The Grass Doctor

Japanese Lace leaf maple. Need a home made organic mix fertilizer?

Location - Pacific north west. Sea/tac area. Full sun, planted last year. Trunk aprox. 2 and 1/2 in. thick 4 ft. tall, 3 and 1/2 ft spread. In good soil not just dirt. Need a time tested home made mix of bone meal, blood meal, wood ash,epson salts etc. and when,how much and how often.

Public Comments

1. Why not use compost tea. Just go into "Search for questions" in Yahoo Answers, and it will give you several recipes.
2. Here's a recipe for a basic organic fertilizer...Keep in mind that gypsum doesn't change soil PH, but lime does: Recipe (mix uniformly): 4 parts seed meal ¼ part ordinary agricultural lime, best finely ground ¼ part gypsum (or double the agricultural lime) ½ part dolomitic lime, 1 part bone meal, rock phosphate or high-phosphate guano ½ to 1 part kelp meal (or 1 part basalt dust) http://www.motherearthliving.com/issues/motherearthliving/organic_gardening/How-to-Make-Easy-Homemade-Organic-Fertilizer_416-1.html Japanese Maples use low ratios of nitrogen combined with higher levels of phosphorus for optimal root and branch development In their natural habitat, Here's a Forum discussion of the ingredients of "Fox Farm Japanese Maple Fertilizer" : feather meal, bone meal, sulfate of potash magnesia, cottonseed meal, bat guano, rock phosphate, kelp meal, and gypsum. It also contains 19 species of Mycorrhizae and Bacillus and Humic acid for faster facilitation of nutrient uptake. Feather meal is generally 11-0-0 or 12-0-0 Bone Meal 3-15-0 (Fish bone meal 3-18-0), also a calcium source Bat guano 10-3-1 Cottonseed Meal 5-2-1 and a natural acidifier sul-po-mag is supplying sulfur, potassium and magnesium gypsum is supplying calcium rock phosphate is supplying phosphorus kelp meal is also a source of potash as well as supplying an array of trace elements, vitamins, hormones and growth stimulants "For the purpose of young maples in a pot (small or unestablished rootsystems), if we use a proven soil mix, we can leave our plant in a pot for a season and fertilize the second year and subsequent years until repotting again. More mature maples, 5-7 years old, with at least soil 1gal root systems, we can repot and fertilize lightly the frist year or wait until the second year. It would be ideal to see out maples in at least 5 gallon cans before we fertilize, but using a light application before then is sometimes o.k. if we have visual appearance to back us up. Fertilizing early in the plants' life to push more growth is also an option, but that will not be best for the long term survial. For plants in the ground, after the 3rd year we can start to fertilize some in the spring, but there are other plans that work well." "One of the great benefits of going organic with respect to fertilization is that the components of blended fertilizers are substanially organic matter in content and not too far removed from applying a soil amendment or form of compost. They tend not to leach and encourage the populations of soil organisms in much the same way compost does. I would tend to be more concerned regarding appropriate pH levels as opposed to nutrient levels but would be hardpressed to consider the occasional application of an organic Japanese maple fertilizer inappropriate or unnecessary. While I tend not to fertilize established trees in the ground as they seldom require it and they do get topdressed regularly with compost, I do fertilize containerized plants on a consistent basis." http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/maple/msg0310464615320.html This site gives a recipe for making fertilizer pellets which includes ...3 parts Hempseed meal or Rapeseed meal/Linseed Meal/Soybean Meal; 2 parts garden lime (alkaline - omit for satsuki azalea etc);2 parts blood, fish & bone (nitrogen, iron and phosphorus);1 part sea weed, poultry pellets, humus; ...among other things: http://www.actionvideo.freeserve.co.uk/organic.htm Personally, if you are growing your Japanese Maple outdoors, it seems easier to just make sure your soil has the appropriate PH level, & has enough organic compost mixed into your soil to not only fertilize, but also support soil organisms which will continue to work throughout the growing season. Also apply bone meal to the compost when planting trees to help them establish a healthy root system faster. Make sure plants are watered consistently. "The phosphorous in bone meal is released slowly as the soil water dissolves it so it can be taken up by the plant's roots. This provides a steady level of nutrients throughout the season." http://www.vitasoil.com/bone%20main.htm If you want to give your young plants a boost, Here's a liquid organic fertilizer recipe: In a metal bucket and add compost to 1/3 full and top off with water. Stir and let sit for about 4 days, stirring once in a while. Strain any solids out. Add water to the strained liquid until it reaches the shade of 'weak tea'. http://www.momsorganichouse.com/about-homemade-fertilizer/ Good Luck! Hope this is helpful.