Kusamura Bonsai Club
|
|
|
|
|
From A Year of Bonsai Tips by Jim Ransohoff |
|
|
|
Well -- it's time to get active again. This is the month to repot your deciduous bonsai -- maples, elms, beech, birch, zelkova, etc., as well as broad-leaf evergreens. If these are young plants, they should be repotted every year and after that every two to three years. It's best to repot just as the new growth starts. This is the time to select a new pot if your present one is not right. Remember, the pot is the frame for your Bonsai and should feature it, not detract from it. Prior to repotting, trim and wire to shape, removing bar, crossing, upward, and downward branches. Head back branches to increase twigginess and let in light to keep your plant healthy. Remember, your soil mix should provide free drainage; a mixture of decomposed granite, pumice, sand, and a decomposed material such as firbark, redwood compost, plant humus, etc. If your plants have been thriving in your mix, stay with it no matter what any "expert" advises. In any event, you might want to add some bone meal to the mix to speed root growth. As you repot, remember to root prune; about 1/3 of the roots to be removed is a good rule. Keep the fine roots and remove the thick ones below the soil surface. After you have finished repotting, place your bonsai in full sun. Do not feed for three weeks, but you might want to spray with a good insecticide/fungicide. Also, remember Mas Imazumi's urging -- "rotate, rotate, rotate!" Dig up some moss and place it in flats on old newspaper and keep it moist so that it will be ready for you when you need it to dress up your bonsai for show. Some time ago, Terry Ward in "Terry's Tidbits" suggested using Isopropyl Alcohol (rubbing alcohol) to remove the green mossy growth that gets on trunks and some branches. He said to just take off the cap of the bottle and screw on a sprayer from any bottle such as Windex and spray the affected area. He didn't know if it worked or not. I have tried it and it DOES WORK! It doesn't seem to matter if you cover the soil or not, though it might be wise not to take a chance. It takes about two days to work. If it is too slow for you, get an old, soft toothbrush and soak in the alcohol and brush off the green. This is also the time to begin grafting. Either approach grafting or the other kinds to add different foliage, a new branch, or new roots. Give it a try. Spraying. Early February, before the new growth starts is the last time for dormant spraying. Remember to cover the soil so that the spray does not penetrate it and remember to shake the excess off the evergreens. Wiring. Watch the wires you put on last year. While during dormancy growth is slow, the woody portion tends to enlarge. If this is so, unwire as you don't want wire marks. Once new growth starts, you can wire and shape your plant. If you intend to do a major reshaping and wiring, do not repot this year as the shock may be too great for your plant; minor wiring is OK. Watering . At this time of year, it's best to water before 10:00 A.M. so that the water will drain by late afternoon and if a freeze occurs it will not be harmful to roots. Soil Mixes. This subject has no end. Ask 10 experts and you will get 10 different answers. However, one thing they all agree upon is that your soil needs perfect drainage and some water retention properties. My own base mix is equal parts of agricultural pumice, 3/8" lava rock, and nitrolized redwood compost. For elms and maples and the like, I add one part #2-1/2 sand and for azaleas I add another part of nitrolized redwood compost as well as the part of #2-1/2 sand. For those of you in the Los Altos/Saratoga areas, you may wish to add a part of peat moss, or anything else acid to overcome the saline water that you have. I get the 3/8" lava rock and the nitrolized redwood sawdust at Lyngso in Redwood City and the #2-1/2 sand at Borcher Brothers in San Jose. I believe that Shibui Bonsai has agricultural pumice or possibly Horace Johnson can supply you with it. In place of red lava rock, you can use any _ - 3/8" decomposed granite such as California Gold fines, but you will lose about _ of it when you screen out the fines. One other note -- do not include any redwood compost or the like for the California juniper mix. New Plant Acquisitions. This is an excellent time of the year to purchase deciduous plant material, as you can see the structure so clearly. Remember, the first thing to look for is the rootage, then the taper and shape of the trunk. It's also a good time to gather wild seedlings or better yet, to dig old, weathered trees such as oak, pine, and juniper. Last tip -- keep your benches clear of debris that can hide insects and watch your watering needs. While we have had rain, this can change quickly and if the weather turns very cold, or windy, these little pots can dry out rapidly. |
|
February Work
Schedule
