Tree Tips

September 2024

Coming up is our show on October 19th. Getting our trees ready is now an important priority. Clean up the pots, remove weeds, and put fresh soil on the surface. If you have attractive moss, add that as well. Check for and remove any dead or sick foliage from the tree. We want to present our trees as well as we can, regardless of their stage of training.

If you can, bring in the trees you hope to show this year to the first and third Thursday meetings. We can give you advice and help you get them ready.

Transitional Time and Pruning

For trees other than the ones you are showing, September is truly a transitional time in bonsai. We can work on conifers, deciduous trees, and broad-leaf evergreens, guiding them from all-out growth and ramification to holding and directing the tree's energy for the big push next spring.

I will stop pruning back to two leaves in the middle of the month. After that, I will allow the trees time to mature their foliage and build energy over the late fall and winter. In the meantime, continue cutting back and fertilizing, gradually lessening the amount of nitrogen through November. We’ll be trimming back the winter growth in December and January to the location where you want the ramification to start sprouting in spring. You can still wire to create movement this fall.

Care and Maintenance

Conifers get most of our attention for styling and wiring in the fall and winter months. Wire to develop short, incremental arcs rather than long, wavy branches to create natural-looking branches over time. Use different lengths, angles, and directions.

For all of your trees, fall is still a good time to fertilize. The trees are storing energy in their vascular systems to overwinter and start spring with a big bang.

If you haven’t already, take out your cell phone and set a new reminder for the same time and day each week: “Check Trees for Weeds and Needs.” Put alerts on so you won’t forget. I have mine set for Monday morning and the night before, but you might prefer to do it on Saturday or Sunday. Weeding your trees for the first time will take some time and may be somewhat frustrating. Time yourself from start to finish. Use bent-nose tweezers or chopsticks to loosen the weeds. The following week, it will take very little time. Remember, if you don’t get all of the weed roots, they will pop up again and again. However, if you persist, they will get weaker and weaker until they finally die. Getting new weeds when they’re small is easier than letting them become established. This really works and will keep you engaged and alert to your trees' development. Also, check for bugs, disease, branch damage, rotation, and vigor of growth. 🌳