Bonsai Gardening Guide "Summer and Autumn"

Summertime always presents unique challenges for Bonsai but with the proper information and tools, you can maintain your plant’s health.

As an example, the following tips will help your Bonsai not just survive but thrive during the summer months:

• Make sure you are using fresh, healthy soil
• Every week, rotate your Bonsai about one-quarter turn so that the entire plant receives an equal amount of sun and fresh air
• Keep the Bonsai well trimmed, specifically species that tend to get out of control such as elms and junipers
• Pay attention to the water levels along with the retention for the type of soil you are using
• After noon, make sure your Bonsai has an overhead shade cloth
• Place your Bonsai on slatted workbenches on the lawn or gravel and then in the morning, soak the ground. Then, occasionally, provide the Bonsai a good misting.
• While setting your Bonsai near a pond or swimming pool is fine, be very careful about placing them in pans of water in that the sun can reflect and cause problems
• Set your Bonsai in groupings but make sure none of them are touching
• Protect your Bonsai from the western or hot afternoon sun
• Grow your Bonsai in a growing bed as opposed to pots
• For maples and other thin-edged leaf bearing Bonsai, water them with reverse osmosis or distilled water
• Fertilize the Bonsai regularly using half the normal strength
• If you notice any wilted leaves, reduce the amount of water and place the Bonsai in the sun
• Remember that only your larger Bonsai should be placed in full sun. For instance, plants such as elephant food, bougainvillea, Texas ebony, junipers, and dwarf myrtle would do fine in full sun but any Bonsai that are root-pruned or ones you have recently repotted.
• During the late summer and early fall months, be sure you use fertilizer that is high in phosphate. A great blend would be 10-60-10, which helps the buds build a reserve for the following spring

AUTUMN
For the fall, you need to be careful with your Bonsai, not allowing them to get out of control. Many times, species such as elms, junipers, and pomegranates grow very fast in the fall so you will need to keep new growth pinched back.

One of the most important things to remember during the fall isthat you need to monitor your water retention for the soil mix very carefully. If you are not cautious with this, you will easily over water, killing or severely damaging the plant.

Giving your Bonsai a fertilizer high in phosphate, using a blend of 10-60-10 is beneficial. What happens is that this type of blend will help the buds maintain a reserve so that in the spring, they can flourish. Additionally, for your juniper and pine Bonsai, you probably want to wire them during the fall, constantly checking them for fast growth that could cause scarring.


Bonsai Gardening Secrets