Bonsai Care Schedule

JANUARY GROWING TIPS

WATERING - The need for water will continue to diminish this month since the weather will be cooler. Therefore, water only as needed in order to prevent root rot. If you need to water your plants, try to water them early in the day. If the temperature drops to freezing or below, the water soaked bonsai soil could possibly expand and break the container.

FEEDING – Because of shorter days and cooler temperatures, plants will be doing little to no growing. You will probably not even have to fertilize your plants at this time of the year. If you feel you still need to fertilize, remember to use a fertilizer with no nitrogen in it.

WIRING – Wiring or removing wire from a deciduous tree is a much easier job when there are no leaves to get in the way and the structure of the tree can be seen more easily. Therefore, if all the leaves on your deciduous trees have fallen off, remove and replace the wire as necessary. Continue to keep a close eye on the wire on your other trees as well because the branches will continue to thicken. Leaving the wire on the plant for too long will disfigure the branches; therefore, remove the wire if the branch remains in the desired position or if the wire is cutting into the cambium.

PESTS AND DISEASES – With the colder temperatures, the activity of harmful insects will slow down or become non-existent. If it gets cold enough, the cold temperatures will actually kill insects, however continue to check for pests and diseases and treat accordingly with soaps and oils if needed. Always remember to spray a small branch first in order to make sure there will be no phytotoxic* reaction to the plant from the soap and oil spray. An example of a plant that will drop all of its leaves if sprayed with soaps and oils is Fukien Tea. *Phytotoxicity is an adverse response in plants due to chemicals applied to the leaves or soil.

TRIMMING – Deciduous trees such as maples, crepe myrtles, cypress and elms should have lost their leaves by now. They need a complete rest during the winter months. If not, they will become weaker expending too much energy maintaining older leaves that should have already fallen off. Therefore, remove all the remaining foliage on deciduous trees. Continue to trim other evergreen plants as necessary to maintain the desired shape, but this should become almost non-existent because of the lower levels of nitrogen, shorter days, and cold temperatures.

PRUNING – Avoid heavy pruning if possible. Pruning will cause excessive, tender new growth, which will get damaged in cold weather. Even the new growth on cold hardy plants such as hollies and boxwoods would be damaged. It would be a waste of energy for the plant to lose all the new growth.

LIGHT – Plants that have been protected from the harsh summer sun such as maples and azalea plants can now be exposed to more sunlight. Rotating the trees on a weekly basis will prevent the trees from becoming one sided.

TEMPERATURES - The colder temperatures will continue this month but it will probably fluctuate from mild to cold so be prepared to protect you tropical plants. Place all of your tropical plants on one bench so you will not forget any. Also, if you have to move your plants back and forth from a protected location back outside, you may want to leave them on a cart or a tray so it is an easier chore. Some examples of tropical plants are ficus, buttonwood, bougainvillea, and Fukien Tea. Please refer to the chart in November’s newsletter as to when to take in your tropical plants.

REPOTTING - The beginning of January is a good time to prepare for repotting by making batches of soil and cleaning unused, dirty pots ahead of time. This will make the task of repotting go much faster and more enjoyable. When cleaning pots, use a water and bleach solution to disinfect pots and let them air dry. Also, do not to forget to cut up small pieces of screen to cover the drain holes. Depending on how many plants are in your collection, repotting can begin towards the end of January. Begin repotting your evergreen material such as hollies, boxwoods, junipers, and azaleas. It is recommended to repot deciduous plants when the growing buds begin to swell which is usually sometime in February. But if you are like me and have many deciduous plants, you may want to begin to repot deciduous plants at the end of January, but make sure all the older leaves have fallen off or have been removed. Avoid repotting all tropical plants.

COLLECTING MATERIAL - Keep your eyes open for any landscape plants that may be good bonsai material. About a month or two before actually digging it out of the ground, cut a circle around the plant by using a shovel to encourage more fibrous roots closer to the trunk. Wait until the end of January or February before actually digging it out of the ground in order to make sure the material is dormant.

FEBRUARY GROWING TIPS

WATERING - The need for water will continue to be rather low this month because of the cooler temperatures and shorter days. Therefore, water only as needed in order to prevent root rot. If you need to water your plants, try to water them early in the day. If the temperature drops to freezing or below, the water soaked bonsai soil could possibly expand and break the container.

