What do you feed your natives?

MattA · Post by **MattA** » February 24th, 2013, 12:41 pm

The title of this thread is a question I was recently asked, I know this can be a contentious issue so will start upfront by asking to keep your replies to a statement of what you use & why, not debating if one is better than the other. I am hoping this can become a guide for anyone wanting to grow natives as bonsai & what species will tolerate what types of fertiliser.

For myself I have used lots of different fertilisers & tonics on various native species, including chook poo on many Proteaceae! that was until 2yrs ago when I lost a number of usually unfussy species to a dodgy slow release and since have stuck with using Osmocote slow release for natives. Why? No more guessing if a new native species will have a negative reaction to the fert and I have found it gives the best health & growth for every native I use it with.

So Ausbonsai'ers "What do You feed Your natives?"

Matt

irish · Post by **irish** » February 24th, 2013, 1:08 pm

Hi.
Well I have been giving my red, yellow,blue gums, as well as my. She oaks charley carp every other Sunday.on other. Sundays I give them sea-sol, 18 lts per tree every Sunday. Why charley carp, a good use for a pest! I have been doing this for two and a half years. With positive results.

Today I cut my gums and she oaks down from six foot to 50 cm.

Regards.
Irish.

PeterH · Post by **PeterH** » February 24th, 2013, 1:17 pm

I feed my natives "Native Osmacote" twice a year and I also use a seaweed solution. Occasionally I use "Dynamic Lifter". I have kept it simple over the years for fear of killing an established tree.

Recently I have been trying "Miracle.Gro Boost n feed" for my flowering natives. No positive results yet but also no negative results.

Regards,

Peter

Jasonb · Post by **Jasonb** » February 24th, 2013, 2:43 pm

I have always used osmocote, not due to any trial and error. My mum has always used it and it works, so low and behold so do I. No adverse effects on my trees.

Jason

shibui · Post by **shibui** » February 24th, 2013, 8:17 pm

All natives except Proteaceae species get the same as all the exotics - standard osmocote in the mix with a few pellets of chook poo pellets every month or so and a feed every 2-3 weeks with worm juice or a soluble fertiliser.

Banksias, grevilleas, adenanthos and any I'm not sure of get 'native' osmocote in the mix, a few chook poo pellets every month or so and worm juice or soluble every few weeks but at a lower rate or just a very light water with the soluble fertiliser. Note that these proteacea plants are regularly fertilised so do not have many proteoid roots so can tolerate higher P doses. If in doubt I turn a couple of plants out of the black growing pots and check for the presence of proteoid roots before applying fertiliser.

Watto · Post by **Watto** » February 25th, 2013, 5:23 pm

I only have a few natives, but I use native osmocote in the mix - and that appears to be a "standard" across people so far. I also give all mine a "dusting" of any liquid fertilizer I am giving all my other bonsai. By dusting I mean not a full load, but just a bit. In the liquid so far this growing season I have used:- worm juice, powerfeed, nitrosol, miracle gro seafood 3in1, zest fish emulsion fertilizer. As you can see I'm not that fussy as long as they all get some and I am trying to treat the natives with just about the same feeding program as everything else.

Bretts · Post by **Bretts** » February 25th, 2013, 5:35 pm

Does anyone know what phosphourous toxisity looks like, what happens does it kill the tree?

Pup · Post by **Pup** » February 25th, 2013, 5:48 pm

Bretts wrote:Does anyone know what phosphourous toxisity looks like, what happens does it kill the tree?

Fortunately I have never had it, so I do not know.

I use Miracle gro for Azaleas and Camellias. Alternating with Yates fruit and flower, with a side dressing of Seasol. This hot season I have to admit to Osmocote, for both natives and exotics, again with a side dressing of seasol.
which is so far as I can see fine.

Cheers Pup,

Paul W · Post by **Paul W** » February 25th, 2013, 6:05 pm

Hi Pup
What is Miracle Grow for camellia`s and azalea`s, is it a chemical or an organic fertiliser and where do you get it,I have looked in a few big green sheds but cannot find it,even looked up the Scotts fertiliser website and do not seem to see it.

Paul

Jason · Post by **Jason** » February 25th, 2013, 6:15 pm

Paul W wrote:Hi Pup
What is Miracle Grow for camellia`s and azalea`s, is it a chemical or an organic fertiliser and where do you get it,I have looked in a few big green sheds but cannot find it,even looked up the Scotts fertiliser website and do not seem to see it.
Paul

Could be this one (only one I could find): http://www.scotts.com/smg/goprod/miracl ... prod70346/

Pup · Post by **Pup** » February 25th, 2013, 6:52 pm

DENAz wrote:
Paul W wrote:Hi Pup
What is Miracle Grow for camellia`s and azalea`s, is it a chemical or an organic fertiliser and where do you get it,I have looked in a few big green sheds but cannot find it,even looked up the Scotts fertiliser website and do not seem to see it.
Paul
Could be this one (only one I could find): http://www.scotts.com/smg/goprod/miracl ... prod70346/

Thats the one.

Watto · Post by **Watto** » February 25th, 2013, 7:11 pm

Gee Pup, that's another one I will have to buy! OK, I'll give it a try.

Paul W · Post by **Paul W** » February 25th, 2013, 7:12 pm

Thank you Denz and Mr Pup now will have to find out where to buy it, I have noticed that that link is an American website,is it available here as I have never seen it, where does everybody get it because every Bunnings I have been in does not seem to stock it in Sydney.,Thanks

Scott Roxburgh · Post by **Scott Roxburgh** » February 25th, 2013, 7:22 pm

Cottonseed meal, blood and bone spooned into tea bags and soaked in fish emulsion.

4 per pot then every month keep adding 4 more, removing spent tea bags.

I also alternate weekly with fish emulsion and miracle gro, watering twice per day.

All my trees are treated this way, although I only have banksia intergifolia, and ficus.

Graeme · Post by **Graeme** » February 25th, 2013, 10:01 pm

Paul W wrote:Thank you Denz and Mr Pup now will have to find out where to buy it, I have noticed that that link is an American website,is it available here as I have never seen it, where does everybody get it because every Bunnings I have been in does not seem to stock it in Sydney.,Thanks

When looking for this product, don't look for a box like in the link above. It is now sold in a foil type self seal bag. Through me for a while until I did the unmentionable and asked one of the B* staff why they didn't have it anymore. Guy simply reached over to the shelf and handed it to me.

I have found the BGS to be out of stock from time to time, so maybe swallow your pride and ask, even though I know it goes against the Man Grain.

AusBonsai