| Of course this is a busy time for all of us. From
Thanksgiving Day until the dawning of the new year
we have a double load of activities. But—Please
don’t forget your Bonsai. |
Let’s think
of our Bonsai as you would a Dog or Cat. You don’t
forget to feed and have an adequate water supply
for them. And so it goes with your Bonsai. Don’t
forget to water, fertilize and check for pests this
time of year.
We apologize for lecturing, but want
to emphasize the watering regimen that is so necessary
this time of year. Remember that when we turn on
the heat in the house, we are also lowering the humidity
into desert conditions. This means that the soil
will dry out much more quickly than during the Spring,
Summer and Fall months. You need to check your Bonsai
daily and realize that your watering regimen must
change during the heating season.
Also you need to be
more vigilant during the heating season for foliar
pests. Spider Mites can wreak havoc on your Bonsai
in just a few short days. These critters multiply even
more rapidly in warm, dry conditions. Check the foliage/needles
of your Bonsai for their presence. One easy way to
catch them in their early state of inflicting trouble
is to take a plain piece of white paper and hold it
under a branch of your Bonsai. Then “thump” that branch so that
any particles will fall from the leaves/needles.
Take a close look at what’s dropped on the
paper. If you see little spots, no bigger than a
period on a printed page moving around, then you’ve
got Spider Mites. Run your finger across the paper
and see if it smears some orange color. That is also
a sign of infestation. What to do? Go to your local
nursery and ask for Spider Mite spray. Tell them
you need a spray for either the conifer type or leafy
type of plant. Don’t tell them it’s for
a Bonsai because that usually causes more hesitation
and reluctance on the part of the employee in offering
you a good Spider Mite Spray.
A few caveats:
| |
1. Don’t
spray your Bonsai while it’s in the sun.
Some of the sprays have an oil that will allow
the pesticide to burn your Bonsai’s foliage.
2. Be careful with some of the leafy types
of Bonsai. The Serissa/Snow Rose/Plant of a
Thousand Stars and Fukien tea tree will sometimes
lose all their leaves because of the spray
that you are using. We don’t want to
alarm you with all of this. Just be vigilant.
|
With just a quick routine of watering
and checking you can get through this busy time and
have your Bonsai in excellent shape. Take good care
of your Bonsai and it will reward you for many years
to come…
| What's
happening here at Dallas Bonsai Garden |
|
We
just got two huge shipments of Chinese Figures
into our warehouse.
We will get all these new
and beautiful items up as quickly as we can.
Also this week we are getting in a container
from Japan with a lot of exciting stocking
stuffers. As soon as we get them sorted out
we will post them on our New
Items Page.
New
Items:
the complete inventory of all
of Masakuni tools, new fertilizer accessories
and a wide array of new Bonsai supplies that
only Japan can produce for the Bonsai Hobbyist.
We are excited about these items and know you
will be too.
|
| Bonsai
Channel Update - A Bonsai Overwintering Method |
 |
You
know, if you want a great tree, you should
start with a tree you find at a nursery. Mike
Miller found two trees at a nursery and is
going to show you how to overwinter an Acer
Palmatum and a Ficus Benjamina. This video
kicks off a series with these plants.
Visit
the Bonsai Channel
|
| Article:
Video Review "Secrets of Bonsai 2006 I
& II" |
Thomas
J. has created an
overview of the new DVD's "Secrets of Bonsai 2006
I & II". This article gives a synopsis of the information
you will find presented.
Click
here to read Thomas J's article
From
all of us to all of you … We
wish you the Best of
Holiday Greetings!
|