PESTS AND DISEASES – With the colder temperatures, the activity of harmful insects will slow down or become non-existent. If it gets cold enough, the cold temperatures will actually kill insects, however continue to check for pests and diseases and treat accordingly with soaps and oils if needed. Always remember to spray a small branch first in order to make sure there will be no phytotoxic* reaction to the plant from the soap and oil spray. An example of a plant that will drop all of its leaves if sprayed with soaps and oils is Fukien Tea.
*Phytotoxicity is an adverse response in plants due to chemicals applied to the leaves or soil.

TRIMMING – Deciduous trees such as maples, hornbeams, crepe myrtles, cypress and elms should have lost their leaves by now. They need a complete rest during the winter months. If not, they will become weaker expending too much energy maintaining older leaves that should have already fallen off. Therefore, remove all the remaining foliage on deciduous trees. Continue to trim other evergreen plants as necessary to maintain the desired shape, but this should become almost non-existent because of the lower levels of nitrogen, shorter days, and cold temperatures.

PRUNING – Towards the end of February may be a good time to begin pruning large branches. The removal of large branches will encourage growth. Therefore, when the weather begins to warm up and the danger of frost and freezes is over, it is a good time to begin heavy pruning. Additionally, wounds heal faster when the tree is actively growing because the plant is manufacturing more food and producing cambium at a faster rate.

REPOTTING - Depending on how large your collection is, the task of repotting will be a full time job. Begin repotting evergreen material such as hollies, boxwoods, junipers, and azaleas. It is recommended to repot deciduous plants when the growing buds begin to swell, which is usually sometime this month. Before repotting deciduous trees, make sure all the older leaves have fallen off or have been removed. Avoid repotting all tropical plants.

COLLECTING MATERIAL - If you have found any landscape plants that have the potential to make a good bonsai, now is the time to begin to take them out of the ground. Hopefully, about a month or two before actually digging it out of the ground, you were able to cut a circle around the plant by using a shovel to encourage more fibrous roots closer to the trunk.

MARCH GROWNG TIPS

WATERING - The need for water will begin to increase this month depending on the weather. However, continue to water only as needed in order to prevent root rot. Additionally, it is a good idea to water your plants early in the day so the leaves will be dry when going into the night hours thus decreasing the chance of any leave fungus.

FEEDING – As a result of longer days and warmer temperatures, plants will begin to grow again, hence the need to start your fertilizing program. There are many types of fertilizers, from synthetics to organics. Some examples are Ironite, Peters, fish emulsion, Osmocote, and Milorganite, just to name a few. Always read the application rate carefully and then cut the rate in half in order to avoid “burning” the roots of the plants with too much fertilizer.

WIRING – A good time to wire is before new leaves begin to emerge or before new growth gets too thick to see the branches. Furthermore, new growth can easily get in the way during the wire process and be broken off, consequently making the job more frustrating. Continue to inspect the wire on all your trees to see if it’s time to remove them. Leaving the wire on the plant for too long will disfigure the branches; therefore, remove the wire if the branch remains in the desired position or if the wire is cutting into the cambium.

PESTS AND DISEASES – The activity of insects and diseases will begin to increase this month as temperatures rise. Therefore, keep a close eye on your collection and look for anything unusual such as curly, stunted new growth; blotchy or spotted, white or pale yellow areas on the leaves; white, cottony patches; spots of brown on the leaves; and insect excrement. Use environmentally friendly treatments such as the encouragement of beneficial insects, hand picking larger harmful insects, and/or the use of soaps and oils. Always remember to spray a small branch first in order to make sure there will be no phytotoxic* reaction to the plant from the soap and oil spray. An example of a plant that will drop all of its leaves if sprayed with soaps and oils is Fukien Tea.

TRIMMING – This is wonderful time of the year for your collection because the plants will begin to put out delicate, lush growth. However, this will also signal the beginning of another season of constant, but important trimming. After allowing the new growth to produce about four to six leaves cut it back to about two or three leaves. The result of continually trimming your tree will be twiggy branches thus producing a more refined bonsai.

