All over the United States we are having longer daylight hours and warmer weather – which means new challenges for you and your Bonsai. It seems that it happens overnight, but our trusty weatherman says it is gradual (on average).

Please remember … and I will repeat and repeat … Lots of Light … and Lots of Water … (kind of like a broken record). Temperate Climate Plants … (temperate climate meaning the huge longitudinal area between the equatorial area and the arctic area of our wonderful world) … respond to the day length which is increasing by a few minutes per day up until June 21 and to the rising temperature. The Bonsai will be in active growth now until the temperature and day length begin to shut them down for Fall. Now … just what does that mean to you and your Bonsai? During this active growth period your Bonsai will require more light to keep its leaves or needles healthy and require more water to keep it forging ahead. With Tropical Bonsai the changes can mean more active growth because of the same reasons but they will not respond the same way because they haven’t been asleep.

Ways you can help your Bonsai…

1.

Be sure your potting medium/dirt/soil has excellent drainage. This means that if you water your Bonsai the water will flow through within just a few seconds. It won’t stand there in puddles on the top of the soil. A Bonsai is not a tropical foliage plant like a rubber plant or ivy. Those type of plants can actually be grown in water without soil. If you use a potting mix bought at the local nursery or big box warehouse it will contain 70 to 80% peat moss. That’s fine for tropical foliage – but not for Bonsai. Your Bonsai will drown in that “rich” a soil mix. Look through our Potting Medium section to see the best types of soil for your Bonsai. Click Here for Our Potting Medium.

2.	How about your watering can? Our watering cans are from Japan and are specifically designed to provide your Bonsai with an extra fine shower of water – kind of like champagne without the bubbles. Click Here for Our Watering Containers.

3.

Again repeating from the last few month’s monologues – Fertilizer. Some Bonsai persons seem to be ignoring the fact that they must feed their Bonsai.  Some seem to think that starving your Bonsai will result in a smaller plant - or by doing this they will "stunt" their Bonsai more.   This attitude will cause your Bonsai great harm.  Yes, we use many of the normal horticultural practices that nurserymen and farmers use – but for Bonsai we use them in reverse. As for example this fertilizer thing. You are not trying to make your Bonsai grow ten feet in ten months – you are trying to keep it in good health. And … to implement this good health thing is the use of a high quality fertilizer. Don’t forget to fertilize. Remember your Bonsai soil is (or should be) extremely porous. When you water, you are leaching out all the fertilizer and nutrients that are essential for your Bonsai’s health. If you don’t replenish these essentials your Bonsai will suffer. As you water your Bonsai every day and inspect your Bonsai it will be difficult to realize any of the slow changes that will happen as your Bonsai starts declining. Please remember this Preventive procedure. It’s essential to the health and well being of your Bonsai. Click Here for Our Fertilizers.