Author: Rick Manning

TAKE OUT YOUR TROPICALSTips and advice from senior members on moving your trees outsideSummer has arrived and your tropical trees are happy to get back outside and into the sun! This typically occurs once the low temperatures remain above 50 degrees. We suggest some of the following advice when taking out your trees. Weather should be above 55° consistently at night. Usually later in the second half of May or Memorial DayCheck your trees for any pests/infestations/fungus/etc and spray as needed Remove any wire that is biting inFertilize weekly with liquid…

Cut the Candles on Your Double-Flush PinesRed, black, and other pines need to have their energy balancedThe goal is to balance the energy of the tree to make it relatively the same across the tree. The removal of spring growth from red or black pines is to stimulate a second flush of growth in summer. This is accomplished by the process of candle cutting in June.Check the branch and decide where you want budding to occurCut the bottom of the candle with scissors, while leaving a small amount of green…

Katsura (Cercidiphyllum) The katsura tree, native to Japan, makes an excellent specimen or shade tree in Midwestern landscapes. Its foliage offers an array of color throughout the year. In spring, heart-shaped leaves emerge reddish-purple, changing to blue-green as they mature. In autumn the color display changes again as leaves turn a clear yellow or apricot color. In Japan the wood is sometimes used to make Shougi game boards and Buddha statues. It has recently started to become endangered in Japan.  Cercidiphyllum, commonly called katsura, (Katsura (カツラ) is the Japanese name for the tree.) can…

Outdoor: All outdoor trees should have been removed from winter protection and placed on their growing benches. The trees should be receiving as much sun as possible. Watering needs will be high, and all trees will need watering at least once a day. Be sure to saturate the soil at each watering thoroughly.  It is good to send a blast of water through the foliage now and then to help dislodge any insects lurking. Keep an eye out for possible insect infestations. The soft new growth on the trees is…

ROOT PRUNING AND REPOTTINGPurpose:Root Pruning removes heavy, old, and excessively lengthy portions of the root system. The effect is to limit the tree's growth by limiting the size and spread Of the root system and revitalizing the tree by creating an increased energy level by developing new and more numerous feeder roots. This results in the development a dense network of fine roots and branches. It also serves as a way to allow a bonsai to be replanted back into the same container, as it initially reduces the size…

Tree of the Month - April 2023 The Satsuki evergreen azalea is a popular bonsai plant that has been hybridized in Japan for over 500 years. The first Satsuki azaleas were likely natural hybrids of R. indicum and R. tamurae. These late-blooming plants feature 1 to 5-inch single flowers with a range of shapes, from rounded overlapping lobes to narrow wide-spaced lobes, with lobe edges varying from flat to frilled. The flowers come in a variety of colors, including white, pink, yellowish-pink, red, reddish-orange, and purple, with different color…

Introduction Different species of trees can withstand, and indeed, require varying extremes of temperatures. Bonsai enthusiasts should know the temperature requirements and limits of all the trees they are growing. Analysis All plant material, regardless of its origin, has been categorized in three classifications which directly relate to the origin of the original specie and it's growth habit. Temperate Zone Trees: These are trees that require dormancy and remain "outside". Deciduous trees usually lose their leaves and set buds for the following spring while conifers shed old needles. Subtropical…

WHAT IS MYCORRHIZAESubmitted by Leonard J. Wegryn February 26, 1996Terminology:Mycorrhizae- Is a collective term for several distinct kinds of beneficial fungi. Fungus is & Fungi are- A growth that forms during decomposition of organic matter. Pathogens- Are disease producing organisms,Symbiotic—Is a relationship of the structure built from the mutually beneficial interaction of the small absorbing root and a particular type of fungus, working as a team.What is mycorrhizae?In virtually every plant there is a hidden, almost invisible silent partner working to maintain the health and vitality of that tree.…

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Outdoor:           This is it, the busiest month in bonsai.Once the danger of temperatures in the low twenties or less has passed, it is time to bring your trees out of winter protection and into their summer homes. For trees in mulch beds, be sure that the mulch has thawed below the pots before lifting the trees out of it. Do not force trees from a frozen mulch bed, as significant damage can result. Watering requirements will increase, so be prepared to water more frequently. Fertilization…