Do not neglect watering ‑ this
month can be very hot and dry. Keep rotating your bonsai so all parts
of the tree are exposed to the sun equally. This will insure good
healthy growth. Do dot over‑water. Too much water during the hot
season could result in root disease problems with heat build‑up in the
container. If soil in the container is wet at the end of a hot day
you could have drainage problems.
Drastic branch
pruning is to be avoided, particularly on flowering bonsai ‑ you could
lose next year's flowers by ambitious pruning. You can trim lightly
and wire the smaller branches.
For watering
mame (very small) bonsai and accessory plants you can set them into a
tray filled with either perlite or coarse vermiculite. Keep the
perlite or vermiculite watered and your small plants will have
sufficient moisture and stay cooler.
Check trees
often for wire damage. Don't unwrap (uncoil) wires from tree
branches. You could break off a desired branch which may be difficult
or impossible to re‑grow. Instead cut the wire off in small coils
which will easily drop off the branch. You can use the American made
diagonal wire cutters or Japanese bonsai wire cutters.
This is a good
time for major pruning and wire training of pines and other conifers.
If severe or drastic pruning is
necessary on any of the genetic dwarf pine varieties make certain to
give such plants winter protection, especially when temperatures drop
below freezing.
TRANSPLANT/ROOT PRUNE:
Buttonwood,
Tropicals, Willow.
BRANCH PRUNE:
Birch, Cedar,
Cryptomeria, Jasmine ‑ winter, Sweetgum ‑ after new growth hardens,
Witch Hazel ‑ after the leaves harden.
TRIM/PINCH
NEW GROWTH:
Apricot ‑ trim
long shoots, Buttonwood, Beech, Birch, Cedar, Crabapple, Hawthorn,
Hemlock, Hornbeam, Juniper, Pine ‑ all.
LEAF PRUNE:
Maples,
Pomegranate, Zelkova.
FERTILIZE:
Buttonwood,
Plum, Rhododendron, Tropicals.
WIRE:
Apple ‑ after
new shoots have become woody, Azalea, Birch, Cedar, Cotoneaster,
Crabapple ‑ after new shoots have become woody, Cryptomeria, Cypress,
Elaeagnus, Gardenia ‑as shoots become woody, Hackberry ‑ after new
shoots harden, Hawthorn, Holly ‑ new growth only ‑ old wood too brittle,
Honey Locust ‑ as new shoots harden, Hornbeam ‑ after new shoots harden,
Juniper, Maples ‑ all ‑ after new shoots have hardened, Mountain Laurel
‑ after new shoots harden, Pines ‑ all, Podacarpus, Privet, Quince ‑
Chinese, Sasanqua, Serviceberry ‑ after new growth has become woody, Yew |
