SEASONAL SUGGESTIONS

No. 73 - January / February - 2002

A BONSAIISTS DREAM – RELAX, ENJOY IDLE TIME

You have put most of your trees to bed for a winter rest. Can you now wait for spring to come? In the world of bonsai "is just isn’t so".....no IDLE TIME.

January is the "beginning-of-the-year" month. Bonsai people start with an eager outlook for a spring season by getting ready in advance and understanding what can and should be done at this time.

Remember that the soil in your potted trees have been somewhat inactive due to the cooler weather of the past few months. Soil bacteria, in it’s dormant state, has not been providing any nitrogen to these growing plants while they rested. Now is the time to plan ahead for your supply of fertilizers. You can re¬sume the feeding schedules in late February, but this is the time to do the clean up chores. Remove all the winter trash around the work area as well as on the potted trees and growing stock. This is the best way to prevent infestation of insects and fungus diseases. Don't throw any of this late winter trash into your compost heaps since it may be infectious. It’s safer to throw it away.

Survey the finished trees in bonsai pots. Are they still a proper match in size or color to the tree? Has the maturity and styling of the tree changed? Is it enough to consider repotting into a new pot? Is it taller, wider, fatter? Does the tree deserve a pot of better quality? Now is the time to redesign each completed tree. Review your nursery stock to determine the readiness of some of the partially trained material for transfer to a training or a display pot. Check your inventory of pots. If you don’t have one that fits your needs, now is the time to shop at a nearby bonsai nursery or attend the many local conventions. Bazaar vendors offer so many varieties and sizes. Maybe you will find the perfect ‘domestic’ made pot to fit the bill.

Study each tree. Plan its future design. Cut back on excessive and unsightly branching. Rewire branches that need new direction or position. Establish a more defined apex. Trim branches with care. Many are quite brittle at this time of year.

Encourage twiggyness and new branch development as soon as spring growth begins. Cut back long tertiary branches on junipers and deciduous trees to shorten intern¬odes. Watch the pine branches not trimmed properly last November. These can still be cut, however it might be better to wait until May when new candles appear and more detailed refinement is required.

Trees are still idle but the insect infestation can still be harmful. Spray deciduous trees with dormant spray (lime sulphur) before any new growth appears. If you apply a solution of lime sulfur to trees at this time to prevent wood rot damage. Avoid newly formed sprouts or buds. Don’t allow the chemical run-off to penetrate into the root area. Lime sulfur is generally applied to a wet wood surface. Allow the application to dry before you apply any overhead water that may seep into the root ball.

Wires should be well exposed on most of the trees since foliage has dropped and new growth is not obstructing a detailed inspection.. Remove all of last year's wires. Severe bark cuts can occur during the slow winter months when the woody portion of the trees tend to lignify and swell. Early spring spurts will quickly engulf old wire and cause damage.
Watering routines must be continued-but curtailed. Most bonsai can be maintained on minimal schedules however don't allow anything to completely dry out. Do not rely on possible light winter rains.

January and February are good months to gather seedlings or to dig material from the wild since most trees are in a dormant stage and will readily respond to freshly potted conditions that encourage the development of new growth.

Trees being trained in nursery cans or training pots stand to do better if their roots are left undisturbed during these early training stages. Any heavy reduction of new growth or the creation of large cutting wounds can cause a shock to the plant if you don't radically reduce the root ball as well. perhaps, if your project involves severe cutbacks it may be better to wait until later in the season to make any moves. Give the plant time to seal itself and recover before disturbing the root system. Keep this in mind when you plan your spring repotting activities.

I have, in the past, touted the use of BENOMYL® as a good all purpose fungicide. We now know that the Agricultural authorities have removed BENOMYL® from the retail market. A spray or dust con¬taining sulfur or copper, can be used as a substitute product to establish control. Look for other active products such as KOSIDE®, ZIATHAIN® or MANEB®. Use a good all-purpose fungicide early in the growing season to prevent the spread of fungus. Recommended products such as BRAVO, PHYSAN 20, DACONIL, or SPECTRACIDE -- all work well. Read the labels of the product for any special warnings. Incidentally, DIAZINON may shortly be taken off of the market. If you use it for insect control I might suggest you stock up.

The idea, if feeding this early in spring is to use a slow release fertilizer. Don't rush your trees into a spurt of new growth too soon. Be ready with some of the bonsai soil you mixed during the winter months. Have a supply of additional pumice, volcanic rock, decomposed granite, planting mix, fir bark and peat moss.

During this time, in January or February, occupy yourself with a program of pot cleanup. All those pots have been sitting around and waiting for repotting activities to begin. They have probably accumulated layers of soil and lime deposits. Scrub them with a strong soapy solution and some bleach. Apply ‘lime-off’ or vinegar to the white spots (or just some elbow grease and cleanser) and rinse them well. Allow them to dry in the full sun to prevent any infestation carryover. Use one of the new Japanese 'erasers' work well to remove salt deposits on pots as well as rust and grime on tools.

Make a list of the trees that will require repotting in spring. Place an identifying marker in the pots that require attention. Begin with deciduous or flowering/fruiting trees still in a dormant stage or just beginning to emerge. Follow with pines and junipers. Go easy on pruning that may be required, particularly on early transplants. Wait until the sap begins to flow before you do any serious pruning or pinching of the new growth. Let the tips harden-off. Heavier pruning may be done later.

Another important activity at this time involve your tools. Now is the time to sort them out. Sharpen all cutting edges, remove accumulations of rust and pitch stains. Dip tools into a bleach solution to purify them. Oil all surfaces for protection. Be ready to go.

And, a final word for those bonsai folks who take life too seriously:
• A day without sunshine is like….night
• Experience is something you don’t get until just after you need it.
• I intend to live forever—so far so good.

Marty Mann