PRUNING – The old saying “timing is everything” is quite applicable during spring. Temperatures are beginning to warm up and the danger of frost and freezes are over, hence this is an excellent time for heavy pruning. The removal of large branches will encourage new, tender growth in conjunction with fresh, spring vegetation. Additionally, wounds heal faster when the tree is actively growing because the plant is manufacturing more food and producing cambium at a faster rate.

LIGHT – Sunlight will continue not to be too severe this month. For that reason, keep giving all your plants as much sun as possible including less tolerant ones such as maples and azalea plants. Maintain rotating your trees on a weekly basis, thus preventing them from becoming one sided.

TEMPERATURES - The colder temperatures will most likely discontinue this month and will be replaced by milder, less fluctuating extremes. As a result, it will not be necessary to bring in your tropicals. However, I remember one year when the coldest night of the entire winter fell on March the first! Remember, the last day of winter is not until March 20th.

REPOTTING - If you have not finished repotting your evergreens, quickly continue to do so. On the other hand, avoid repotting your deciduous trees if they have begun to put on new growth because there will be a greater chance that they will go into shock and die if repotted. It may be better to wait till next winter if deciduous trees are growing. If you keep maintenance records on your plants, refer to your notes to see when the last time a particular plant was repotted. Avoid repotting all tropical plants.

COLLECTING MATERIAL - Hopefully, you have already dug up any landscape material that have the potential to make a good bonsai plant. Keep it in the shade and mist daily until you begin to see new growth. Slowly acclimate it back into a full sun location. Allow the new growth to grow untrimmed in order to allow the plant to build up food reserves.

APRIL BONSAI CARE

WATERING – As the temperatures get warmer, the need for water will increase. However, continue to water only as needed in order to prevent root rot. Additionally, it is a good idea to water your plants early in the day so the leaves will be dry when going into the night hours thus decreasing the chance of any leave fungus.

FEEDING – Your bonsai plants should be full of new growth because of warm temperatures and longer daylight. As a result, the plants will need to be fertilized on a regular basis. There are many types of fertilizers, from synthetics to organics. Some examples are Ironite, Peters, fish emulsion, Osmocote, and Milorganite, just to name a few. Always read the application rate carefully and then cut the rate in half in order to avoid “burning” the roots of the plants with too much fertilizer. Additionally, don’t forget to alternate acid loving plants such as azalea and gardenia plants with an acid fertilizer. Also, you may want to alternate your flowering plants with a “Super Bloom” type of fertilizer.

WIRING – Plants are now actively growing and producing food, consequently the cambium layer will begin to thicken at a much faster rate. For that reason, continue to inspect the wire on all your trees to see when it’s time to remove it. Leaving the wire on the plant for too long will disfigure the branches; therefore, remove the wire if the branch remains in the desired position or if the wire is cutting into the cambium.

PESTS AND DISEASES – The activity of insects and diseases will continue to be on the rise this month as temperatures increases. Therefore, keep a close eye on your collection and look for anything unusual such as curly, stunted new growth; blotchy or spotted, white or pale yellow areas on the leaves; white, cottony patches; spots of brown on the leaves; and insect excrement. Use environmentally friendly treatments such as the encouragement of beneficial insects, spraying the plants with a hard stream of water, hand picking larger harmful insects, and/or the use of soaps and oils. Always remember to spray a small branch first in order to make sure there will be no phytotoxic* reaction to the plant from the soap and oil spray. An example of a plant that will drop all of its leaves if sprayed with soaps and oils is Fukien Tea. *Phytotoxicity is an adverse response in plants due to chemicals applied to the leaves or soil.

TRIMMING – Depending on the size of your collection, this will become a full time job! Always have a pair of scissors in your hand when inspecting your plants. After allowing the new growth to produce about four to six leaves cut it back to about two or three leaves. The result of continually trimming your tree will be twiggy branches thus producing a more refined bonsai.

PRUNING – Continue to do major pruning while trees are rapidly growing. The removal of large branches will encourage new, tender growth. Consequently, wounds heal faster because the plant is manufacturing more food and producing cambium at a faster rate.

LIGHT – Sunlight will begin to get more intense this month. For that reason, keep a close eye on your plants that are more sensitive to Florida’s harsh sun such as maples, azalea plants and shohin (small bonsai). Find a place for them that receives the less intense morning sun and that gets shade from the very intense afternoon sun. Maintain rotating your trees on a weekly basis, thus preventing them from becoming one sided.

