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Hi everyone! I’ve done some research (I own a bonsai for a month now) and I found some unclear instructions regarding the process of fertilisation. I have a juniper in the form of a prebonsai and I recently bought a fertiliser, and I’m trying to understand whether or not I should use it now (I live in northern Italy but we’re having a very hot fall with 25-27?C during the day). They recommend to use the product in the growth season and my tree is still growing new “”buds”” from what I can see so I don’t think it already entered the dormient phase; should I start fertilising it or should I wait for the spring to come?

Thanks in advance.

I have been fertilizing this week, and my climate is way cooler.

Yes, I do fertilize until the beginning of Winter.

We had a lecture about this at our bonsai club. One of our members explained in detail what to use, which NPK levels to use in which season, the difference between solid and liquid fertilizer, the effect of temperature, how to apply fertilizer, when to remove (solid) fertilizer that was no longer effective (as the nutrients flushed out), when and when not to fertilize.

One of the older members wanted to add something after the excellent presentation. He showed how he ground up sphagnum moss, mixed it with fertilizer and put it in (Japanese) tea bags, that he put on the soil. Note that he is a known person in the bonsai world, a pioneer that already did bonsai before it became popular, has visited Japan numerous times, has loads of knowledge and awesome trees. His reply to the question when he removed the bags was:

Never.

Auk wrote: He showed how he ground up sphagnum moss, mixed it with fertilizer and put it in (Japanese) tea bags.

Interesting, I've been using organic inside tea bags and so far I am very happy with the results.
Did he explain why the mix with the sphagnum moss?
Anti-fungal, I suppose?

Clicio wrote:

Auk wrote: He showed how he ground up sphagnum moss, mixed it with fertilizer and put it in (Japanese) tea bags.

Interesting

Yep... and in minutes he negated what was explained during the lecture about not fertilizing in Winter

Did he explain why the mix with the sphagnum moss? Anti-fungal, I suppose?

No - though that does make sense. The reason is that sphagnum moss contains micro-organisms that make the fertilizer available for the plant.
Does seem to make sense (but do note this article doesn't seem to be neutral):

spaghnum also helps to keep the fertilizer slightly moist, which helps the decomposition process. I would venture that is the real reason for adding it. You WANT the microbes to work on the fertilizer.

leatherback wrote: spaghnum also helps to keep the fertilizer slightly moist, which helps the decomposition process. I would venture that is the real reason for adding it. You WANT the microbes to work on the fertilizer.

It seems logical, and this is a good timing to test it in my plants.
Thanks a lot Auk and LB