Well my burl was started in a shallow pan with water and some fertilizer granules. I read about it in a wood magazine. I fed it a little bit every time I changed out the water and now I have a bonzai that is decorative and always commented on.
Started my burls in water and they started getting brown and droopy. I was told by the garden store that the water doesn't have the food in it that the burl needs so that I had to add a liquid fertilizer they recommended to the water. Doing good now.
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I think since tap water and bottled water have different chemicals and nutrients in them that whoever is doing the burl should talk to an expert because the plant might need region-specific food. add a comment
The best recommendation I found is to put the burl with the roots into a small pot filled with a good potting soil that has nutrients added to it. Keep the soil damp and feed with Miracle Gro Evergreen Tree and Shrub Food that is marked 28-10-10 micronutrients.
