Seasonal Suggestions

A SIMMERING SUMMER- TIME FOR SPECIAL CARE

By

Marty Mann

 No. 100 - July/August, 2006

The months of July and August, bring a period of slow growth and relative inactive changes in bonsai. However, it should be remembered that the trunk and branches continue to swell and develop. Watch the wires applied in spring in order to prevent unsightly and destructive cuts.

It’s also time to be attentive to the watering and feeding requirements of the trees to maintain good health during this stressful period. Watering should not be neglected. Foliar spraying is best done early in the morning or in late afternoon. A fresh spray each morning removes impurities that have settled during the night. Excess moisture in the crotch of leaf clusters or on their undersides creates environments ideal for the formation of fungus and related health threatening damage.

Potted trees build up considerable heat and a lack of moisture allows fine roots to dry. During this period it’s a good practice to water less but more often to replace the expiration of moisture by drying winds on leaf surfaces. Resist the tendency to overwater when you see the signs of distress in the form of wilt or needle drop. Test the soil regularly to be sure it is actually drying out before you arbitrarily  soak it again. For balanced plant health moisture must be consistently renewed. Daytime water adhering to leaves can literally cook them and cause severe leaf burn. If overhead watering is unavoidable, do so early in the morning to give time for surface evaporation.

With the arrival of summer most of the formal bonsai shows have passed and the bonsaiist has the pleasure of enjoying their own trees.  Achieved by maintaining its good health by continuing  a selective feeding routine.  Summer maintenance prepare the trees for fall  and winter.  Plan ahead.

Start with the constant surveillance  of fast summer growth. Warm days and cool nights encourage the development of new tip growth, long internodes and lush foliage. Maintenance must include pinching and plucking of the growing tips as well as cutting back the branches.  Reducing the branch extensions encourages shorter internodes, tighter evergreen formations and develops desirable twiggyness on deciduous trees.  Keep trimming and shaping unwanted growth to maintain form and design.