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CARE INFORMATION This Page Last Updated: August 14, 2010 This is just a summary of the information we all more-or-less eventually learn in order to keep our plants alive and healthy. There will not be a written or oral exam -- only your plants' survival will demonstrate your on-going grasp of this. TREES AS OUTDOOR BONSAI HERE Evergreen: Boxwood (Buxus sp.) Mountain mahogany (Cercocarpus ledifolius) False cypress (Chamaecyparis sp.) San José juniper (Juniperus chinensis 'San Jose') Shimpaku/Sargent's Juniper - (Juniperus chinensis sargentii) One-seed juniper (Juniperus monosperma) Rocky Mountain juniper (Juniperus scopulorum) Eastern juniper / Red cedar (Juniperus virginiana) Engleman spruce (Picea englemannii) Dwarf Alberta spruce (Picea glauca `Conica') Colorado blue spruce (Picea pungens) Rocky Mountain bristlecone pine (Pinus aristata) Limber or Rocky Mountain white pine (Pinus flexilis) Japanese five-needle or white pine (Pinus parviflora) Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) Japanese black pine (Pinus thunbergii) Yew podocarpus (Podocarpus macrophyllus)) Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) Firethorn (Pyracantha sp.) Yew (Taxus sp.) ------- Deciduous: Trident maple (Acer buergerianum) Amur maple (Acer ginnala) Japanese red maple (Acer palmatum) River birch (Betula nigra) Buttonwood (Conocarpus erectus) American larch (Larix laricina) Apple (Malus sp.) Dawn redwood (Metasequoia glyptostrobides) Mulberry (Morus alba) Aspen (Populus tremuloides) Potentilla (Potentilla sp.) Live oak (Quercus sp.) Lilac (Syringa sp.) * Siberian elm (Ulmus pumila) TREES AS INDOOR BONSAI HERE Particular varieties that can tolerate the temperature and humidity of indoor conditions, but which still demand LIGHT, good air circulation, and very good soil mix drainage in order to be healthy and to thrive. LIGHT is the key, LIGHT is the main course; fertilizer is only a supplement. Small-leaf or needle-leaf varieties indoors usually cannot get enough light for photosynthesis. Use either bigger-leaf varieties and/or more natural and artificial light: full-spectrum fluorescent bulbs (T-8's are energy-efficient also) can be put closer to the plants than heat-emitting incandescents. South and west-facing windows are better than northern exposures; garden window boxes and skylights are very helpful. Occasional outdoors warm-weather, wind-protected, and partial sun-screened sessions for indoor plants are appreciated by them -- just be sure to monitor their need for additional water then. Tropicals brought outside on occasion need to be kept inside when outdoor nightly temperatures are consistently in the 50s. Norfolk Island pine (Araucaria heterophylla) Bougainvillea (Bougainvillea sp.) Black olive (Bucida sp.) Natal plum (Carissa macrocarpa) Citrus (Citrus sp.) Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster sp.) Jade tree (Crassula argentea) Texas ebony (Ebenopsis ebano, formerly Pithecolobium flexicuale) Fukien tea (Ehretia buxifolia, aka Carmona microphylla) Weeping fig (Ficus benjamina) Narrow-leaf fig (Ficus salicaria aka F. salicifolia, F. neriifolia, F. subulata) Ficus retusa (aka F. microcarpa nitida) Lavendar Starflower (Grewia occidentalis) English ivy (Hedera helix) Singapore holly (Malpighia coccigera) Barbados cherry (Malpighia emarginata aka M. glabra) Orange jasmine (Murraya exotica) Jaboticaba (Myrciaria cauliflora aka Eugenia cauliflora) Scented-leaf geranium (Pelargonium sp.) Brazilian rain tree (Pithecellobium tortum) Ming aralia (Polyscias fruticosa) Dwarf jade / Elephant's food (Portulacaria afra) Dwarf pomegranate (Punica granatum 'Nana') Azalea (Rhododendron sp.) Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) Chinese sweet plum (Sageretia theezan) Dwarf schefflera (Schefflera arboricola) Tree of a Thousand Stars (Serissa foetida) Catlin elm (Ulmus parvifolia var. Catlin) Zelkova / Japanese gray-bark elm (Zelkova serrata) WATERING "Water as often as each particular plant needs to be watered." THAT is where the art of bonsai starts. Once you get your tree home, the instructions that came with it -- "water every three days," "mist frequently," "water once a week," etc. -- don't really apply. You need to learn what your tree needs in its new location. Study the tree; study the way the soil mix absorbs water