Gosh! Time does fly!!! Here we were just what seems as a few days ago complaining about the heat and humidity, and now we’re looking in the face of fall.

Let’s get ready. How?

First and foremost cut down on your nitrogen fertilizers. Start using 0–10–10 if you haven’t already. This type of fertilizer will offer your Bonsai root and stem protection, but not give your Bonsai any leaf growth which of course is what you see when you observe them. What happens when temperatures start creeping below 40 degrees? Your tender, new growth that has been spurting out since the 90 and 100 degree days will be burned and be quite unsightly. Some Bonsai like the Fukien Tea Tree love temperatures at 60 degrees and up and will start exhibiting black leaves when the temperature drops below that. Take heed! Serissa will show browned leaves and a number of the lower leaves will simply drop off. Let’s be careful. Bonsai such as Japanese Maples will be outstandingly beautiful this time of year. Not as beautiful as in the Spring, but will really be a showoff now. These temperate climate Bonsai are in their normal environment during these cooling days and nights. Juniper and other hardy conifers can still exhibit some burning/browning of their most tender needles.

0-10-10 Fertilizer Click on the product and visit our store

Again. . . remember that we use a very porous potting mix. This means that not much of our water or fertilizer stays in the pot where the Bonsai can take up these nutrients. I am reminding you of this because you will leach out these fertilizers as you water. You need to fertilize as often as you can with a lower percentage dosage. This will enable your Bonsai to have food whenever it needs it. Whatever regimen is convenient and comfortable for you is what your Bonsai will be happy with. If a fertilizer calls for a monthly dose of 1 teaspoon per gallon, then your Bonsai will be able to take up more fertilizer in the long run if you use it as say 1/4 teaspoon per gallon once a week. It’s better to have a stable amount of fertilizer in the potting mix than to dose high and then as we water have the strength of available fertilizer drop down until the next time we fertilize. Please don’t think that if the fertilizer instructions say 1 teaspoon per gallon of water that 2 teaspoons per gallon will really help. These instructions are a guide line, but don’t over fertilize. You could pour a lethal dose into the soil. This will kill the roots from which your Bonsai may not recover. I don’t mean to scare you. Do read the instructions and heed them.

We are proud to announce that we are offering some new DVDs and some new books. They may be here by the time this message reaches you, but we can’t be sure just when the mailman will get them to our warehouse. We will also be offering a new video and some other Bonsai books that have not been available locally. Please stay tuned. We are excited about this and hope that these acquisitions will help you along the way to enjoying your wonderful hobby of Bonsai…

Secrets of Bonsai 2006 Volume I

Welcome to the world of Bonsai. A new DVD from Europe (in English). 45 minutes + bonus. This is fresh and just what you and I needed to impart the details of HOW TO!!! Here is the detailing from the DVD cover...."A large number of Bonsai enthusiasts encounter a wide range of problems which stem from their passion. In this series of DVDs, we will endeavor to answer questions invariably asked at each stage and intervention to help you avoid making mistakes which often prove fatal. And to start off, we will take a look at the specific tools and their usage, the different substrates, the pots and the binding wires, etc....In other words, the basic, initial, constant and unchanging gestures which guarantee a good start and promise a successful future. The explications are clear, the gestures precise and the series takes place in Georges Pons's very beautiful nursery, home to a magnificent collection of wonderful trees which we invite you to discover." View a teaser of this on the Bonsai Channel

 

Secrets of Bonsai 2006 Volume II	Your first Steps. A new DVD from Europe (in English). 55 minutes + bonus. This is fresh and just what you and I needed to impart the details of HOW TO!!! Here is the detailing from the DVD cover...."This second DVD deals with the initial aesthetical concepts to be respected when forming a Bonsai subject. These are based on the harmony we observe in nature. This is what every artist strives to attain. To achieve this harmony, specific techniques must be applied when working with Bonsai; This is the only way to guarantee a successful outcome. The first important steps concern: Emergency re–potting of a tree after purchase since the original soil is always(s) being (un)suitable. Potting-on of the Bonsai which is, of course, very important. The steps to take after re-potting to ensure that the Bonsai remains in good health. And finally the general guidelines for watering, the importance of which cannot be understated. This DVD includes a new series of photographs which will keep you dreaming...!" View a teaser of this on the Bonsai Channel
Note: As soon as we receive these excellent DVDs we will put them up on Dallas Bonsai Garden's online catalog.....stay tuned....Just a few days....

As you probably know by now since you have read this far, we have placed teasers of the secrets of Bonsai Videos above on The Bonsai Channel. Head there now and check them out! They are really great videos! Visit the Bonsai Channel

Sincerely,
Fred & Elizabeth Meyer,
Owners
Dallas Bonsai Garden
Dallasbonsai.com
dallasbonsai@comcast.net
Telephones answered 1 to 5 PM
Monday through Friday – 1 800 982 1223

Serving the Bonsai Enthusiast since 1965.