November Bonsai Tips
This is the time of year when the majority of trees will be dormant, so greatly reduce the water you give them and do not use any fertiliser other than bone meal.
Give all your deciduous trees a thorough inspection and if any dead leaves cling to the branches it could mean that pests have made their nests and ultimately spend the winter feeding on the bark. You could see unsightly scars and in some cases lead to the loss of smaller branches. Larches are especially prone to this.
As branches become bare it now the ideal time to spray with tar oil insecticide. Make sure you remove any wires previously forgotten and keep removing moss to prevent pests making a home in the soil. A good watering with a soil pesticide will take care of leather-jackets or any other pests that live out the winter in the soil, without harming the roots, ensure you follow the manufacturers’ directions closely.
This month’s Diary Dates include the November Auction on the 13th and Workshop on the 25th.
October Bonsai Tips
Now is the time that your trees need as much light as possible, and watering can be reduced greatly – weather permitting of course, protect delicate trees from excessive winds though as this could snap the branches.
Junipers and pines can be wired and pruned for shaping. Remove as much moss as possible from your pots as these harbour weed seeds and insects over the winter especially leather-jackets.
Sort your trees out for those to go for what you would like to keep or not the following year and start to think about winter protection of your trees.
This month could give you as much pleasure as in the spring with their leaf colourings before the trees go into dormancy.
