Dallas Bonsai May 2004 Newsletter

The Holiday Season is Fast Approaching!

BUT……… let’s don’t forget your loving Bonsai just because you get busy with your family and business commitments.

We are getting into the whirlwind of Seasonal Activities, BUT…….. don’t forget to take care of your Bonsai during these busy times.

Here I go again……. Lecturing…

1.	Light- Lots of light. Evergreen Bonsai require light all year round. Deciduous Bonsai require only a small amount of light during their dormancy period.
2.	Water- If you keep your Bonsai outside most of the time just remember that if it’s raining for a day or two that doesn’t mean that you can forget the Bonsai on the third day. If you have good drainage the Bonsai is going to need a watering. It is extremely important to get into the routine of watering daily – or at least checking your Bonsai daily to see if it needs watering. Remember also that some Bonsai may need more water than others so be sure to look at or touch the soil of each and every Bonsai you have to be sure it’s moist. If you soil has excellent drainage characteristics it should be moist and not soggy wet. You will learn to “feel” and understand your Bonsai’s requirements just as you do with a dog or cat.
3.	Tidiness- When we visit our Bonsai friends in Japan we see their masterpieces with only about as much light as you have in an office environment or other poorly lit areas. They are immaculately cleaned of all debris – both the tree and the pot including the soil and bottom drainage holes.
4.	Protection from temperature extremes- Some parts of the USA have already experienced freezing temperatures. Here in Dallas, we won’t have our first freeze until about the middle of this month. Think about the Bonsai’s exposure to these freezing temperatures. Tropical Bonsai – Serissa (snow rose), Fukien tea trees, Ficus (rubber trees) need protection when temperatures go below 40° F. There can be leaf damage at these low temperatures. Leaf damage can be seen as a browning or blackening of the leaf partially or completely. Hardy Bonsai, such as Elms, Maples and Junipers can tolerate lower temperatures. Remember, however, that your Bonsai is in a pot and if on a display table about 3’ or so above the ground. If the temperature is 32° F then the pot, soil and Bonsai will be at 32° F also. Why am I explaining this temperature bit this way? If the Bonsai is in the ground or was a nursery type plant in the ground it’s roots would not be at the freezing temperatures, but would be much warmer. Extreme temperatures can have a devastating effect on your Bonsai – death or such severe root damage that it will take years to recover.
5.	Indoor Bonsai- Even Indoor type Bonsai’s environment changes with the seasons. In summer you have air conditioning which drops your humidity down into the 50 to 60% humidity range. Comfortable for humans and Bonsai. When we start the heating season our humidity changes drastically. We can experience desert humidity when the heat comes on. To help your Bonsai along during this low humidity period of the year you might consider a humidity tray. What are humidity trays? It’s basically a drip tray (a tray that catches and holds the excess water that flows through the drainage holes in the bottom of your pot when you water) that is larger than a normal drip tray that you can put nachi rocks (river rocks) in to increase the humidity surrounding your Bonsai. You don’t want to have your Bonsai sit in water. This can drown your Bonsai and cause death. You place your Bonsai on the nachi rocks and then have the air space surrounding your Bonsai with a much higher humidity. This will lower your Bonsai’s stress during this period. Gravel can be used, but it is a lot messier than the 1” and larger nachi rocks.
6.	Boiled water- If you can drink the water then your Bonsai can drink the water. Yes, there are some areas of the USA that the water is absolutely intolerable for a human to drink. In this case you will need to use bottled or distilled water to water your Bonsai.

Enjoy your Holiday Season, but remember your Bonsai………………they are a part of your life and very important part of your enjoyment in these fast and furious days..

Product Spotlight:
This month we have a wide selection of products available for immediate delivery. Check out our gift guide and our Monthly Supersale pages. Remember, we have better quality, better selection, and better prices than anyone else!

FREE SHIPPING!!!
Yes many people have asked us for free shipping so we thought we would try it out on a select group of products. Check them out here!

Thomas J. - Juniper Procumbens article conclusion
Finally, we have the much anticipated conclusion to the article by Thomas J. on Juniper Procumbens. So many of you have written or called to say how much you appreciate these articles. Well, thank you for reading them and loving them! Special thanks should absolutely go to Thomas J. for submitting these articles to us.
Click Here to read the article.

Are you a Bonsai Expert?
We are starting to receive a lot of attention over these Bonsai articles. Our readers are telling us they love them. If you would like to submit an article for reproduction here in our newsletter and on our site, please contact dallasbonsai@comcast.net. Who know's maybe it will make you famous!