7-9-5 & 4-6-6 fertilizers: Not as good as high-N, or poison?

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danjcla
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7-9-5 & 4-6-6 fertilizers: Not as good as high-N, or poison?

Post by danjcla »

I have a bunch of extra "Algoflash Liquid Fertilizer for Orchids 4-6-6 with Micronutriants" and "Dyna-Gro Bonsai Pro 7-9-5 Urea Free Contains Micronutriants" liquid fertilizer.

Vaguely nearby me (too far away to bring a lot of water) there is a city-street 2.5' square very dense patch of ~3.5' tall bamboo that isn't doing fantastically.

Would giving it the fertilizer I happen to have be useful - just not as useful as the N-weighted fertilizer - or would it be like poison to the plant?
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dependable
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Re: 7-9-5 & 4-6-6 fertilizers: Not as good as high-N, or poi

Post by dependable »

Neither one would be poison to the plant. Although you could kill it if you put on too much. A moderate, diluted dose might help it.

Bamboo, in general, likes a higher N, so the first one might be better, but it uses the other nutrients too. Might get some N from passing dogs as well, so don't over do it. It will probably appreciate the water too.

Wonder what kind that is? If you get a picture of any new shoots coming up, someone might be able to ID it. Kind of strange to see it in that little box in the city. That it is alive at all indicates someone must have watered it in past summer, I'm guessing.
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Re: 7-9-5 & 4-6-6 fertilizers: Not as good as high-N, or poi

Post by Alan_L »

I don't know that I'd do anything to it right now, unless you know that it looked like this last fall. This could just be normal winter damage, and a new flush of leaves might be coming very soon.

I think either of those fertilizers would be fine in not too big a dose, but again, maybe just wait another month before you do anything?

BTW there's a nice planting of Ph. bissetii (or was it Ph. nuda?) in Franklin Street Park -- a tiny park just off Mass ave.
danjcla
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Re: 7-9-5 & 4-6-6 fertilizers: Not as good as high-N, or poi

Post by danjcla »

dependable wrote:Wonder what kind that is? If you get a picture of any new shoots coming up, someone might be able to ID it.
Here you (all) go, ID away :-) A bunch of high-res photos, probably the ones towards the end will be the most useful: https://flic.kr/s/aHskVDVhGd

A few closeup details:
1000 closeup IMG_20170524_122648.jpg
1000 closeup 2 IMG_20170524_122648.jpg
And it has culms about double the height as before now, although spread is maybe a few inches if that, and thickness isn't too different either:
Streetside Bamboo 4-15 vs 5-24 Collage_Fotor.jpg
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Re: 7-9-5 & 4-6-6 fertilizers: Not as good as high-N, or poi

Post by dependable »

Any pictures of the new shoots as they emerge from the ground? That is one of the easiest ways to identify.
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Re: 7-9-5 & 4-6-6 fertilizers: Not as good as high-N, or poi

Post by danjcla »

No sadly there didn't seem to be any in that early state when I went to take photos yesterday. Next year hopefully!
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Re: 7-9-5 & 4-6-6 fertilizers: Not as good as high-N, or poi

Post by needmore »

You should be able to feel a sulcus or groove if it is a Phyllostachys, so see if there is a groove that jumps from side to side going up culm. If there is a full groove then you've narrowed down the genus at least, and if there is a groove see if it is a different color than the culms that would narrow it down more.
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Re: 7-9-5 & 4-6-6 fertilizers: Not as good as high-N, or poi

Post by johnw »

Would all suspect this is a 'Rufa', just that it's in such an advanced state? In such a tight spot with so little nutrition, soil and moisture it might not be long for this world.

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Re: 7-9-5 & 4-6-6 fertilizers: Not as good as high-N, or poi

Post by needmore »

My guess is that it is a Phyllostachys.
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Re: 7-9-5 & 4-6-6 fertilizers: Not as good as high-N, or poi

Post by Alan_L »

I suspect it will get pruned hard back again too come fall, since there appears to be a fire hydrant on the other side of it (away from the camera). I see the snow flag.
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