When everything goes well, there isn’t a lot of bonsai work this time of year. Deciduous trees are recovering from their last pruning of the season, decandled pines are filling in, and tropical bonsai are getting their final cutback of the season. That said, the next month is pivotal for improving and maintaining tree health. […]
Pests
Just in time for fall – pumpkin galls
Tiny wasps are responsible for the pumpkin-shaped galls that develop on the leaves of oak trees.
How to tell when something is wrong with your bonsai
Even when you water and fertilize properly and keep your bonsai in a location appropriate for their health, problems can arise. Insects, disease, poor drainage or short periods of neglect can stress bonsai and cause trees to weaken. Working on stressed trees, whether wiring or cutting back, can cause further stress. This may sound funny, […]
Drench for root aphids follow-up 1
Back in July I treated a number of black and red pines for suspected root aphids (see “Why are my trees yellow“). I’ve noticed a few changes since then and wanted to share what I’ve seen. Some yellow growth has turned green The healthiest trees are sending out summer shoots The weakest trees remain unchanged […]
Why are my trees yellow?
I was puzzled, this year, by the appearance of yellow foliage on some of my young pines. Yellow foliage is common on weak trees and often results from bad soil, under-feeding or various kinds of infestation. All of my pines are in the same soil, get the same sunlight and fertilizer and show no signs of infestation. […]