Seasonal Care
Bonsai from miniature forest trees must live outdoors
all the time.They
are brought into the house for short periods on specialoccasions. Bonsai
from forest trees will die if kept too long indoors,particularly in overheated
rooms. These bonsai may be brought insideonce or twice a week for 2 or 3
hours -- during winter, spring, andautumn. They should not be brought inside
in summer unless the room iswell ventilated.
Summer care
Bonsai are very sensitive and thrive best in localities that offer coolnights,
sunny days, and mist or rain almost daily. Most of the UnitedStates does
not have this climate, so special provisions must be madeto compensate for
the lack of desired climatic conditions. Extremes inlight, rain, and wind
are to be avoided.
Place your bonsai on a platform or table in your garden where theplants
can receive 3 to 5 hours of direct sunlight a day. The siteshould be shaded,
preferably in the afternoon. If the area is subjectto drying winds, put
up screening around the plants to protect them.Screening also serves to
provide the plants with shade.
Water the entire bonsai -- plant and soil -- daily. If you skip even 1day
you can permanently damage the plant. Make sure your plants arelocated where
rain can fall on them. However, plants should not remainwet or water-logged
for long periods.
Fertilizer
To maintain plant growth use fertilizer to supply nutrients. Maintainthe
nutrient level in the soil mix throughout active growth withmonthly applications
of a diluted liquid fertilizer. Apply fertilizeronly before and during active
growth. For a liquid fertilizer you canuse a typical house-plant fertilizer
(20-20-20 or its equivalent) diluted to one-quarter strength on the label. For
more information on Summer Bonsai care, read our Summer
Care for Bonsai page.
Fall care
During this period bonsai must be prepared to endure the approachingcold.
Plant growth must be slowed. Water plants less frequently to slowgrowth,
and, when growth slows, reduce applications of fertilizers.
Do not prune or cut any branches after mid-August. Do not useartificial
night-lighting (incandescent filament lamps) on plants afterAugust 1. To
reduce winter dieback of flowering trees and maples makelight applications
of 0-10-10 fertilizer. Formore information on Winter Bonsai care, read our Fall Care for Bonsai page.
Winter care
A major problem in winter is to protect bonsai against low temperaturesand
drying winds. Bonsai can only be left outdoors in climates wheretemperatures
drop no lower than 28 F degrees. This is not the casethroughout most of
the United States, so a greenhouse, pit, orcoldframe is necessary.
Winter frosts will seldom bother bonsai that are sheltered under thefoliage
of a spreading tree. Watch out, however, during the frostperiod for drying
soil.
Coldframes
It is easy to construct a simple coldframe for bonsai. Before theground
is frozen, dig a hole at least 1-1/2 feet in the soil. Make thehole as long
and as wide as you need for all your plants. Line thesides of this hole
with exterior grade plywood which extends 6 inchesabove the surface. Put
4 to 6 inches of gravel in the bottom of thehole, set your plant containers
on this gravel, and spread straw aroundand over them. Put a loose-fitting
cover on the frame made ofpolyethylene sheeting or any similar material.
Be sure the top of your coldframe is strong enough to withstand a heavyload
of snow. Ventilate on days when the air temperature is above 40 Fdegrees
to keep the plants cool and dormant.
To purchase a coldframe kit, check your local nurseries or see catalogsof
mail-order garden supply houses. For more information on Winter Bonsai care, read
our Winter Care for Bonsai page.
Spring care
Spring is the time when new bonsai are started. It is the time for anypruning
and training of last season's bonsai. The plants then have awhole growing
season to readjust to these changes.
Watering
In the summer, during hot weather when the temperature is over 90 Fdegrees,
water the bonsai plants one or more times a day. If the plantsare in an
unusually sandy soil they will require watering three or moretimes a day.
In early autumn, follow the watering directions for late spring. Inlate
autumn, follow the watering directions for early spring.
In winter, keep the trees in a coldframe and ventilate the plants onone
or more sides to keep them dormant. Check for dryness every 2weeks. Water
the plants every second day, or less, as required. Keepin mind that far
more bonsai are killed by overwatering than by a lackof water. For more
information on Spring Bonsai care, read our Spring Care for
Bonsai page.
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