Yes, but it's not the best time to feed them now. Sprinkle some round them in spring and rake it in lightly.

Cheers Beattie, Yes not feeding them now, Just thought id read somewhere that Bonemeal contained lime......Thanks anyway.

I avoid using bonemeal on acid-loving plants for the same reason

I also avoid using bone meal in pots, for much the same reason. Applying a lime-free compost, sulfur dust, or a weak vinegar solution at the same time might compensate for the potential rise in pH.

And bone meal is the only fertiliser that I do use, including pots and ericaceous plants!!!

Well, I've said this before, but it won't hurt to say it again - what a waste of money bonemeal is!

Oh? Our plants seem to do OK on it.

If you recall, Bulbaholic, I have a blog on Bonemeal and I believe you and I had a discussion about it on there...

That was eighteen months ago! It is hard enough remembering last week. I have just had another look at your blog, the responses were very entertaining and I think that all had different opinions. I don't use Fish, Blood and Bone because the fish is high in nitrogen (leaves and greenery) and that is not what I am seeking. Lets make sure that we don't get into a spat with each other over this, as some other GoYers seem to be doing at the moment, and agree to disagree :-)

I have no problem agreeing to disagree, think my 'herding' instinct isn't very strong, or I'm just too independent - pity other people feel threatened by differing opinions. Although actually, I have no idea what situation you're referring to, I've obviously missed something on here...

I have added Bonemeal for over 30 years when planting shrubs/trees. I do think it works as the roots always seem to take better in my heavy clays. However, as the plants grow I do not see any benefit from using it as a seasonal feed on its own? I now use Vitax blood fish and bone every spring which I find is taken up well.

I'm unaware of a Situation too. We've been spared Bamboo!

Bonemeal is traditionally added to the soil for new plantings and seems to help though I haven't carried out any scientific experiments.

One thing that I have noticed in discussions about bone meal, is that the cooler and wetter their climate, the better the correspondent likes bone meal. The warmer and drier their climate, the less the other person likes it. Those climate differences also seem to correspond to differences in soil and water pH.

Well, for the benefit of people who didn't read my blog - I used to use bonemeal at the bottom of every planting hole - until I did an advanced RHS Professional gardening course, and we were all told by the lecturer that it did very little to benefit any plants we were growing - takes years and years to break down, and doesn't really have much of an impact on a plant that you will have for, say, 25 years, nor on your soil, and was, in fact, a way of selling off a waste product. So I stopped buying it...

That may have been a lecturers view! but does not seem to be endorsed by the RHS Bamboo they say on Bonemeal specifically:
"Organic fertilisers are simply those of animal or plant origin. Organic fertilisers are mostly slow acting as a
teeming population of fungi and bacteria in
the soil converts them into plant food"
When I did my degree a lecturer told us that Bovine spongiform encephalopathy was going to be a dreadful epidemic and kill many in GB alone in the next 5 years!!! and 18 years later?
I am not aware that anyone has proved that it does not do some good?

As it happens, I did know of two people (relatives of friends), both young and from different families, who did indeed die of CJD some years ago now... but nothing since then. And we were advised, when training, to always wear rubber gloves when handling products such as fish, blood and bone and any animal origin products because of possible risks.
Your reproduced tract from the RHS is not something I'm arguing with, for it does not refer specifically to bonemeal on its own. I do add organic fertilisers all the time - such as composted manures, chicken pellets, leaf mould, fish blood and bone, etc. Just don't bother with bonemeal any more.

Hello! As far as i am aware, bonemeal can be used for ALL plants - it is used for slow release root-building and therefore generally applied during the late autumn/winter period. It is the fish,blood, bone combination that is high in nitrogen and other 'stuff' that is not good for autumn feeding or for acid loving plants at that or this time of year.

This year I took on some yellowing rhododendrons, which following application of sequestered iron at regular intervals, rain water and root-builder, are now green and bushy with plenty of buds for next spring, when I shall give them a good dose of potash.

It all depends on your soil base, whether ericaceous plants are suited to your garden or not. You cannot force them to like your soil, no matter what you plant them in - it eventually seeps through.

Yes, it can be used for all plants, usually at the bottom of a planting hole, doesn't harm acid lovers mostly because it does B-A during the life of the plant... It's a good way of disposing of ground up bone, and over decades will break down and add infinitesimally to the health of the soil, so if you want to carry on buying it, then do. Were it free, I'd use it, but its of so little use I'm not prepared to pay for it... I use humus rich materials instead when planting.

I agree with you Bamboo! :-D Done a bit of checking and it was probably the sequestered iron and rain water that perked up my rhododendrons, not the bonemeal root-builder. There is enough free calcium in the soil generally, apparently. I live and learn on this website - every day!!! Thank you

Bonemeal root builder, never heard of it...

Sounds like a promotional brand name, Bamboo.