and then dries out over a couple of days. "Major" changes in siting heat and light will require watering adjustment. Water preferably needs to be room temperature or a little cooler. If you can notice a slight bouquet of chlorine out of the tap, let the water sit in a container up to a day before using it on your plants. As with all indoor plants, overwatering is the #1 killer of indoor bonsai -- and outdoor ones as well. You need to give water only when it is needed. Variables include ambient temperature, amount of air movement around the plant, type and amount of light (sun vs. growlight, for instance), type of soil mix, time of year/growth cycle of plant, age and health of plant. When you water, be sure you water thoroughly -- if watering from the top, water until excess water runs out the bottom drainage hole(s) of the pot. "Rule of finger" is if the soil is dry up to your first joint past your fingernail when you stick your finger into the soil, it is time to water again -- unless further deep into the soil it is still soggy. Another tool is to stick one or more toothpicks or bamboo skewers into the pot and use these as mini-dipsticks. Study how the wood is dark or lightens with moisture in the soil over a period of time. It is quite possible that with a collection of different size and types of plants you will NOT water them all at once or with the same amount. If the soil mix ever does completely dry out for a short time, move the pot temporarily out of direct sunlight and wind and give the soil mix a "moderate" amount of water based on the size of the pot. Wait perhaps a half hour to an hour or more before giving more water, whose excess will then come out the bottom drainage hole(s). You don't want to drown/suffocate the plant roots by full-watering all at once. FERTILIZING "Fertilize weakly weekly." From about late April through August, give a diluted dose of fertilizer to your established trees about once a week. Do not fertilize newly repotted or transplanted specimens. It is O.K. to either use a single brand/kind of fertilizer, or to rotate between inorganic brands such as Miracle-Gro, MirAcid, Peter's, Dyna-Gro, Jobe's, Osmocote, etc. and organic kinds such as fish emulsion, seaweed, agricultural meal blends, etc. As with watering, you'll need to learn what works with your trees in their locations. A little bone meal and/or blood meal blended in with the soil mix at repotting can be helpful. (Be sure that the meal is blended in or else it can make a water-impermeable layer in/on the soil.) Organic fertilizers are slower to act, but less likely to "burn" roots -- pull out large amounts of moisture -- if accidentally over-applied. Have at least a passing familiarity with what every one of your trees, accessory plants, and groundcovers needs. In combination with a certain quantity of relatively pure water at a narrow range of temperatures and pH level (acidity/alkalinity), carbon dioxide in the presence of particular duration EM (solar) radiation is required along with the following recognized substances for a plant's life and well-being. The three primary macronutrients: nitrogen (N, a major component of proteins, hormones, chlorophyll, vitamins and enzymes essential for plant life, nitrogen metabolism is a major factor in stem and leaf growth); phosphorus (P, necessary for seed germination, photosynthesis, protein formation and almost all aspects of growth and metabolism in plants, it is essential for flower and fruit formation); and potassium (K, necessary for formation of sugars, starches, carbohydrates, protein synthesis and cell division in roots and other parts of the plant, it helps to adjust water balance, and improves stem rigidity and cold hardiness). The three secondary macronutrients: calcium (Ca, activates enzymes, is a structural component of cell walls, influences water movement in cells and is necessary for cell growth and division); sulfur (S, is a structural component of amino acids, proteins, vitamins and enzymes and is essential to produce chlorophyll); and magnesium (Mg, is a critical structural component of the chlorophyll molecule and is necessary for functioning of plant enzymes to produce carbohydrates, sugars and fats, it is used for fruit and nut formation and essential for germination of seeds); and the micronutrients or trace minerals: boron (B, is