Bonsai fertiliser

[Simpo Two]

I was given a bonsai tree a few weeks ago and undertsand that it needs a little feeding.

Research over what NPK is needed is mixed but I got the impression they should be roughly equal.

I ordered some 'Bonsai Focus' from eBay having been told by the seller it was 1.6 : 2.4 : 2.6 - the most equal I could find. However it's arrived and is actually 1.9 : 0.7 : 3.9. DOH!

What is actually best and will the stuff I got be OK?

Thanks!

[Simpo Two]

Thanks Zad. I have normal Baby Bio and also their 'orchid' version - but when I did the maths found the latter was exactly the same but half strength, the cheeky buggers.

Ideally I'd like one fertiliser for all seasons, but it's dawning on me that a bonsai is more like a pet than a plant, so perhaps I'll have to tool up. And maybe if a bonsai is just a small normal plant, it needs normal fertiliser but less of it...?

It's a Japanese Pepper - does that affect what fertiliser to get? www.amazon.co.uk/Bonsai-Szechuan-pepper-Zanthoxylu...

Whilst half my degree was plant physiology I have no experience of bonsai!

[Simpo Two]

Thanks all, sound stuff.

Whilst I don't want loads of leaf growth, I don't really want much root growth either, due to the small pot! Anyway, I'll try another fertiliser as suggested and see what happens.

Or maybe wait until it shows signs of going pale? Leaves are a lovely rich green at present and I've already seen off an attack of very small whitfly.

[Simpo Two]

Mobile Chicane said:

Bonsai really need mycorrhizal fertiliser (Google it).

Ah, commensal fungi you mean (degree still works!). I actually have some of that, recommended when I bought a grape vine a few years ago. Not sure how long the spores last for though. And it's powder not liquid so not ideal for application.