TEMPERATURES - The temperatures are warm to hot. Keep a close eye on your plants. They will begin to dry out faster and some will not be able to tolerate Florida’s intense sunlight.

REPOTTING - Now that all your evergreens and deciduous trees have been repotted, it’s time to begin thinking about your tropical trees. Unlike deciduous and evergreens, tropical trees prefer to be repotted when they are actively producing new roots. Therefore, begin to prepare for repotting by making batches of soil and cleaning unused, dirty pots ahead of time. This will make the task of repotting go much faster and more enjoyable. When cleaning pots, use a water and bleach solution to disinfect pots and let them air dry. Also, do not to forget to cut up small pieces of screen to cover the drain holes. The end of April is probably a good time to begin repotting plants such as Fukien Teas and ficus trees. Avoid repotting buttonwoods till June.

MAY BONSAI CARE

WATERING – Spring is usually considered a dry and warm season. As a result, you may have to water your plants twice a day depending on the size of the pot and plant species. However, in order to prevent root rot do not over water. Additionally, it is a good idea to water your plants early in the day so the leaves will be dry when going into the night hours thus decreasing the chance of any leave fungus.

WIRING –Plants are now growing fast and producing food, consequently the cambium layer will begin to thicken at a much faster rate. For that reason, continue to inspect the wire on all your trees to see when it’s time to remove it. Leaving the wire on the plant for too long will disfigure the branches; therefore, remove the wire if the branch remains in the desired position or if the wire is cutting into the cambium.

PESTS AND DISEASES – The activity of harmful insects and diseases should be in full swing. Therefore, keep a close eye on your collection and look for anything unusual such as curly, stunted new growth; blotchy or spotted, white or pale yellow areas on the leaves; white, cottony patches; spots of brown on the leaves; and insect excrement. Use environmentally friendly treatments such as the encouragement of beneficial insects, spraying the plants with a hard stream of water, hand picking larger harmful insects, and/or the use of soaps and oils. Always remember to test spray a small branch with any chemical in order to make sure there will be no phytotoxic* reaction to the plant from the soap and oil spray. An example of a plant that will drop all of its leaves if sprayed with soaps and oils is Fukien Tea. *Phytotoxicity is an adverse response in plants due to chemicals applied to the leaves or soil.

LIGHT – Sunlight will begin to get intense this month. For that reason, keep a close eye on your plants that are more sensitive to Florida’s harsh sun such as maples, azalea plants and shohin (small bonsai). Find a place for them that receives the less intense morning sun and that gets shade from the very intense afternoon sun. Additionally maintain rotating your trees on a weekly basis, thus preventing them from becoming one sided.

TEMPERATURES - The temperatures are warm to hot. Keep a close eye on your plants. They will begin to dry out faster and some will not be able to tolerate Florida’s intense sunlight.

REPOTTING - Begin to repot some of your tropicals such as ficus, bougainvillea, and Fukien tea plants. Remember to keep the plant in the shade for seven to ten days and mist the leaves daily after repotting. Gradually bring it back in the sun until it can be placed back into its full sun location. Restart the regular watering schedule, when the soil starts to dry out again. Begin your fertilizing program when the plants start to actively grow. Avoid repotting buttonwoods until June.

JUNE, JULY, AUGUST BONSAI CARE

WATERING – Until the summer rains arrive, you need to keep a close eye on your plants so they will not dry out. As a result, you may have to water twice a day depending on the species and the size of containers. However, in order to prevent root rot do not over water. Additionally, it is a good idea to water your plants early in the day so the leaves will be dry when going into the night hours thus decreasing the chance of any leave fungus.

FEEDING – Your bonsai plants will continue to grow quickly throughout the summer. Additionally, summer rains will leash away fertilizer from the soil. As a result, the plants will need to be fertilized on a regular basis. There are many types of fertilizers, from synthetics to organics. Some examples are Ironite, Peters, fish emulsion, Osmocote, and Milorganite, just to name a few. Always read the application rate carefully and then cut the rate in half in order to avoid “burning” the roots of the plants with too much fertilizer. Additionally, don’t forget to alternate acid loving plants such as azalea and gardenia plants with an acid fertilizer. Also, you may want to alternate your flowering plants with a “Super Bloom” type of fertilizer.