necessary for cell wall formation, membrane integrity, calcium uptake and may aid in the translocation of sugars, it affects flowering, pollen germination, fruiting, cell division, water relationships and the movement of hormones); chlorine (Cl, is involved in osmosis -- the movement of water or solutes in cells -- the ionic balance necessary for plants to take up mineral elements and in photosynthesis); manganese (Mn, is involved in enzyme activity for photosynthesis, respiration, and nitrogen metabolism); iron (Fe, is necessary for many enzyme functions and as a catalyst for the synthesis of chlorophyll, it is essential for the young growing parts of plants); zinc (Zn, is a component of enzymes or a functional cofactor of a large number of enzymes including auxins (plant growth hormones), it is essential to carbohydrate metabolism, protein synthesis and internodal elongation -- stem growth); copper (Cu, is concentrated in roots of plants and plays a part in nitrogen metabolism, it is a component of several enzymes and may be part of the enzyme systems that use carbohydrates and proteins); and molybdenum (Mo, is a structural component of the enzyme that reduces nitrates to ammonia, root nodule (nitrogen-fixing) bacteria also require it). Selenium (Se) is not essential for forage growth but is essential to the health of animals that graze the forages -- something we really don't need to be concerned about. Nickel (Ni) is the latest recognized essential trace element for plants, and is required for the enzyme urease to break down urea to liberate the nitrogen into a usable form for plants, it is also required for iron absorption, and seeds need nickel in order to germinate. Additionally, the beneficial mineral elements of silicon (Si, found as a component of cell walls -- plants with supplies of soluble silicon produce stronger, tougher cell walls making them a mechanical barrier to piercing and sucking insects, and this significantly enhances plant heat and drought tolerance) and cobalt (Co, required for nitrogen fixation in legumes and in root nodules of nonlegumes) have not been deemed essential for all plants but may be essential for some. The distinction between beneficial and essential is often difficult in the case of some trace elements. (Much of this information is from "What is Plant Nutrition?" by Dorothy Morgan, http://retirees.uwaterloo.ca/~jerry/orchids/nutri.html.) TRANSPLANTING / REPOTTNG In the right season, as often and with proper root-pruning as needed for each particular plant. Learn about the different types and shapes of pots available. Under Construction SOIL MIXES Coarse for good drainage and oxygen flow for the roots with enough organic matter to retain the proper amount of moisture for each type of plant and its micro-climate location. Under Construction WINTERIZATION Why? To Moderate the Temperature Fluctuations that We Have 1) Low temperatures between -20° and -10° F (USDA Zone 5). 2) Moisture-withdrawing winds and low humidity. 3) Temperature fluctuations (sometimes up to 70°F during days) which can bring trees out of dormancy before late winter freezes. How? 1) Before mid-August: stop fertilizing, especially with high-Nitrogen products. (For outdoor plants here, regular fertilization is recommended from early May to early August -- "feed weekly weakly".) 2) September: start slowly cutting back on watering to help harden the wood. 3) No heavy pruning after mid-summer, otherwise too much delicate new growth will be stimulated. 4) Pack outdoor bonsai trees to keep an even temperature. Use a non-glazed cold frame/poly frame (can be made with 3/4" galvanized steel and 60+ mil poly plastic), unheated shed or garage, vented greenhouse, bottom shelf of a sheltered workbench, a non-southern corner of the house protected from the wind, the north or east side under a large and protective landscape tree, and/or bury the bonsai trees still in their pots in the ground. Then, surround and cover with several inches of some type of mulch (wheat straw, leaves, pine needles, bark, snow, foam peanuts, etc.). (Be aware that in a very small and humid setting, however, spores on the mulch leaves could multiply into a potential fungal or other infection for your bonsai.) Be careful your trees do not get too long of direct exposure to sunlight (or snow-reflected sunlight): sun-scald in winter is caused by the heating up of one side of the tree so that the sap rises prematurely during the day and then is frozen at night, sometimes resulting in bark splits. Once deciduous trees have lost their leaves they can be kept cold and dark. (As soon as deciduous trees start to bud in late winter/early spring, you will need to put the plants in light -- with temperature protection -- so that the new growth doesn't get too weak and leggy.) Evergreens probably do not need some type of light during the daytime. 