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[IBC] Fertilizing azaleas.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jim Lewis" To: Sent: Sunday, January 26, 2003 11:33 AM Subject: [IBC] FW: [IBC] Please be gentle !! In the interim, should I fertilize the azalea's sometime this spring to strengthen them ? No. Unless the soil is absolutely awful, once a shrub is established it seldom needs fertilization. Also, don't feed nitrogen based plant food to a flowering bonsai until after it has bloomed, as it will encourage leaf growth at the expense of blossoms. If the azalea looks hungry, let it bloom first, then feed it. ************************************************** ****************************** ++++Sponsored, in part, by Jerry Meislik++++ ************************************************** ****************************** -- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ -- +++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++ |
#2
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[IBC] Fertilizing azaleas.
Alex Kennedy's "Floral Treasures Of Japan" says that plants should be
fed from March onward especially for plants expected to flower heavily. This is in order to build up their strength. It made sense to me so I have followed this advice for the past three years with very good results. I use Miracid - the blue liquid acidic fertiliser available here in the UK but will be amending my regime this year, as I hear that the brittleness of trunk and branches may be lessened by fertilising with organic pellets. I'll get back to you all on the results. Cheers Kev Bailey In the interim, should I fertilize the azalea's sometime this spring to strengthen them ? No. Unless the soil is absolutely awful, once a shrub is established it seldom needs fertilization. Also, don't feed nitrogen based plant food to a flowering bonsai until after it has bloomed, as it will encourage leaf growth at the expense of blossoms. If the azalea looks hungry, let it bloom first, then feed it. --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.443 / Virus Database: 248 - Release Date: 10/01/2003 ************************************************** ****************************** ++++Sponsored, in part, by Jerry Meislik++++ ************************************************** ****************************** -- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ -- +++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++ |
#3
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[IBC] Fertilizing azaleas.
Alex Kennedy's "Floral Treasures Of Japan" says that plants
should be fed from March onward especially for plants expected to flower heavily. This is in order to build up their strength. Well, he was asking about azaleas established and growing in the ground. It made sense to me so I have followed this advice for the past three years with very good results. I use Miracid - the blue liquid acidic fertiliser available here in the UK but will be amending my regime this year, as I hear that the brittleness of trunk and branches may be lessened by fertilising with organic pellets. I'll get back to you all on the results. I don't know of any organic fertilizers that will provide enough acidity to support an azalea's needs. And, since plants use the same elements no matter how they are delivered (organic vs. inorganic) I cannot imagine how anything in an "organic" fertilizer -- pelletized or not -- would cause any difference in the brittleness of azalea stems. May I ask: Where did you "hear" this? It certainly isn't anything that is echoing around here. I live in the absolute heart of azalea country, and my shrubbery azalea -- many of them "indica" and some of them more than 30 years old now, and nearly as tall (and several times as wide) as I am, and all "fertilized" organically via rotting mulch around and over their roots have the same brittle stems as my potted Satsuki azaleas that get Miracid. If your trees have been healthy and blooming well, I'd not change anything, if I were you. Just be careful wiring. Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - Our life is frittered away by detail . . . . Simplify! Simplify. -- Henry David Thoreau - Walden ************************************************** ****************************** ++++Sponsored, in part, by Jerry Meislik++++ ************************************************** ****************************** -- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ -- +++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++ |
#4
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[IBC] Fertilizing azaleas.
I don't know of any organic fertilizers that will provide enough
acidity to support an azalea's needs. I use an acidic compost of peat, chipped bark and kanuma for my trees in development. My feeling is that the compost's acidity should persist from one repot to the next. And, since plants use the same elements no matter how they are delivered (organic vs. inorganic) I cannot imagine how anything in an "organic" fertilizer -- pelletized or not -- would cause any difference in the brittleness of azalea stems. May I ask: Where did you "hear" this? It certainly isn't anything that is echoing around here. This was from a nursery man specialising in Satsuki's and his own experience. I dunno, it sounds a little kooky to me too, but I'm going to give it a try for one season. The wiring I still have problems with is that of setting the trunk shape after initially growing a tall, thin 2 to 3 year plant from cuttings. I live in the absolute heart of azalea country, and my shrubbery azalea -- many of them "indica" and some of them more than 30 years old now, and nearly as tall (and several times as wide) as I am, and all "fertilized" organically via rotting mulch around and over their roots have the same brittle stems as my potted Satsuki azaleas that get Miracid. Interesting stuff Jim. Wish I could find Satsuki's around here with that sort of development. If your trees have been healthy and blooming well, I'd not change anything, if I were you. Just be careful wiring. Health and blooming have been very good but in the interests of developing better initial trunk shapes I feel a little experimentation isn't going to harm anything. My care and development of Satsuki wiring skills is developing. I've progressed through using raffia and single wiring to vet's tape with triple wiring and now self amalgamating tape with triple wiring. Any leads on cheap sources of self amalgamating tape anyone? Cheers Kev Bailey --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.445 / Virus Database: 250 - Release Date: 21/01/2003 ************************************************** ****************************** ++++Sponsored, in part, by Jerry Meislik++++ ************************************************** ****************************** -- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ -- +++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++ |
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