November Work Schedule

Kusamura Bonsai Club

November Work Schedule

From John Thompson's Tree Tips (Midori Newsletter for November 2000)

The color of the trees is great this year. The Chinese pistache and zelkovas are going off the charts for brilliant reds and golds in my area. Hope you have as pretty a show where you live.

Now is a good time to start your own material. Collect seeds. Gather maple seeds or oaks or whatever you fancy. Starting from scratch is a lot of fun and gives you an insight into how trees develop from seed to root to shoot and beyond. I've been gathering my acorns since October. The later you wait, the fewer you'll get. Those pesky squirrels have had a head start on you. Make sure of what you're picking up and tag them or you will forget down the line. Oaks, for instance, cross-pollinate at the drop of a hat, so you may get some surprises when they sprout. I soak my acorns in water overnight and pitch the ones that float. Most natives will sprout now without stratifying or waiting 'til spring. You can plant the "sinkers" now or in January, but be sure to cover them or the squirrels will have a field day.

It's time to slow down nitrogen feeding on our trees. We don't want to stimulate new tender succulent growth on the trees just in time for a good frost to kill it back. Yet you do need a little nitrogen to interact with the other macro and micro nutrients. I continue with weak solutions of something like Dyna Grow's 3-9-6 Foliage Pro on deciduous trees and standard 7-9-5 Liquid Grow on evergreens. Remember that we are in an area where growth does not altogether stop during the winter months.

It's best to cut back your trees this month, or else wait until February. Do not do it in December and January when the temperature fluctuates so much from night to day that it causes excessive bleeding of sap.

It's an excellent time to style and wire your trees. The growth that has been coming on since summer should be hardening, and will no longer snap like a bean if you bend it. But try this: Exercise the branch before you bend it. By this I mean pre-bend it, using the fleshy part of your fingers and palm supporting and twisting the branch in the direction that you wish ultimately to bend it before actually putting the wire on. Trust your fingers to tell you if you have gone far enough. They are actually more reliable than your eyes. You can get much more acute bends this way. If the branch still resists, you may need to use raffia to support it. Either way, this is an ideal time to fashion those branches before they harden off totally over winter.

Deciduous trees should be wired when most of the foliage has fallen off but before they become brittle later into the winter dormancy period.

Clean off dead leaves and remove weeds. Don't let moss get a foothold on your trunks, but clear a shady moist area on the ground and encourage mosses to grow there for next year's show trees

Wire and style your evergreens. Be sure to clean out the foliage in the crotch areas and allow the sunlight into the interior to stimulate new buds and expose bugs.

Clean out the old needles on your pines to let the sunlight in. At this point, we want to encourage as much sun as we can. Days are getting really short and cooler. Remember to make your first application of dormant spray at Thanksgiving.

Water your trees when they need it. This means that you should wait until the upper crust of soil has dried and is lighter in color before watering. Then water thoroughly. Don't keep the plants too wet, and remember that as they slow down their growth, they use less water.

From A Year of Bonsai Tips by Jim Ransohoff

Pines. Remember that you can pull the needles from black pine, but should cut the needles off white pine. Do not remove the candles at this time, and it is not advisable to repot until spring.

Azaleas. If you haven't done so already, bring azaleas into full sun so that they will set buds for next spring's flowering. I don't know why but some years azaleas bloom early. Perhaps it is because of a cool summer followed by a very warm spell in fall. If I find out, I will let you know!

Clean-up. As noted last month, it's time to clean up your benches and around your pots, as the leaves and debris that accumulate are a wonderful hiding place for bugs and diseases that you don't need. Spread snail, slug, and cutworm bait to eliminate these pests.

Kusamura Bonsai Club

From John Thompson's Tree Tips (Midori Newsletter for November 2000)

From A Year of Bonsai Tips by Jim Ransohoff

Last Updated November 19, 2000.

Copyright © 2000, by Kusamura Bonsai Club. All Rights Reserved.

	From John Thompson's Tree Tips (Midori Newsletter for November 2000)
	The color of the trees is great this year. The Chinese pistache and zelkovas are going off the charts for brilliant reds and golds in my area. Hope you have as pretty a show where you live. Now is a good time to start your own material. Collect seeds. Gather maple seeds or oaks or whatever you fancy. Starting from scratch is a lot of fun and gives you an insight into how trees develop from seed to root to shoot and beyond. I've been gathering my acorns since October. The later you wait, the fewer you'll get. Those pesky squirrels have had a head start on you. Make sure of what you're picking up and tag them or you will forget down the line. Oaks, for instance, cross-pollinate at the drop of a hat, so you may get some surprises when they sprout. I soak my acorns in water overnight and pitch the ones that float. Most natives will sprout now without stratifying or waiting 'til spring. You can plant the "sinkers" now or in January, but be sure to cover them or the squirrels will have a field day. It's time to slow down nitrogen feeding on our trees. We don't want to stimulate new tender succulent growth on the trees just in time for a good frost to kill it back. Yet you do need a little nitrogen to interact with the other macro and micro nutrients. I continue with weak solutions of something like Dyna Grow's 3-9-6 Foliage Pro on deciduous trees and standard 7-9-5 Liquid Grow on evergreens. Remember that we are in an area where growth does not altogether stop during the winter months. It's best to cut back your trees this month, or else wait until February. Do not do it in December and January when the temperature fluctuates so much from night to day that it causes excessive bleeding of sap. It's an excellent time to style and wire your trees. The growth that has been coming on since summer should be hardening, and will no longer snap like a bean if you bend it. But try this: Exercise the branch before you bend it. By this I mean pre-bend it, using the fleshy part of your fingers and palm supporting and twisting the branch in the direction that you wish ultimately to bend it before actually putting the wire on. Trust your fingers to tell you if you have gone far enough. They are actually more reliable than your eyes. You can get much more acute bends this way. If the branch still resists, you may need to use raffia to support it. Either way, this is an ideal time to fashion those branches before they harden off totally over winter. Deciduous trees should be wired when most of the foliage has fallen off but before they become brittle later into the winter dormancy period. Clean off dead leaves and remove weeds. Don't let moss get a foothold on your trunks, but clear a shady moist area on the ground and encourage mosses to grow there for next year's show trees Wire and style your evergreens. Be sure to clean out the foliage in the crotch areas and allow the sunlight into the interior to stimulate new buds and expose bugs. Clean out the old needles on your pines to let the sunlight in. At this point, we want to encourage as much sun as we can. Days are getting really short and cooler. Remember to make your first application of dormant spray at Thanksgiving. Water your trees when they need it. This means that you should wait until the upper crust of soil has dried and is lighter in color before watering. Then water thoroughly. Don't keep the plants too wet, and remember that as they slow down their growth, they use less water.
	From A Year of Bonsai Tips by Jim Ransohoff
	Pines. Remember that you can pull the needles from black pine, but should cut the needles off white pine. Do not remove the candles at this time, and it is not advisable to repot until spring. Azaleas. If you haven't done so already, bring azaleas into full sun so that they will set buds for next spring's flowering. I don't know why but some years azaleas bloom early. Perhaps it is because of a cool summer followed by a very warm spell in fall. If I find out, I will let you know! Clean-up. As noted last month, it's time to clean up your benches and around your pots, as the leaves and debris that accumulate are a wonderful hiding place for bugs and diseases that you don't need. Spread snail, slug, and cutworm bait to eliminate these pests.