777thSunRay
Mame
So I'm switching over to Miracle Gro for my trees. If I fertilize with every watering, I simply use half strength dilution, correct?
Quick question about Miracle Gro
- Thread starter 777thSunRay
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waydeo
Mame
Use half strength or quarter strength but only once every two weeks depending on plants need for water. It's better to use a low NPK bonsai fertilizer for watering once a week.
Deep Sea Diver
Imperial Masterpiece
It depends on the stages your bonsai are in and the type tree and media. If the tree is in development in Bonsai media, use full strength every ten to fourteen days, rather then every watering.
In refinement likely this isn’t the best fertilizer for your trees
btw: Most trees would prefer Miracid over Miracle Gro.
Cheers
DSD sends
In refinement likely this isn’t the best fertilizer for your trees
btw: Most trees would prefer Miracid over Miracle Gro.
Cheers
DSD sends
sorce
Nonsense Rascal
I just realized there is no W on grow.
Must mean it's not real growth.
No option for a W!
Miracle No!
Sorce
Must mean it's not real growth.
No option for a W!
Miracle No!
Sorce
777thSunRay
Mame
I have Miracle Gro Orchid Food, seems to have the same NPK ratio. Maybe the Miracid is a new iteration of the orchid food, promoted for more varieties of plants?
Also, I know Miracle Gro is not traditionally good for Bonsai. But I am switching over to a special method of Walter Pall, linked here: This guy so standard Miracle Gro seems appropriate.
Last edited:
777thSunRay
Mame
Paradox
Marine Bonsologist
Fertilizing with every watering is excessive and a waste of fertilizer and money. Developing trees that you are trying to get more growth on can be fed more often, every 2 weeks is enough.
For trees that are already developed and under maintenance, once a month is enough. You over fertilize a developed tree, it could easily get away from you.
Fertilizing with half strength fertilizer is fine and us a good way to not overfertilize.
For trees that are already developed and under maintenance, once a month is enough. You over fertilize a developed tree, it could easily get away from you.
Fertilizing with half strength fertilizer is fine and us a good way to not overfertilize.
777thSunRay
Mame
Right, I do understand this, about refinement. I am in the stage now of seeking growth with some of my plants. For me certain plants seem appropriate for small development and certain for fast. I like both approaches.
Again, I am moving to this Walter Plan method, at least for what I want to grow fast: This guy is the link.
Standard Miracle Gro seems to fit this method... High nitrogen and cost effective, as the method requires copiously more fertilizer. The Miracid seems to be about 10 times as expensive as standard Miracle Gro, though half the cost of their Orchid Food, which I also use for Dwarf Gumpo Satsuma, other little species, and my Orchids of course
777thSunRay
Mame
I'm not yet at the point of any tree getting away from me. I have been using Bonsai Pro for awhile, and understand now why it hasn't given great growth. again I am switching over to this Walter Pall method: This guy for the trees I want to get large. Some of my dwarfs, I would like to keep smaller instead. I am using Miracle Gro orchid food on them for now. Should I maybe still be using the Bonsai Pro for these littler trees instead? Or could someone recommend another good fertilizer for Bonsai to be kept littler?
Paradox
Marine Bonsologist
Don't know why you are using orchid food on trees....they aren't orchids. Just use regular miracle grow at half strength once a month duri g the growing season and you'll be fine. No need to over complicate it.
777thSunRay
Mame
Well the orchid food is just like the Miracid mentioned by @Deep Sea Diver, that he said is better for Bonsai. It is also recommended for azaleas and others. I'm only using the orchid food for a few small flowering ones recommended, like the Gumpo Azalea.
The Miracid is also recommended for orchids, so it seems to be an iteration, less expensive as their orchid food Again, I'm only using the orchid foods for the species which are stated suitable for Miracid (and the orchid food, if its the same thing lol)
Paradox
Marine Bonsologist
That clarification makes sense. Those details were not in your original post. As with most things in bonsai, the details can matter
I use miracid on my azaleas because they are acid loving and that fertilizer is meant for those types of plants.