WIRING – Plants will continue to grow rapidly during the summer, consequently the cambium layer will thicken quickly. For that reason, continue to inspect the wire on all your trees to see when it’s time to remove it. Leaving the wire on the plant for too long will disfigure the branches; therefore, remove the wire if the branch remains in the desired position or if the wire is cutting into the cambium.

LIGHT – Sunlight will be quite intense for the next few months. For that reason, move your more sun sensitive plants such as maples, azalea plants and shohin (small bonsai) to another location. Find a place for them that receives the less intense morning sun and that gets shade from the very intense afternoon sun. Additionally maintain rotating your trees on a weekly basis, thus preventing them from becoming one sided.

TEMPERATURES - The only way to describe Florida’s weather for the next few months is hot and humid. Keep a close eye on your plants. They will begin to dry out faster and some will not be able to tolerate Florida’s intense sunlight.

REPOTTING - Continue to repot tropicals including buttonwoods. Try to have to have repotting of all tropicals completed by the end of June. Some examples of tropical plants are ficus, bougainvillea, Bucida spinosa, Ixora, Lantana, Portulacaria (Jade), and Fukien tea plants. Remember to keep the repotted plant in the shade for seven to ten days and mist the leaves daily. Gradually bring it back in the sun until it can be placed back into its full sun location. Restart the regular watering schedule when the soil starts to dry out again. Begin your fertilizing program when the plants start to actively grow.

SEPTEMBER BONSAI CARE

WATERING – Usually September brings dryer weather with continued temperatures in the 90’s. As a result, keep a close eye on your plant’s water requirements making sure your plants are not allowed to dry out. Additionally, it is a good idea to water your plants early in the day so the leaves will be dry when going into the night hours thus decreasing the chance of any leave fungus.

FEEDING – Your bonsai plants will still be growing throughout this month; consequently they will be needing fertilizer on a regular basis. There are many types of fertilizers, from synthetics to organics. Some examples are Ironite, Peters, fish emulsion, Osmocote, and Milorganite, just to name a few. Always read the application rate carefully and then cut the rate in half in order to avoid “burning” the roots of the plants with too much fertilizer. Additionally, don’t forget to alternate acid loving plants such as azalea and gardenia plants with an acid fertilizer. Also, you may want to alternate your flowering plants with a “Super Bloom” type of fertilizer.

WIRING – The cambium layer will continue to thicken because plants are still growing. For that reason, keep inspecting the wire on all your trees to see when it’s time to remove it. Leaving the wire on the plant for too long will disfigure the branches; therefore, remove the wire if the branch remains in the desired position or if the wire is cutting into the cambium.

PESTS AND DISEASES – Because the temperatures are warm, harmful insects are still a threat. Therefore, keep a close eye on your collection and look for anything unusual such as curly, stunted new growth; blotchy or spotted, white or pale yellow areas on the leaves; white, cottony patches; spots of brown on the leaves; and insect excrement. Use environmentally friendly treatments such as the encouragement of beneficial insects, spraying the plants with a hard stream of water, hand picking larger harmful insects, and/or the use of soaps and oils. Always remember to test spray a small branch with any chemical in order to make sure there will be no phytotoxic* reaction to the plant from the soap and oil spray. An example of a plant that will drop all of its leaves if sprayed with soaps and oils is Funkier Tea.

*Phytotoxicity is an adverse response in plants due to chemicals applied to the leaves or soil.

TRIMMING – Keep trimming your plants. If you let the branches get too long and lanky, they may shade out the lower or inner branches, thus leading to their decline. Always have a pair of scissors in your hand when inspecting your plants. After allowing the new growth to produce about four to six leaves cut it back to about two or three leaves. The result of continually trimming your tree will be twiggy branches, thus producing a more refined bonsai.

PRUNING – Major pruning may still be preformed this month because the trees are actively growing. The removal of large branches will encourage new, tender growth. Consequently, wounds heal faster because the plant is manufacturing more food and producing cambium at a quicker rate.

