SEASONAL SUGGESTIONS
No. 70 - July/August- 2001
SUMMER
SURVEILLANCE-SLOW GROWTH, MORE CARE
By Marty
Mann
Since most plant growth slows down during the warm summer
months, diligent attention must be given to its needs. Excessive water or
improper feeding can do more harm than good. Trees must be protected from
summer heat and dehydrating winds. Trees requiring special care should be
grouped together to simplify attention. It’s important to keep the pots and root
systems cool.
A regular feeding program during the summer months is
essential. Reduction of the nitrogen content of the fertilizer mix inhibits
excessive green growth and allows for the formation of chemical changes that
produce the best fall color of your deciduous trees.
Feed sparingly during hot summer months. Use a
half-strength liquid or a granular fertilizer (0-10-10) to provide an excellent
source of phosphorus and potassium. Regular feeding during the hot summer months
may be supplemented by early morning refreshing foliar feeding of Miracle-Gro.
Use Miracid to correct the PH condition for acid loving plants.
However, yellowing or leaf-drop indicates a need for more
nitrogen or iron. It also suggests over watering, poor drainage or insect
damage.
The basic mix of cottonseed meal (70%) and bone meal (30 %)
can be altered. Increasing the bone meal provides more potassium and phosphorus
to harden the woody growth and improve the rootage. These changes induce the
development of fruit and flower buds for next year. Do not feed plants that
appear to be suffering from summer stress due to oppressive heat or moisture
deprivation.
Late June or early July is still time to consider leaf
pruning. Be certain to work with healthy trees only. The removal of large and
sunburned leaves enhances the look of the tree. It’s often natural for moss on
the surface of a plantings to become brown at this time due to the heat. If the
moss color remains green, it may indicate an excess of water or a poor draining
soil mixture. Water early in the day or in the late afternoon. Be sure the
leaves have time to dry before nighttime. Moisture on the leaves encourages the
formation of fungus growth.
As soil temperatures increase during summer months, the
root system growth slows down considerably. Conversely, the top growth of most
species will be vigorous. Overall, growth requires a careful selection of areas
requiring pruning and general shaping. Do not forget your overall design
objectives.
Azaleas now require special care and attention. They have
just finished blooming. The current year's crop of new shoots must be cut after
the flowers begin to fade and lose vigor. General constructive overall trimming
is also done at this time. Remove the spent flowers and all shoots that have
grown upward or downward. Trim
back to at least two or three leaf sets on each shoot. Allow new buds to form
and new branch divisions to occur. Don’t cut back to bare wood at this time of
year. Azaleas generally bud back on bare branches better in the spring. Summer
cutting risks branch die back. Branches may be carefully wired to establish form
and style. You risk losing the plant's ability to form new flower buds for a
show of color next spring if the trimming is done after July.
Watch the wire. As the leaves mature, growth slows. The tree continues to
lignify and build woody portions to its branches and trunk. Wire gets hot in the
summer sun and severe damage to the tender bark will occur.
Check plants for long internodes or too much growth in the
dominant upper areas. Continue pinching and trimming. Pruning is essential for
balance and retention of style. Eliminate defects such as parallel branches,
crossing branches and improperly positioned limbs. Continue pinching the weaker
twigs from three branch forks. Keep promoting the growth that creates compact
foliage mass. This work can be done at any time up to fall dormancy.
With the heat and the long days of summer you may think you
can slow down the constant training and just sit back to enjoy the trees. Doing
less, yes. Sit back? Not a chance. Now is the time to follow up on all the care
and design you have been working on since spring brought the trees back to life.
California has certainly had its share of deep rain. Rain,
coupled with a continuous program of feeding, caused plants to grow vigorously.
Trees with large amounts of foliage may need to be moved out of full sun into
shaded or partially shaded areas to protect leaf surfaces and fine surface
rootage. Keep rotating all full-grown material on a regular basis to expose
them to even light conditions. Maintain high humidity and good air circulation.
These activities protect the bonsai as well as improving the maturing fall
colors.
Summer is the time to monitor the Shari and Jin portions of
your styled trees. Apply a second application of Lime-Sulphur (Orthorix® Dormant
Spray) to the dampened dead wood areas to protect against wood rot. Avoid
seepage of this chemical into the soil and root area. Avoid live wood surfaces.
This is not the best time to
consider transplanting most material however, certain plants such as
Pomegranate, Ficus, Buttonwood, Cotoneaster, Pyracantha and most Bamboos can be
repotted or transplanted during the warm weather. Material that had recently
been defoliated, such as Maple, Olive, Privet, Zelcova, and Ginkgo can be
transplanted just prior to the re-emergence of the new growth. Remember that
transplanting of any material during these warm months is risky but it can be
done if proper after-care is taken. Keep them cool and not too wet. Generally
speaking, anything done during the summer months should be done with restraint
and proper attention given to the effect of warm weather.
Propagation by cuttings of
softwood or semi-hardwood material can be done in July. Keep cuttings in shade
and in a sandy, moist mixture. Don't rush to transplant any cuttings just
because the new signs of growth tell you that they have 'taken'. Let them
harden-off first.
This is a period of extraordinary activity for garden
pests. The warm air and frequent watering encourages aphids, scale, mealy bugs,
red spider mites, and, fungus--both above and below ground level. Keep at them
all with insecticides --Malathion®, Isotox®, Sevin®, and fungicides-- Kelthane®,
Captan®, Subdue® and Bravo®. Each is designed to do its own thing. Read the
product labels carefully
Now, the last important seasonal suggestion
--vacationing bonsaiist must rely upon automatic water systems or the good will
assistance of bonsai friends to care for the trees. Don't trust the automatic
watering system without the back up of someone who can check from time to time
to audit its functions. Be reminded that summer vacationing puts an additional
burden on the 'bonsai sitters'. A suggestion would be to let them water your
trees for you for a few days before you leave to be sure that they are following
your instructions. Try forming a mutual watering pact with fellow bonsaiist. You
do for them when you can and they will do for you. It's a great working
arrangement and considerably safer than trusting your 'babies' to strangers.
Enjoy your summer and look forward to the
beautiful colors of the fall season.