I use regular fertilizer for pretty much everything else
PaulH
Omono
I use Miracle Gro on pre bonsai in development full strength with the hose end sprayer. Using it on trees in the refinement stage can ruin them by blowing out the fine ramification.
Deep Sea Diver
Imperial Masterpiece
Three things
1. Walter and I corresponded last year in June. He has changed his thoughts as stated in that 2010 blog. Instead he states, “I have changed: Fertilization. learn about your tree species and requirements and fertililize accordingly. Some want a lot some much less. It depends. With some substtqtes you can over-fertilize. So be careful”.
Basically be careful with over fertilizing. It can injure/kill certain bonsai by damaging the root system. A good example is azaleas, whose fine roots do not tolterant over fertilization… and sometimes any fertilization during hot weather.
2. A dwarf is genetically fixed to be a dwarf. One can’t change the genetics with fertilizer. One can make a dwarf healthy and grow to its maximum potential by providing the best growing environment… which is something the scientists and farmers, working hand in hand, in the Netherlands have been showing for years. @Glaucus?
3. You are correct! (btw: Miracid is generally good for most bonsai in development… except maybe those that prefer a basic soil. I’d check on those if I were you before using.)
Based upon ALL the stated ingredients on the packages, these two products have not only the same NPK, but also the same micro nutrients. So it seems reasonable to assume that if one “product“ is cheaper then the other, you are right to save some money. Good call!
cheers
DSD sends
BrianBay9
Masterpiece
Orchid growers may correct me, but most orchid ferts seem to use nitrates or ammonia as the primary nitrogen source, rather than urea in Miracle Gro. Urea needs time to get broken down by microbes. Nitrates and ammonia are immediately usable.
Deep Sea Diver
Imperial Masterpiece
Kind of off topic, but yah, that’s not so. There are a number of factors that might have one choose one over the other. As always, one is the media 
Who woulda guessed?
Cheers
DSD sends
Who woulda guessed?
Cheers
DSD sends
777thSunRay
Mame
So what about Miracid makes it better than standard Miracle Gro, for Bonsai. They have similar NPK ratios. I started Miracle Gro to get some accelerated growth. So what else is better about Miracid? (guessing it has something to do with acid haha, anything else?). And I'm guessing due to the NPK, it should grow just as fast as standard Miracle Gro?
Deep Sea Diver
Imperial Masterpiece
Good question, I’ll try to give a short answer. Not sure one could say makes the plants grow faster, they have different NPK etc, thus a different effect on plants.
Miracle gro = 24-8-16, simplistically 3-1-2. The extra K is focused on enhancing vegetable, flower, grass etc crops drought resistance and also their roots.
Miracid = 30-10-10, simplistically 3-1-1. Trees can do with less K as they form naturally strong roots and are more drought tolerant then food etc crops. The extra amount of nitrogen helps with photosynthesis which helps trees grow …as nitrogen is an essential component of amino acids, proteins and also nucleic acids. Plus Miracid has about about 3x the iron.
As a by product of breaking down the nitrogen, the process acidifies the soil ….as does the extra iron but to a lesser extent.
As one can see, Miracid will have a more positive effect on growth of acid loving trees and bushes then Miracle Gro would.
Hope that helps.
cheers
DSD sends
Miracle gro = 24-8-16, simplistically 3-1-2. The extra K is focused on enhancing vegetable, flower, grass etc crops drought resistance and also their roots.
Miracid = 30-10-10, simplistically 3-1-1. Trees can do with less K as they form naturally strong roots and are more drought tolerant then food etc crops. The extra amount of nitrogen helps with photosynthesis which helps trees grow …as nitrogen is an essential component of amino acids, proteins and also nucleic acids. Plus Miracid has about about 3x the iron.
As a by product of breaking down the nitrogen, the process acidifies the soil ….as does the extra iron but to a lesser extent.
As one can see, Miracid will have a more positive effect on growth of acid loving trees and bushes then Miracle Gro would.
Hope that helps.
cheers
DSD sends
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