LIGHT – Sunlight is still quite intense. For that reason, keep your more sun sensitive plants such as maples, azalea plants and shohin (small bonsai) in a protected location. A place that receives the less intense morning sun and that gets shade from the very intense afternoon sun is a good choice. Additionally maintain rotating your trees on a weekly basis, thus preventing them from becoming one sided.

TEMPERATURES - This month will carry on with Florida’s famous weather conditions which is hot and humid. Keep a close eye on your plants. They will continue to dry out fast if there is no rain for a day or two and some will not be able to tolerate Florida’s intense sunlight.

REPOTTING- If you have some tropicals that absolutely need repotting continue to do so. Some examples of tropical plants are ficus, bougainvillea, Bucida spinosa, Ixora, Lantana, Portulacaria (Jade), and Fukien tea plants. Remember to keep the repotted plant in the shade for seven to ten days and mist the leaves daily. Gradually bring it back in the sun until it can be placed back into its full sun location. Restart the regular watering schedule when the soil starts to dry out again. Begin your fertilizing program when the plants start to actively grow. Avoid repotting deciduous and cold hardy evergreen trees.

OCTOBER GROWING TIPS

WATERING – With October’s shorter days and possibly cooler temperatures, plants will not be needing as much water. As a result, keep a close eye on the plant’s water requirements making sure they are not over watered in order to prevent root rot. Additionally, when plants need to be watered it is a good idea to water them early in the day so the leaves will be dry when going into the night hours, thus decreasing the chance of any leave fungus.

FEEDING – The growth and activity of plants will begin to slow down this month because of shorter days and possibly cooler temperatures. Therefore, fertilizing requirements will need to change as well. Try to use a fertilizer with little or no nitrogen because a high nitrogen fertilizer encourages new tender growth. Fertilizers with higher levels of Phosphorus and Potassium will prepare the tree for the colder months ahead.

Always read the application rate carefully and then cut the rate in half in order to avoid “burning” the roots of the plants with too much fertilizer.

WIRING – Even though it is fall with shorter days and possibly cooler temperatures, Florida has a longer growing season then other states. As a result, the cambium layer will continue to thicken but probably at a slower rate. Thus, continue to inspect the wire on all the trees in the collection to see when it’s time to remove it. Leaving the wire on the plant for too long will disfigure the branches; therefore, remove the wire if the branch remains in the desired position or if the wire is cutting into the cambium.

PESTS AND DISEASES – Hopefully, the presence of harmful insects is beginning to decline. However, continue to keep a close eye on the plant collection and look for anything unusual such as curly, stunted new growth; blotchy or spotted, white or pale yellow areas on the leaves; white, cottony patches; spots of brown on the leaves; and insect excrement. Use environmentally friendly treatments such as the encouragement of beneficial insects, spraying the plants with a hard stream of water, hand picking larger harmful insects, and/or the use of soaps and oils. Always remember to test spray a small branch with any chemical in order to make sure there will be no phytotoxic* reaction to the plant from the soap and oil spray. An example of a plant that will drop all of its leaves if sprayed with soaps and oils is Funkien Tea.

*Phytotoxicity is an adverse response in plants due to chemicals applied to the leaves or soil.

TRIMMING – Keep trimming your plants if they are still growing. When the branches get too long and lanky, they may shade out the lower or inner branches, thus leading to their decline. Always have a pair of scissors in your hand when inspecting your plants. After allowing the new growth to produce about four to six leaves cut it back to about two or three leaves. The result of continually trimming your tree will be twiggy branches, thus producing a more refined bonsai.

PRUNING – With cooler temperatures around the corner major pruning should be discontinued. The removal of large branches may encourage new, tender growth that will not be able to withstand freezing temperatures. In addition, plants probably have begun to slow down in growth or are no longer growing. Consequently, the cambium will not heal over the wound because of lack of growth, thus exposing the cut to insects and diseases for a longer time period.

LIGHT – Sunlight is not as intense as during the summer months. For that reason, gradually move the more sun sensitive plants such as maples, azalea plants and shohin (small bonsai) back into a full sun location. Additionally maintain rotating your trees on a weekly basis, thus preventing them from becoming one sided.

TEMPERATURES – With any luck, the temperatures with begin to cool off this month, but there should be no need to bring any tropical plants to a protected location

REPOTTING – Just like with major pruning, repotting should be discontinued. This will allow the plants to become well established in order to better withstand the stress of cooler/cold temperatures.

