THINGS TO DO THIS MONTH
Outdoor:
Protect trees from freezing winds that can dry buds and twigs. Water if the soil becomes dry. Trees wintered outdoors should be watered during snowless and sunny or windy periods. Do not fertilize. Trim off obvious dieback. Ventilate enclosures when the outdoor temperature is 40 F or higher. Prepare for repotting season by acquiring new pots and soil supplies. Take notice of trees in nature and note their shapes and branch structures. These observations can be used when shaping trees later in the year. Look at bonsai books for ideas and information. Clean and sharpen bonsai tools.
Indoor:
- Provide as much light as possible.
- Keep trees close to sunny windows but protect them from chilling, especially at night.
- Use artificial light to supplement or replace natural daylight.
- Pinch back leggy growth.
- Water as needed.
Fertilize trees under artificial lights. Keep trees such as Chinese elm, pomegranate, boxwood, and Podocarpus in cool-temperature locations. Trees such as Ficus, Schefflera, Fukien tea, Serissa, and other tropicals are in warm locations.
REFERENCE CES:
Bonsai Clubs International Species Guide. (n.d.). Retrieved October 24, 2010, from BCI.Com: http://www.bonsai-bci.com/ species/fukien.html.
Editor. (Volume X, Number 1, 2002, November). Things To Do This Month. Bonsai Hai. Prairie State Bonsai Society.
Tomlinson, H. (1990). Readers Digest Home Handbooks: Bonsai. Pleasantville, N.Y.: Readers Digest Association, Inc.
