SUMMER IS COMING - ARE YOU READY?

By

Marty Mann

No. 99 – May/June- 2006

As the spring Equinox passed in March, all the new growth and awakening buds should have developed with new vigor --on the brink of summer.

Continue the ongoing process of snipping new growth as soon as it hardens. Do so early in May before the more aggressive new growth of summer creates long and undesirable internodes. By constant reshaping and cutting back the growth of deciduous trees you encourage delicate side branching and a softer overall look. The object of cutting new growth is to maintain a relationship between the size of the leaves and branches to the overall size of the tree. The process of cutting encourages branch thickening and adds an aged look. Watch the exposed end cuts. Apply a tree seal or just old fashioned Elmer's glue to large cuts or carvings.

Pine grooming takes place in May or June. The removal of candles and prior year needles is most important. The techniques shown by visiting Japanese masters suggested the pruning of pine branches to form clusters of 6 to 10 needles at the end of each branch. Leave some growing needles to improve the likelihood of new bud formation on the old wood and the formation of new side branching. New pine buds customarily grow around the sheath covers surrounding needle clusters. Take care not to damage these sheaths.

When removing candles on Black Pines start with the shortest candles first. Then, a week or so later, remove the medium and finally the largest. This staggered routine evenly balances the tree's growth and the related needle lengths. Don't start too early in May--later in June may be better. The longer summer growing season encourages long, unwanted in­ternodes. Routine plucking and removal of old prior year needles should be done. Trimming Hinoki Cypress late in May allows fresh new growth throughout the summer months. In all cases, be sure your tree is healthy before you trim. Feed a low nitrogen food at least two weeks prior to any major cutting. Watch the large cuts--pines do not need any tree seal applications since the pitch itself seals.

Pay attention to the azaleas in your collection. March and April were the best months to repot and trim last year’s spring whips and branches. Since May is the blooming season for most bonsai varieties (remember-Satsuki means 5th month) you may enjoy the flowers without any concern for feeding and trimming. Keep the plants moist but avoid overhead watering as this causes the blooms to lose their color and vigor. Cut any shoots that have outgrown the design perimeters.

After the flowers reach their peak, remove the faded blooms. A flat cut at the base of the flower removes excessive stem elongation and allows new buds to form during the warmth of summer. Azaleas create new flower bud formations for next year.

Keep watering down to a minimum—just enough to keep moisture in the root ball full of fine root hairs. The single most common factor that kills azaleas is the tendency to overwater. Frequent deep watering accumulates in a peat enriched soil mix and causes root rot. Water whenever the surface begins to feel dry. Your finger in the soil is still the best test instrument.

Watering instruction, at best, is an imprecise activity. Many factors enter into the decision such as time, frequency, and type of soil mix. Changing conditions such as a sheltered or windy environment affects how the watering process benefits the tree, and for how long. Various light conditions also affect the ability of the tree to absorb and then transpire its moisture. The overall objective for any type of material is keeping it damp, not wet and never dry.

May is a treacherous time for the tender new leaves of maples, liquid ambers, birch, beech and elms. Hot weather and blowing winds quickly dry the leaves and turn them brown on the edges. Avoid direct, strong sunlight. Avoid deep shade that encourages spindly and weak branches. Semi-anything is best. Keep trimming new shoots back to two or three sets of leaves. Balance the density of the tree by selective trimming in all areas from the apex to the lower branches .

Evergreens and conifers must also be attended to early in the summer season. Continue to pinch back (fingers are still the best tool) the growing tips of evergreens. Spread this activity out over several days. Start low on the tree and work up to its apex.

The growing season requires feeding on a regular basis. A high phosphorus and potassium formula with a low nitrogen content produces healthy roots and wood development and inhibits excessive green growth. A mix of cottonseed meal (70%) and bone meal (30%) can be altered by adding various trace elements and iron supplements to produce better fruit and flower buds next year. Don’t feed plants that appear to be suffering from summer stress due to oppressive heat or moisture deprivation.  Application of a dry fertilizer mix often cakes on top of the soil and provides a steady release of nutrients to the tree. Stir the surface to break up the cakes.

The end of May, through the early weeks of June, is usually the best time to air layer deciduous trees (i.e. Maples, Liquid Ambers, Zelcova, Elms, etc.) or conifers (i.e. Pines, Larches, Junipers, etc.) While the sap is still running freely in the tree the bark will slip more easily. Keep checking the root growth before attempting any layered section removal.

Check your root over rock plantings from last year. It may be time to remove most of the wire and start brushing away some of the muck and moss to expose the trunk and roots. The surfaces of the roots should be taking on the texture and color of the bark of the tree.

Take new cuttings at this time of vigorous growth. Dip the damp cuttings into a powered rooting hormone. Insert cuttings into pure sand or perlite to assure a well drained mix. Keep the mix moist and out of direct sunlight until signs of new growth appear.

Reminder:

Marty Mann