Collecting native or established landscape material is just around the corner. Therefore, keep eyes wide open for any potential plants that may be good bonsai material. Always ask permission from the owner before digging up a plant. About a month or two before actually digging it out of the ground, cut a circle around the plant by using a shovel to encourage more fibrous roots closer to the trunk. Wait until the end of January or February before actually digging it out of the ground in order to make sure the material is dormant.

NOVEMBER GROWING TIPS

WATERING - The need for water should continue to diminish this month since the weather will be cooler. Therefore, water only as needed in order to prevent root rot.

FEEDING – By now, you should be using a fertilizer with low or no nitrogen because a high nitrogen fertilizer encourages new tender growth. Fertilizers with higher levels of Phosphorus and Potassium will prepare the tree for the colder months ahead.

WIRING – Keep a close eye on the wire because the branches will continue to thicken. Leaving the wire on the plant for too long will disfigure the branches; therefore, remove the wire if the branch remains in the desired position or if the wire is cutting into the cambium.

PEST AND DISEASES – Continue to check for pest and diseases and treat accordingly with soaps and oils. Always remember to spray a small branch first in order to make sure there will be no phytotoxic* reaction to the plant from the soap and oil spray. An example of a plant that will drop all of its leaves if sprayed with soaps and oils is Fukien Tea. *Phytotoxicity is an adverse response in plants due to chemicals applied to the leaves or soil.

TRIMMING – Continue to trim the plant when necessary to maintain the desired shape, but this should become less because of the lower levels of nitrogen, shorter days, and cooler temperatures.

LIGHT –Plants that have been protected from the harsh summer sun such as maples and azalea plants can now be exposed to more sunlight. Rotating the trees on a weekly basis will prevent the trees from becoming one sided.

TEMPERATURES- The temperature should still be mild enough so that no plants will have to be protected, but you may want to get prepared. Place all of your tropical plants on one bench so you will not forget any. Also, if you have to move your plants back and forth from a protected location back outside, you may want to leave them on a cart or a tray so it is an easier chore. Some examples of tropical plants are ficus, buttonwood, bougainvillea, and Fukien Tea.

REPOTTING- Major repotting should be avoided to allow the plant’s roots to adjust to the colder weather ahead. Some very hardy plants such as junipers can still have some minor root pruning done to them.

DECEMBER GROWING TIPS

WATERING - The need for water will continue to diminish this month since the weather will be cooler. Therefore, water only as needed in order to prevent root rot.

PESTS AND DISEASES – With the cooler temperatures, the activity of harmful insects will slow down. If it gets chilly enough, the cold weather will actually kill insects, however continue to check for pests and diseases and treat accordingly with soaps and oils if needed. Always remember to spray a small branch first in order to make sure there will be no phytotoxic* reaction to the plant from the soap and oil spray. An example of a plant that will drop all of its leaves if sprayed with soaps and oils is Fukien Tea. *Phytotoxicity is an adverse response in plants due to chemicals applied to the leaves or soil.

TRIMMING – Continue to trim the plant when necessary to maintain the desired shape, but this should become almost non-existent because of the lower levels of nitrogen, shorter days, and cooler temperatures.

LIGHT –Plants that have been protected from the harsh summer sun such as maples and azalea plants can now be exposed to more sunlight. Rotating the trees on a weekly basis will prevent the trees from becoming one sided.

TEMPERATURES- The temperature will probably begin to fluctuate from mild to cold so be prepared to protect you tropical plants. Place all of your tropical plants on one bench so you will not forget any. Also, if you have to move your plants back and forth from a protected location back outside, you may want to leave them on a cart or a tray so it is an easier chore. Some examples of tropical plants are ficus, buttonwood, bougainvillea, and Fukien Tea. Please refer to the chart in November’s newsletter as to when to take in your tropical plants.

COLLECTING MATERIAL- Keep your eyes open for any landscape plants that may be good bonsai material. About a month or two before actually digging it out of the ground, cut a circle around the plant by using a shovel to encourage more fibrous roots closer to the trunk. Wait until the end of January or February before actually digging it out of the ground in order to make sure the material is dormant.