AusBonsai

Do you mix slow release pellets with soil when you repot your trees? I don't as I worry the root may be burnt.
Some people do add osmocote when repot and root prune their tree. Any adverse effect experienced?

I know many people down here who do it with no side effects...

Hello Bonbon .... What I tend to do is err on the safe side and place a layer of mix then some osmocote and more mix before placing the tree in the pot. It is just something I have always done probably out of superstition lol. But I don't like the idea of tender roots coming into contact with fert. that early.


Ash

Most people at School just mix it in with the Soil and repot with it.

Slow release means no root burn I believe

ken

I include it seems to give the trees a boost...


I believe that Grant has previously said that he has tried both with and without and the trees with performed much better

kcpoole wrote:Most people at School just mix it in with the Soil and repot with it.

Slow release means no root burn I believe

ken

Another myth busted for me, thank you Ken. That is what I like about the internet it opens our minds
and gets us out of our glorious isolation.

Ash

The theory is that having the fertiliser pellets spread through the soil encourages the roots to go looking for it. I think this being different to a liquid feed is reason that it would not burn the roots. This burning of roots by fertilising after re potting has been around a long time but is there any evidence that this is actually the case?

Edit :I have Grocote to use this season it has slightly higher analysis than ocmocote and is a couple of dollars cheaper:)

Scott Roxburgh wrote:I include it seems to give the trees a boost...


I believe that Grant has previously said that he has tried both with and without and the trees with performed much better

I don't know where this MYTH of Osmocote being bad for trees came from but I would like to see it put to death once and for all.

It is safe to use as outlined on the packet. Use at the suggested rate per soil volume until you are comfortable and then experiment if you wish.

The only quirk I have ever noticed is that if it is left in clumps in the soil the roots wont grow into it.

One year alone I grew 5,000 black pine, 5,000 red pine and 2,000 scots pine and every single tree got Osmocote (and no mycorhiza but thats another story).

Grant Bowie wrote: One year alone I grew 5,000 black pine, 5,000 red pine and 2,000 scots pine and every single tree got Osmocote (and no mycorhiza but thats another story).

How many have you got left?

Clinton Nesci recommends mixing osmocote into bonsai soils, and usually does so at demo's. I mix osmocote or similar products when i remember, but if i don't its not an issue as i fertilize with liquid organics anyway.

JayC

Asus101 wrote:

Grant Bowie wrote: One year alone I grew 5,000 black pine, 5,000 red pine and 2,000 scots pine and every single tree got Osmocote (and no mycorhiza but thats another story).

How many have you got left?

Just a few Scots pines and Shimpaku for future demos and use and growing on.

Grant Bowie wrote:

Asus101 wrote:

Grant Bowie wrote: One year alone I grew 5,000 black pine, 5,000 red pine and 2,000 scots pine and every single tree got Osmocote (and no mycorhiza but thats another story).

How many have you got left?

Just a few Scots pines and Shimpaku for future demos and use and growing on.

Oh

Never use slow release, there are a lot of myths as to fertilizers. One being do not fertilize after pruning the roots!!.
About 6 years ago when we were members of the local garden club. We had a talk by a as they called him expert on growing Fuschias.
He said when he saw me we treat our Fuschias like the people that do Bonsai.
We prune the roots to regenerate the plants like Bonsai. So far so good. Then we feed them a low nitrogen high potassium fert, I use Phostrogen.
My question when do you do this?, I soak them after I prune the roots, straight away?, yes. Then 4 weeks later with a high nitrogen fert like Yates30 nitrogen!!!
So in some cases I tried this with no ill affects, but I still do not use slow release pellets.
Tried the organic ones got a lot of roots coming up to the ball. Stopped.
As with all things fert and soil personal. Pup

I actually need info on Fuschias. I collected one last winter and now it needs a good prune and work started.

Pup wrote:Never use slow release, there are a lot of myths as to fertilizers. One being do not fertilize after pruning the roots!!

I Also agree(Not about not using slow release but lots of Myths and especially not fertilising after repotting). When I ran a nursery we put the liquid fertiliser (Maxicrop concentrated form) through the sprinklers and if the trees were only repotted that day they got fertilised that day and then again 10 days later and then again 10 days later andthen......

Strong chemical fertilisers would of course be different but people don't tend to differentiate adequately.