SEASONAL SUGGESTIONS

No. 77 - September/October- 2002

A PERIOD OF AUTUMN TRANQUILITY
 

Fall is generally the climax of the luxurious growth of summer and the last spurt of activity before settling down for winter dormancy. Your bonsai no longer will grow very much so the need for extensive pruning should be minimal. Since recent growth may have added girth to branches and trunks it would be prudent to check all wired branches to see if they are set and, if they are, the wires can be removed.

Assuming you have properly reduced the nitrogen feeding during the past few months the beginning of fall colors on deciduous trees may be showing. Cooler nights and the effect of the Autumn Equinox, with equal days and nights, will add to this phenomena. All winter growth generally goes into the liqnification of woody branches and trunks.

Fall is an excellent time to gather tree seeds as they ripen. Oak tree acorns, pine tree cones and varieties of maples are in profusion--an excellent source for over wintering in your refrigeration for stratification. They may then be planted in early spring for new nursery seedlings and future training stock.

Light conditions begin to change. Trees which have had full sun exposure find themselves in more shade. So, watch the location of trees at this time of year and rotate them into more favorable light exposures allowing them to continue storing strength and food for the winter.

Late summer feeding, with reduced amounts of nitrogen, may be continued throughout the fall months into November. A suggested basic mix of low nitrogen 70% cottonseed meal/30% bone meal may be supplemented with foliar feeding for evergreen, conifers and other non-deciduous material. Warm spells are common at this time and trees often respond with new growth. Tender growth is susceptible to damage if any sudden cool weather occurs.

Deciduous trees begin to show fall colors as soon as cooler nights are more common. After they have had their moment of glory remove the brown leaves as they appear. Keep the trees free of accumulated trash that house undesirable wintering insects and encourage fungus buildup. Keep trees open, light and airy.

Cut back on your watering schedule but don’t allow the trees to dry. As the length of the day's sunshine is shortened the trees require less water. A balance must be maintained between the minimal watering and the loss of moisture by transpiration during intermittent hot spells.

Repotting is permissible at this time of year, specifically bamboo, boxwood, conifers (junipers & pines), hornbeams, cotoneaster, podocarpus, privets, pyracantha, wisteria, willows and most varieties of deciduous trees. (Ref.: Bonsai Techniques #1, by John Naka, Published in 1973). The key to safe repotting is to minimize root disturbance and to exclude se¬vere pruning. Trees can be transferred into larger or different con¬tainers. If in doubt about the health or condition of a tree wait another month or until spring to repot.

October is an excellent time to continue the process of training and trimming evergreens and conifers. If you have not already trimmed pines during the past year this is the last time to remove excess candles. The longer candles are the remains of early spring pruning. To discourage elongated branch internodes these candles should be cut back. If there are clusters of several new candles remove all but the smallest. Pluck the old needles to lighten the dense foliage and permit light and air to penetrate into the interior of the tree to encourage new interior growth.

Study the main trunk lines and branch structures of the trees. Restyling and general design features can be observed and corrected. Watch for crossing branches or the formation of multiple apex leaders. Reduce the length of long internodes and other heavy branch clusters that tend to make a small tree become too dense. Be particularly attentive to the formation of heavy branches at the top portion of trees where faster growth often occurs. These should be cut out to maintain proper symmetrical design and better taper of the trunk.

While some of the following information may be repetitive in your reading activities, the information is still important and is worthy of repetition.

Insects thrive on lush tender growth during warm, humid summer days. While they may slow down during the cooler days of fall you must continue to inspect your bonsai for insects and fungus.

• Aphids are tiny insects that suck the sap from the leaves and stems of new growth causing the leaves to curl. They can be controlled with MALATHION or SEVIN.
• Scale insects also suck sap but usually from the older leaves and the woody parts of the tree. They cause a plant to drop its leaves and, if untreated, can kill it. Scale can be treated and controlled with an oil or systemic pesticide. Regular applications of MALATHION are quite effective. Continue weekly until signs of infestation disappear.

• Fungus is identified by dark spots on the upper or lower leaf surfaces. There will also be telltale signs of a white powdery substance on the leaves and at the base of the needle clumps on conifers. Fungus can be prevented by providing sufficient light and drying conditions. Regular spraying with fungicides such as copper based Bordeaux or any other all-purpose product will be quite effective. Root and soil fungus must also be treated with a more penetrative application of Subdue or Daconil (Bravo).

POSTCRIPT:

You don’t stop laughing because you grow old. You grow old because you stop laughing.
Have an awesome day, and know that someone has thought about you today.

Marty Mann