November Bonsai Newsletter

Developing branches can be successful if they are treated like a reflection of the main trunk of your tree. If the trunk is straight, then your branches should be straight. If your trunk curves, so should the branch. The lower branches on your tree are thicker and longer than the other branches moving up the tree. The same applies to each branch. The branches on the tree has its own branches, secondary branches. The secondary branches should be thicker and longer near the base and get thinner and shorter as they reach the end. So should the secondary branch have its own branches, tertiary branches. Standing back from your tree, you should see a broad base with a gradual taper to an apex and the outline of a scalene triangle. The same applies to each individual branch on the tree. Looking down at the branch, you should see a broader base with a gradual taper to an apex with the outline forming a scalene triangle.

NOVEMBER IS HERE... A very busy month at the nursery. We have our big sale at Mount Dora on the first weekend. When we come home from the show, it will be time to put everything up for the winter. The whole nursery will have to be changed in preparation for winter.

WINTER PREP... You should also be getting ready for winter by thinking of where to place your tropical trees, so they will be protected from the cold and receive as much light during the day as possible. Watching the weather forecast and bringing your trees in and taking them back out each day can get tiring, so a suitable place for them to spend the winter is best. A small greenhouse is great. If you have a greenhouse with plastic on it, check the plastic to make sure it will last the winter. If the plastic is dirty, clean it to allow as much light in as possible. Check your heating system now to avoid problems when you will need it most. Watch the temperature in your greenhouse because it can get hot quickly during the day. None of your trees will like a 40-50 degree variance in daily temperature. A circulation fan in your greenhouse is a must. You can build a small cold frame to put over your trees at night and remove during the day. A commercial frost blanket will work on most nights, except for a sustained freeze (28 degrees for 3 hours). A frost blanket will keep your trees 6-8 degrees warmer than ambient temperature. Frost blankets can be left on for 2-3 days. Don't do that with other coverings such as sheets, towels or whatever else you might use because they build up too much heat during the day. Commercial frost blankets are now available here. They come in 15' width and are sold for $1.00 a running foot.

YOUR TREES... will slowly acclimate to cooler weather, and the longer you have them, the better they do here. A gradual decrease in temperature going into winter is best. When we have an early cold snap, your tropicals will suffer the most. Each species will react differently to the cold. Now is when knowing the species and what it can tolerate is important. Buttonwoods, Fukien Teas, Black Olives, Brazilian Rain Trees, or Powder Puffs, to name a few, don't like the cold at all. Ficus, Bougainvillea, Malphigia, Philippine Jasmine and even your Scheffleras can tolerate quite a bit, but of course, none of them can take any frost. Elm, Holly, Juniper, Boxwood and all other cold hardy varieties should be left outside because they need the cold. Best bet, if you are not sure, call us or check for your tree in our Tree of The Month section.

WATERING... Morning watering is still the best, but if the night is going to be cold, watering just the soil in the evening will help maintain temperature in the pot and protect the roots better. Stick to what we talked about watering in last month's newsletter. Tip on Elms, be very careful NOT to over water them through the winter. Our weather forecast is for a cooler and drier winter. Of course, they called for a warmer and drier winter last year, and look what happened. We will have to be extra careful on when and how much we water.

PRUNING... When I put my trees in the greenhouse, I prune back the tips and thin them out some, which allows more light to reach the lower branches. Your trees will be getting less sun in the winter, so keeping them thinned out a little will keep you from losing your fine twigging that you worked all summer on getting.