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By the end of this month we will be seeing signs of spring. Many of us are eagerly awaiting them. But, that is also the time when all of us gardeners run headlong into our busiest. time of the year. It is important to sandwich our bonsai activities between the end of winter and when our yard activities begin. For your outdoor (hardy) bonsai repotting and styling can begin as early as late this month and into March. The appropriate time to begin spring work on your trees is just as they are beginning to show signs of awakening from their winter slumber. Look for bud swell. This is the time. If you didn’t do your planning as reminded last month, you better get cracking. Get your pots and soil ready. Finish those notes and/or sketches. Make sure that you have plastic mesh and wire on hand. For those of you that are a little apprehensive of your first attempt at potting, we will hold potting demonstrations at the Bonsai Clinic in March. One demo will be at 10:30 AM and another one at 2:00 PM.

Tropical bonsai potting is done in late May or early June. By that time the weather is warm enough to be able to move them out of doors for the summer, if you can do that. If you must keep them indoors then this is still the best time. Tropicals love to spend the summer out of doors and you should strive to accommodate them. The increase in growth and vigor after spending the summer out of doors is remarkable. However, the transition from our hot, dry, low light conditions in our homes to the bright, cooler lower humidity of the outdoors environment must be done gradually. Remember, they must not see temperatures below 50 degrees. This might mean taking them out during the day and back in at night. At the beginning, do not expose them to sunlight. Place them in a shady spot out of the wind. Gradually move them to a place where they receive morning sun. After about two or three weeks they should be acclimated to the outside atmosphere. A similar procedure should be followed with your outdoor bonsai. Expose them to the full sun, wind and rain gradually.

When I speak of spring, I do not mean calendar spring., but the spring for each individual tree. Start observing your trees now.

Depending on the winter storage you provide, some trees may begin to show signs of movement this month. Deciduous trees are usually first to show that spring is about to come upon us. Remember that as your trees come out of dormancy they will need more water. Do not fertilize until the leaves have fully opened. Give your trees a final dormant oil or NEEM oil spray. Towards the end of the month you may be tempted, by a few warm days, to bring your trees out of winter storage. Be cautious. Trees that have been stored in subdued light should be allowed a gradual transition to full outdoor exposure.

January was the planning month. February is the cautious month. We are primed by the seed catalogs that have been flooding our mailboxes and a sunny day or two. Try to hold back on your enthusiasm. Spring with soon be here. I promise.

Tropical Bonsai
It seems that this month is when your tropicals begin to look a little worse for wear as our winter heating season drags on. Unless you have provided appropriate lighting and humidity, they look like they need a trip to Florida to bask in that tropical climate. I know the feeling.

One of the more popular tropical bonsai is Fujian Tea. A very small genus of tropical shrub which was once referred to (and still often is) as Carmona microphylla, now reclassified as Ehretia sp. Fujian Tea is a tropical shrub originating in southern China and other parts of southeast Asia. It is very popular for bonsai in China but is not a traditional favorite in Japan. It can be grown outdoors in warm climates but is quite popular as an indoor bonsai.

Fujian tea likes a bright location, but should receive some protection from the direct, hot afternoon sun. Indoors it does quite well under artificial lights. Ehretia prefers temperatures between 60 to 72 degrees, although occasional dips into the high forties produce no ill effects.It does not like drafts.

Keep well watered, reducing only slightly in winter. Never allow Fujian tea to stand in water, or let the soil dry out completely.

Frequent misting will discourage spider mites, but will apparently encourage mealy bugs. Choose your poison.

Feed weekly during summer and monthly in winter, or use bonsai food every time you water. Do not use Miracid. Fujian tea does not like to be over fed.

Repot every 2-3 years in early spring. Reduce water after root pruning. Bottom heat helps stimulate root growth. Use a basic soil mix. Beware of snapping thick roots-they are more brittle than they look. Prune new shoots after 6 to 8 leaves have appeared, leaving only 1 or 2. Fujian tea can be wired, but because of its brittle nature it is mostly styled by the clip and grow method. Its small leaves and fine branch ramification make it ideal for miniature bonsai.

Aphids, scale, mealy bugs and red spider mites find this plant a special treat and will attack it over other plants in the area. Unfortunately, it is very sensitive to insecticides. Diazion will kill the tree. Use NEEM oil or insecticidal soap to control pests.

There are very few named cultivars of Ehretia sp. They are generally classified by leaf size, small, medium and large. They produce small, white flowers throughout the year and green berries that turn red when ripe.
Fujian tea shows old age at a very early stage and for this reason is becoming more popular as a bonsai. Although it requires slightly more attention than Ficus, because of its ancient beauty it is a prize in any bonsai collection. Despite its name, you can not brew tea from its leaves for human consumption.

Bonsai Soil
Trees react differently when grown in the ground and when grown in a container. Without the confines of a pot, the roots can grow relatively unhindered according to the characteristics of the soil. In a container the roots are restricted and react to the type of soil used. In bonsai we want a soil that retains enough moisture to nurture the tree and freely drain the extra water away. Therefore, the bonsai soil that we use is a blend of the necessary ingredients to accomplish this. Bonsai soil is composed of three basic ingredients: Grit, Clay and humus.

Grit or as we refer to it, sand. Grit is sharp sand, crushed granite, basalt, volcanic particles, chicken grit or filter sand. It should have a rough, uneven surface and should not be round, smooth particles. It has been found that these surfaces hold water better but still drain excess water quickly. The grit portion comprises 1/3 to ½ of the mix. The higher concentration for conifers and the lower for deciduous trees.

Clay
This is provided in our bonsai soil by utilizing Turface, Terragreen, Akadama, Kanuma or other clay products on the market. It is fired to prevent rapid break down and clogging the soil. Oil-Dry or Speedi-Dry, used to absorb spilled liquids are not horticultural grade. Kitty litter, another clay product, contains chemicals that may be detrimental to your trees. An interesting property of clay is its affinity to water. It exhibits a strong attraction to water as well as the ability to absorb a given amount of water. Nutrients soluble in water are stored in this way. The clay portion usually comprises ¼ to ½ of the mix.

Humus
The preferred material for the humus portion of the soil mixture is Pine or Fir bark. Aged, ground bark provides the moisture holding capacity that we need and provides a place for beneficial soil bacteria and fungi to grow. Well rotted cow manure may also be used. One humus product to avoid is peat. It is sterile, lacks any nutrients for the tree, tends to hold onto moisture too long and when dry becomes water repellant. Humus makes up ¼ to ½ of the soil mix.

All ingredients should be sifted to remove the fines. These fines only serve to clog soil pores. Soil is normally sifted into two sizes, small and large. The small size particles are those that pass through a 1/8 inch screen but not through a 1/16 inch screen. This size is used for small (mame or shohin) bonsai. The large particles are those that pass through a ¼ inch screen but not through a 1/8 inch screen. This size is used for the majority of bonsai. The basic soil mix 0f 1/3 grit, 1/3 clay and 1/3 humus is suitable for most varieties. The problem of compacting is minimized by the humus, and aeration and good drainage is achieved by the grit in the mix while the clay serves to store water and nutrients.

This months Bonsai Clinic will be held on Saturday, February 17th, from 10AM to 4 PM.

If you can not make our regularly scheduled clinics, submit your questions to our staff and I will attempt to answer them for you.

As soon as the weather permits safe transport, we will replenish our stock of bonsai. Temperatures must be in the 50’s before we can safely ship tropicals plants.

The Bonsai Guy

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