Nothing like a dogmatic title for good dramatics, right? I should add an ‘Or Else!’ but I don’t have the heart for it. Nevertheless, we should be duly chastised for broadcasting fertilizer as if it were an unmitigated good.

Whatever that guy is using should obviously be applied with discretion-

For bonsai, generally we don’t need axes to control growth. And for fertilizing bonsai, we can make this one basic distinction:

• Begin fertilizing a young, unrefined tree when it begins growing early in the spring
• Wait a bit with an older, refined tree—usually begin fertilizing when it’s just hardening off it’s spring growth

This makes two assumptions:

• For the young tree, you wish to develop the trunk size and continue it’s youthful vigor…to fatten trunk, develop branching, get big joyful growth, have loud cellular parties
• For the old tree, you wish to retain an ‘old tree’ feeling…to have thin twigs…