprinkle some on the bonsai
soil ?
Or should I be using diluted Muracid directly in the water ?

Comments ?

I have no idea what "Vigoro" is; does it contain micronutrients? Because the problem of the twentieth century is the problem of iron uptake in azaleas, or something like that. If your bonsai is in an artificial medium like bark:turface, there are no sour
ces of micronutrients except those that you supply, and therefore you need a full-spectrum fertilizer like Miracid with chelated iron (soluble and in a form plants can utilize). Don't dilute fertilizer; use it at directed strength.

I have never heard of anyone having iron deficiency in a bonsai'ed ericaceous plant. Has anyone? It would be useful to know if this is more of a perceived problem than an actual one. Certainly it is a problem in nursery propagation, but the water used f
or irrigation is often substandard.

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Lisa Kanis++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

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************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Lisa Kanis++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

I have a bag of Vigoro time released 15-7-7 that I use on my
yard azaleas
with good results, and I'm wondering if I can't sprinkle some
on the bonsai
soil ?
Or should I be using diluted Muracid directly in the water ?

Comments ?

I have no idea what "Vigoro" is; does it contain
micronutrients?

Vigoro is a brand name. The company (a western company) make
several kinds of fertilizer for homeowners, including mixtures
that are much like the Peters or Miracle-Gro products most of us
know. The company also makes an azalea food, like Miracid.

It is an older company than Peters and M-G, but I'd only seen it
out west 'till recently. It was all there was when I was a lad
in California, Hawaii and later in Arizona. ;-)

It has a full compliment of micronutrients.

Because the problem of the twentieth century is the problem of
iron uptake in azaleas, or something like that. If your bonsai
is in an artificial medium like bark:turface, there are no
sources of micronutrients except those that you supply, and
therefore you need a full-spectrum fertilizer like Miracid with
chelated iron (soluble and in a form plants can utilize). Don't
dilute fertilizer; use it at directed strength.

I have never heard of anyone having iron deficiency in a
bonsai'ed ericaceous plant. Has anyone? It would be useful to
know if this is more of a perceived problem than an actual one.
Certainly it is a problem in nursery propagation, but the water
used for irrigation is often substandard.

Me either. Nor have I seen alkaline water cause a problem (and
my well water comes from a limestone aquifer) in a
well-fertilized azalea. Miracid works fine, but Miracle Gro's
20-20-20 mix is all you really need.

Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - The phrase
'sustainable growth' is an oxymoron. - Stephen Viederman

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Lisa Kanis++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++