How often to fertilize potted plants, knowledge about how often to fertilize potted plants

Fertilization for bonsai and flowers is very particular. If too much fertilizer is applied, the branches and leaves will become leggy; if there is a lack of fertilizer, the branches will be thin and weak, the leaves will turn yellow, and they will be susceptible to diseases and insect pests. Therefore, the following tips should be paid attention to when fertilizing:

First, if the root system of potted trees and potted flowers that have been newly planted, potted for the first time, or just replaced with soil has been damaged, it is best not to fertilize for the time being. In spring and summer, potted flowers and trees are in their peak growth season and must be fertilized more frequently. After autumn, potted flowers and potted trees grow slowly, so less fertilizer should be applied. Stop fertilizing in winter when the flowering trees enter the dormant period. It is not advisable to fertilize around noon on rainy days or when the temperature is high in midsummer (fertilizing in rainy days is easy to lose, and fertilizing in hot weather can easily damage the root system). It is best to fertilize on a cloudy day, in the evening, or when the pot soil is slightly dry. Remove weeds and loosen the soil first, which will help fertilizer and water penetrate into the soil and accelerate the decomposition of fertilizer. However, it must be watered thoroughly the next morning, commonly known as "backwater", which is beneficial to the absorption of fertilizer and water and avoids fertilizer damage.

The second is to apply thin fertilizer frequently. The amount of fertilizer applied each time should be small and thin. Generally speaking, from the beginning of spring to the beginning of autumn, topdress with thin fertilizer and water (seven parts water and three parts fertilizer) every 15 days; topdress once 30 days after the beginning of autumn, and stop topdressing after the beginning of winter.

Third, it should be noted that the nutrients needed by potted flowers and potted trees are mainly nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Nitrogen fertilizers promote the growth of plant branches and leaves, such as peanut bran, bean cake, and ammonium sulfate; phosphate fertilizers promote bright flower colors and enlarged fruits, such as superphosphate and bone meal; potassium fertilizers promote root development and make plants strong, such as potassium sulfate and plant ash. Therefore, they should be applied separately according to the growth conditions of the plants, and also according to the characteristics and growth conditions of the varieties.

Fourth, it is best to use organic fertilizers for bonsai flowers, also called farmyard manure, such as human excrement, poultry manure, bone meal, peanut bran, bean cake and various green manures, plant ash, etc. These fertilizers contain different ingredients. Nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium. Try not to use chemical fertilizers as much as possible, because chemical fertilizers will leave acid roots or salt roots, and the pot soil will become acidic or alkaline, hindering the growth of plants. In addition, fertilizer should be applied at the edge of the pot.