NO. 96 - NOVEMBER / DECEMBER-2005

SEASONAL SUGGESTIONS

A TIME TABLE - WINTER ACTIVITY

By

MARTY MANN

Following the autumnal equinox, nature allows the ever-active growth cycle of trees to slow down, to hibernate until the warmth and sunshine of spring returns. While we avoid the difficulties of inclement, bleak weather season we must also be watchful. Preservation of the good health and style of our trees never stops.

Special attention can be given to your bonsai at this time of year. Allow all activities to dovetail into the last quarter of the year, before the arrival of the new growing season.

Preserving the health of a tree involves proper watering procedures during the dormant period in cool weather. Deciduous trees have transformed from the beautiful fall colors to barren silhouettes. Evergreen trees appear dull, inactive and unchanging. Since warm weather does occur at this time of year, potted trees must be watered regularly, but cautiously, even if brief winter rains happen. Coolness brings slow growth and during periods of dormancy. Trees require only a dampening of the root zone since transpiration of moisture is essentially non-existent. Watch for prevailing and drying winds. The porosity of a good bonsai soil mix allows moisture to quickly escape a shallow pot. If you count on the regularity of an automatic timed watering system, the timing cycle should be adjusted for winter requirements.

November should end any new plant growth activity. Unless the high temperatures continue, it is a good time to let trees rest. Reduce your watering (don’t allow anything to dry. Avoid any feeding. The only exception to the fertilization recommendation might be a 0-10-10 application to flowering and fruiting material.

This is a good time of year to concentrate on clean up. Be sure to remove all leaf droppings and flower buds left over from summer. Removal of trash from your bonsai area is always an im­portant practice. If old leaves hang on, take them off.

Continue to protect hibernating trees from excessive moisture (I almost said RAIN ) and pre­vailing winds. Many a fine bonsai is lost due to neglect during the winter months. While freezing is not usually a concern to most in Northern or Southern California many may remember the damaging frost we experienced a few years ago from pockets of cold air during low temperature periods. Be prepared to protect tender stock at all times. Continue to monitor bonsai for watering requirements. Continue to inspect for infestations of mites and scale.

Winter moss that may be forming in the shaded areas around the yard can be gathered and placed in flats. Let it grow for use in the spring to dress your bonsai. It’s advisable to remove any build-up of moss that accumulated as a thatch on potted material. This build-up tends to reject surface watering and prevents moisture from penetrating to the root mass.

Reconsider the arrangement of trees on benches. Those that may have been moved into shaded areas to avoid hot summer sun can now be exposed to better light. This is an excellent time to sort out trees into first-things-first categories. Attend to those trees that require winter trimming while the branch silhouettes are easy to study. Repot those trees showing signs of being root bound early in spring. Check the rootage on all trees. Allow some surface exposure to encourage a change from soft surface tissue to the adaptation of textures similar to the outer trunk bark.

Apply Orthorix® Lime Sulphur as a dormant spray, especially on aged or dead wood Jin and Shari areas. Keep lime sulphur away from pine needles or any material showing signs of new buds. A good dormant mixture is a combination of a copper based Bordeaux® fungicide and Volck Oil®. Avoid dripping spray into the root systems. It has been found that lime sulphur is also quite effective in controlling scale and spider mite infestations. Use it as a diluted spray (15 tablespoons to a gallon of water). Malathion, or Seven are best for your battle with aphids or ants.  Read product directions

November and December is a wonderful time to really see your trees. The foliage during most of the year obscures the skeleton branch formations of the inner tree. Now is the time to trim excess branches, as well as crossing, misplaced and malformed branches.  Study the radial formation of the rootage. Study the taper of the trunk line. Concentrate on building a twiggy branch structure. Wire branches during this dormant period with great care since they are brittle during cooler weather months. Try to see your tree with strong background lighting in order to study its design, shape and position in the pot. Deciduous material that is fully exposed can now be photographed. Black and white is preferred. Study and refine.

Now is the time to study groves or multi-tree arrangements. Trunks stand out with strong detail. An overview of a group planting will show clearly how the trees are positioned and how they relate to each other. The visual view offers an opportunity to improve the placement of individual or groups of trees in the tray before spring planting plans are finalized.

Preserving bonsai during winter months does not involve the usual attention to feeding requirements. Conifers and evergreen trees continue to grow in the California climate. Partial dormancy requires some nourishment. A light feeding of cottonseed meal (70%) and bone meal (30%) is best.  Apply food only to the soil surfaces. Foliar feeding encourages green growth that can be severely damaged if a cold spell occurs. Deciduous trees will have transformed from the beautiful fall colors to barren silhouettes. Be sure to remove all dead leaves, fruit and flower buds that may still be hanging on. The evergreen trees will appear to be dull and inactive.

Fungus thrives during the dormant months. The application of fungicides is as important now as it is in spring when active reproduction takes place. When trees are bare, a dormant spray such as ORTHORIX (lime sulfur) may be used as a fungicide. Use 7 tablespoons in a gallon of water to destroy over wintering spores. Take care to avoid root damage by covering the surface of the pot with plastic to prevent run-off or drip of the spray. A light mist of lime sulfur on the top and bottom of the foliage and woody branches is quite effective. Lime sulfur may be applied at full strength on wet, aged, dead wood such as Jin and Shari. A few drops of black ink or artist black acrylic pigment will tone down the usual unsightly orange color of this product.

Review the rootage conditions of potted trees.  If the specimen appears to be lifting out of the pot or appears to be root bound in the pot then plan ahead by identifying and marking those ready for early repotting in spring.

California winters are usually interspersed with many warmer days. Potted trees must still be watered regularly. Cooler weather means slower growth. During this period of dormancy, trees require a regular dampening of the root zone. Transpiration of moisture is almost non-existent due to the absence of foliage Watch out for prevailing, drying winds.

Prepare your spring inventory of potting soil mix, screening materials, and aggre­gates (i.e. pumice, sand, lava rock, D. G., etc.) as well as humus (i.e. fir bark, redwood bark, peat moss, etc.).

Take care of your tools. Winter rain and general high humidity will encourage rust. Clean and sharpen them and apply good rust inhibiting oil finish. Clean up those accumulated old pots that you may need during the repotting season in spring. Get rid of accumulated trash.

A final word to remember---

May your day be filled to overflow
With all that makes you happiest

Have a happy holiday season.

Marty Mann