5) Check regularly and water as needed. Dehydration can quickly happen. 6) Pots most likely to break during the winter are either low-fired terra cotta-like or contain wet, muddy soil that expands. If during winter a bonsai pot is discovered to have broken/split, as long as the roots are not exposed, leave until spring and then re-pot. If the roots are exposed, tie the pot together and mulch around it extra well. Pay extra attention to #4 above. 7) Tropicals brought outside on occasion in the summer need to be kept inside when outdoor nightly temperatures are consistently in the 50s. Indoor plants need very good LIGHT and good air-circulation. Be sure they are not too close to the glass of an uninsulated window. It is recommended to get a small personal-type fan and let it blow across your indoor trees for a few hours two or three times a week to help keep insects at bay. Feed indoor plants monthly throughout the winter. See also this in-depth Freeze Damage article. ROCKY MOUNTAIN WINTER CARE "Since you may not be familiar with winter care of bonsai in this area, I should like to mention a few of my numerous bitter experiences. Colorado has extremely changeable winter weather. The sunny daytime temperature of 60° F is very fine; but after sunset the temperature has been known to drop to -0° F to as much as -20° F at midnight. Under these variations, bonsai in ceramic pots, which are sitting on the ground, cannot take and have not taken the extra severe changes of the winter climate. "Some 15 years ago, give or take a few years, I had not known these facts and, regretfully to this day, lost many beautiful bonsai of untold value. Still reminiscing, what heart-breaking times for many of us bonsai growers! In spite of or because of this, we've put our heads together in earnest and furthered dedicated research. There have been numerous conclusions, the most important of which is to understand and follow the natural way of forest or field. "1. Be ready, even as early as September, to winterize bonsai, since it is always 'later than you think.' "2. Bury every bonsai in a pot, to be buried in the ground, up to the rim of the pot in gravel or sand. "3. Why in gravel or sand? Because either provides excellent drainage. "4. Reason: in freezing weather, ground and pot freeze together; when thawing in mild temperatures, they thaw together. "5. If bonsai are set on top of the ground or atop shelves, there may be freezing, then thawing, which would injure the fine root system inside the pots. "6. Then, with approaching spring, the root system invariably cannot regain activity. "7. To this day, by unsoothed bitter experience in these areas, I have known a cold snap to occur even the first week in September for three or four days. One must always be on the alert. Most bonsai must be protected and covered at night with heavy plastic sheets, which are removed in daytime. "8. In freezing weather, just let the bonsai alone; do not water. "9. During a spell of warmer temperatures, apply water. "10. Lastly, though mighty important, based on my own experiences and findings: The first year after planting is not bad, because the root system has not stretched out too far nor become established inside the pot. In the second year, many roots will have stretched toward the outer circumference of the pot. In the third and later years, more roots will have encircled within the pot; these are the crucial, dangerous years, if bonsai are not buried in the ground in sand or gravel. I cannot stress this point too much, for I have suffered losses and hope that you will benefit from my experience and thus be saved some losses." (George T. Fukuma (1902-1974), Denver, ABS Journal, Fall 1971, pp. 54-55) SCHEDULES for the Rocky Mountain & Great Plains Region Dec - Feb give bonsai winter protection Mar - midApr acclimate trees for spring