FERTILIZER.
Providing you follow the instructions on the package you will keep your tree healthy. Trees in general are not hungry plants in the way roses or tomatoes are. Overfeeding a bonsai will cause the leaves to become too large and the new shoots to vigorous. NEVER use more than the recommended amount of fertilizer. Instead of giving your tree a boost, it will burn the roots and do more harm than good.
Specialist bonsai fertilizer should always be used at the recommended dose.

However if using a garden fertilizer such as Chempack a water soluble balanced 20-20-20 food use at HALF strength this is because the dosage is for deeper pots which are not regularly flushed out with fresh water.

Slow release fertilizer pellets can be used Growmore balanced 7-7-7 is recommended the advantage of using pellets is they can be sprinkled around the tree about a teaspoon full, in spring and will last the whole growing season. The pellets should be lightly pressed under the soil to stop them being washed away during watering.

Organic fertilizer can be used on bonsai trees this works in a slightly different way, the proportions of the three essential nutrients are a lower concentration because the feed is applied at every watering we recommend Biogrow for leaf/growth and Biobloom for fruit/flower both are diluted in the water.

WHEN TO FEED (LIQUID)
Feed trees on a regular every other week basis when it is in active growth March to October. The 1st and 15th of the month is a good way to remember. Deciduas trees need only water once they have shed their leaves as they go into a dormant state during the winter months. Evergreens need less food in the winter period, once a month on the 1st will keep things ticking over until the growing season start again in spring.

N.P.K.This indicates the analysis of the proportions of the three essential nutrients
"N" for NITROGEN, "P" forPHOSPHOUS "K" for POTASSIUM.

"N" stands for Nitrogen which is responsible for leaf and stem - growth.
"P" stands for Phosphorus which builds sturdy roots and trunks.
"K" stands for Potassium which is the main flower and fruit
inducing nutrient, it also strengthens roots and new shoots ready
for winter.

All the fertilizers above also have a number of 'trace elements' that are required to be present in the soil but only in small quantities adding to the well-being of the tree. A balanced fertilizer is recommended for styled

HOW TO FEED.
When applying liquid feed use a watering can with a fine rose spray this will cause were little disturbance to the soil, the whole of the soil surface should be covered making sure that the liquid runs out of the drainage holes under the pot and remember ALWAYS WATER BEFORE FEEDING!

OVERFEEDING
It is better to underfeed than to overfeed, if the nitrogen content of the soil becomes too high it will burn the roots, follow the mixing and application rates described, never mix a higher concentrate or feed more frequently this will result in less growth NOT more.

DO,s and DON'T,s