Summer is a very busy time for the bonsai enthusiast. For many species, spring growth will continue and one must be mindful of keeping vigorous trees trimmed to encourage short internodes. Watering is the most important task during summer, because lack of it and hot weather can mean these are extremely difficult to maintain. They require […]
November usually seems to me to be a time of constant pruning, weeding and fertilising. Spring growth will continue in your bonsai collection and one must be mindful of keeping vigorous trees trimmed to encourage short internodes, particularly in deciduous species. Fast growing trees can be trimmed back to two leaves whilst less vigorous trees
October is a busy period as this is the time when most growth happens on the trees in our bonsai collections. Watering should now be done daily, unless rain occurs. Be sure to check afterwards that the soil is moist and the rain has penetrated the soil. As usual inspect trees which are in full
After a mild July, where I was concerned all my deciduous trees would come into leaf early, the balance was restored by a very cold August, which confirmed that the season was still very much winter! Now, at last, we should see some spring weather and hopefully time can be spent on other things besides
I am sure not many of you (if any) spent time in July pruning back your figs but that is exactly what I found myself doing at the start of the month. I had noticed sooty mould on some of my figs in June, so sprayed with Confidor, to hopefully eradicate the scale that was
The recent rain and generally calm weather has meant that my bonsai haven’t needed a lot of watering or attention, although this cannot go on for much longer. I am aware that there is still plenty to do, so I need to get on with it! Winter has well and truly arrived, and it’s time
With the sun moving lower in the sky during the colder months, you may need to move your trees around to get more direct sun. As the days become shorter, it can be difficult to get enough hours of sunlight each day. Keep frost tender trees such as tropical figs and bougainvillea under protection if
The weather is finally getting cooler and winter is on the way, so hopefully your deciduous bonsai will be starting to show some autumn colour. Keep the trees in full sun, if possible, as sunlight combined with cooler nights improve the colour intensity. If you are in the market to purchase more deciduous species, this
While the weather remains warm, it’s a good time to repot many species, particularly evergreens like pyracantha, cotoneasters, olives, star jasmine etc. Recently repotted trees will need protection if the nights suddenly become cold within the first couple of weeks after repotting. It is a good idea to tidy up conifers as well. Remove any
It has been a pleasant end to summer, with cooler nights and some good rain in recent weeks. The days are still warm though, so keep up with the watering and feeding, taking particular care in windy weather. Use a low nitrogen organic fertiliser during autumn to harden late growth and improve flower and fruit