conditions midApr - midAug best time to transplant bonsai Oct - Nov acclimate trees for winter conditions May - Jul wire and shape deciduous plants Dec - Mar wire and shape evergreen plants (from Jerry Stowell's The Beginner's Guide to American Bonsai, 1986, 1978, Appendix C, pp. 120-121) DIGGING TREES IN THE SPRING Deciduous 1) In March or so, before the new buds have fully swelled and started to open, dig up the tree and keep as much of the roots/rootball as possible. Oaks, especially, need a lot of roots brought with them (still attached to the tree, of course!) and put in a DEEP pot. 2) Put in a larger-than-usual pot or collection box and be sure the plant is protected from the usual late frosts which will severely injure any new growing roots. Evergreen 1) In April or May, before the new buds have fully swelled and started to open, dig up the tree and keep as much of the roots/rootball as possible. 2) Put in a larger-than-usual pot or collection box and be sure the plant is protected from the usual late frosts which will severely injure any new growing roots. ------- MOUNTAIN-COLLECTING CRITERIA Always collect for quality, not quantity -- a very few excellent specimens are so much better for your time, energy, and display space than a lot of plain and underdeveloped plants. Therefore, look for: 1. "Movement" or "action" (interesting character) in the bottom 6" of the trunk. (Lack of such character at the bottom would take very much longer to develop in a pot.) 2. Rootage on the same side of the tree as the trunk and branches. (Rootage opposite (180°) or at right angles (90°) from the trunk would initially require an out-of-proportion growing box or container.) 3. Trees that are relatively easy to move back-and-forth in the ground. (Shake several otherwise prime specimens and dig out the "loosest" -- the longer you spend on getting a tree out of the ground/rock, the less likely that tree is to survive.) 4. Trees with a relatively large (c.90-100%) amount of rootball that comes out. HOWEVER, quality of roots is more important than quantity: a small but dense matted rootball is better for the tree's survival than a large but loose mass of "spaghetti." --- Harold Sasaki, from an April 12, 2008 workshop for us. (See the July 8 listing here.) OTHER PROPAGATION HINTS When air-layering, you need to cut deep into the branch/trunk in order to get the roots to start. Don't just scratch a little under the bark. PEST CONTROL A recommended spray is Garden Safe® brand Fungicide3 by Schultz. This is a combination fungicide, insecticide, and miticide whose active ingredient is Neem Oil Extract. WIRING HELP 1. Instead of raffia as an underwrap for wiring, use Saran Wrap® or similar plastic. Cut off a long sheet and roll it up. Cut this into strips less than 1" in width. Unroll the strip as you wind it around the trunk or branch. It sticks better than raffia. Use several layers. 2. Twist a branch while wiring -- this will lessen the likelihood of the branch breaking. 3. Wire left on a branch or trunk too long begins to be grown around by the bark and leaves a scar. This can be lessened by using fine-grained sandpaper on the scar. The bark at that point might be a different color than the surrounding bark, but the visual scar will be lessened. --- Harold Sasaki, from an April 12, 2008 workshop for us. PATIENTLY SHAPING TREES A common misperception at the many bonsai groups around the state is that "[t]hese people want to style their trees by finding fault in plant material right from the start. Instead of emphasizing the positive aspects of the tree, they want to get rid of all the faults in one workshop or one sitting -- and they end up with Charlie Brown's Christmas tree. "In your haste to make a perfect tree, you cripple the plant and it may never recover. Why make all the decisions at one time? Be conservative. Remember that your eye and your experience and skill will improve with time." Too many members of bonsai clubs like ours "see a demonstration of bonsai pruning and go home and kill a tree. You must get over the mentality that if you don't cut it drastically it's not bonsai. Take your time. Your best buddy is Mother Nature. The person demonstrating has no ability to put buds on your tree where you want them." --- Harold Sasaki, from a May 13, 2000 workshop, as quoted in our June 2000 club newsletter. |