Help with my red japanese maple (over fertilization)

[just.wing.it]

Well....if it dies, at least you'll have a finished bonsai.

 

[R3x]

2 things:

1. Cut off the dead leaves. Keep the tree in shade.
2. Is that the original soil in the pictures? If so consider planting in inorganic substrate. Much harder to over-fertilize as the excess fertilizer has nowhere to stay and is flushed away.

 

[The Warm Canuck]

Sounds like you have it figured out and dont need help. By the way, I fertilize my Maples with 15 9 12 osmocote pellets and a weekly dosage of 20 20 20 liquid fertilizer at 150% of the recommended dosage and my leaves are fine.

I just bought some liquid miracle grow 20-20-20, but than someone from a local Bonsai nursery told me it was too strong. Do you use it on all your trees, or just the maples?

Mine has two serving sizes, 1/2 tsp to 1 Gallong of water, for indoor plants, and 1-1/2 tablespoons for 1.5 Gallons of water. I'm not sure if that's your case, I'm just wondering roughly what your multiplying by 150%.

 

[VAFisher]

I just bought some liquid miracle grow 20-20-20, but than someone from a local Bonsai nursery told me it was too strong. Do you use it on all your trees, or just the maples?

Mine has two serving sizes, 1/2 tsp to 1 Gallong of water, for indoor plants, and 1-1/2 tablespoons for 1.5 Gallons of water. I'm not sure if that's your case, I'm just wondering roughly what your multiplying by 150%.

I use Grow More 20 20 20 on all my trees. I cant remember exactly what the mixing instructions are because I threw the bag away and keep it in a sealed 5 gallon bucket. I bought a large bag several years ago. I'm pretty sure it recommended 3 scoops per 2 gallons. The scooper came in the bag and Im not sure of the measurement size. I use roughly 4.5 scoops per 2 gallons.

 

[penumbra]

Mine has two serving sizes, 1/2 tsp to 1 Gallong of water, for indoor plants, and 1-1/2 tablespoons for 1.5 Gallons of water

That is the right amount. I use three scoop (1-1/2 tbs) in a 4 gallon sprayer every other week alternating with Neptune's fish & seaweed.

 

[WNC Bonsai]

Remember that fertilizing trees grown in a predominantly inorganic soil is different from an inorganic or slow draining one. When I fertilize my plants I bet 90% of the fertilizer runs right on through and out into the ground, then most of the rest is flushed out in the next watering. About the only thing left in the pot is what is taken up immeditarely by the plant or held on ion exchange sites—the salts are washed away. With inorganic or slow draining soils the fertilizer and associated salts sit in the pot and do their business which can include “burning” the roots. If you’ve ever read Walter Paul’s posts on watering and fertilizing he points out that he grossly over waters and over fertilizes because he uses such a well draining mix.

 

[MindMint]

So I would like to give a quick update on my tree. It has been pushing out new buds over the course of the last few days which makes me feel confident that it will survive this ordeal. Thank you all for the input!!! I have decided that I will only be using organic fertilizers from now on since I don't want this to happen ever again. On a side note, does anyone here have any experience with lebanese cedars?

 

[R3x]

So I would like to give a quick update on my tree. It has been pushing out new buds over the course of the last few days which makes me feel confident that it will survive this ordeal. Thank you all for the input!!! I have decided that I will only be using organic fertilizers from now on since I don't want this to happen ever again. On a side note, does anyone here have any experience with lebanese cedars?

Think about the soil too. In inorganic soil I used pretty high doses of artificial fertilizer without any issues. But have switched to organic as well. But giving it to the trees in handfulls.