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Did you have a fantastic holiday? I hope you did! Hopefully you didn't eat as many cookies as I did! Let me just say it wasn't a pretty sight.
It's always nice to have a little time to ourselves and to experience the holidays. Even though I gained a pound (let's just keep it at a pound), I had a great time with my family.
I hope your holiday was as joyful as ours!
| We Are Preparing for a Huge Something Secret! |
 December was full of ideas for us. We have devised plans to shake things up a little. We have labeled it operation: greenthumb.
I can't say more now as we are still preparing. There will be more information in the coming weeks on operation: greenthumb, but to say anything now would jeopardize the mission.
The only clue I can give is that thousands of customers have asked this question and until now we haven't been able to answer it satisfactorily.
Let's just say, we will be making you all very happy, very soon!
Stay tuned!
Our new monthly Bonsai tips are brought to you, by special arrangement, courtesy of the John Yoshio Naka Family. You can find the full year’s guide and a whole lot more in the book Bonsai Techniques I by John Naka. We have both of Mr. Naka’s books, Bonsai Techniques I and Bonsai Techniques II, available for immediate purchase.
The cold weather season will require just as much care as the growing season. A bonsai is not only a special plant, it is more like a pet, and a little time each day should be spent on its care. This is also a good time to study the structural lines and forms on any deciduous tree in nature.
Watering:January, because of its cold weather and rainy days, the bonsai will not need to be watered daily, but make it a point to check every day. If in a tropical area, the bonsai should have overhead sprinkling every other day whether the bonsai is dry or not. In the cold climate area, the bonsai will, of course, have been put away for winter.
Fertilizing:No fertilizing this month. This is a good month to apply any material that will help soften hard soil and neutralize any alkaline soil.
Spraying: Deciduous trees should be sprayed with lime-sulphur dormant spray.
Shaping: This is the best time to reshape any deciduous tree because it is bare. Do not do too drastic shaping because the branches my be too brittle. Check all plants to see that the wires are not too tight.
Transplanting:No transplanting or soil changing should be done this month unless bare root stock is available for starting.
Miscellaneous:Prepare soil mixture for future use. Move all deciduous trees into a shady place especially in a tropical or semi-tropical area. This will prevent them from sprouting during a warm winter. It will also help keep the trees in a dormant stage. It tress are in storage for the winter, keep temperature low enough so they will not sprout.
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