BONSAI
WEST TIPS FOR JUNE AND JULY
Summer is here and we are right in the middle
of our New England growing season.
I
break the growing season up into thirds to make sure that I am
on target for certain growing goals. My break
down is April, May and June; July and August; and Sept and October.
This has been a beautiful growing season so far
and with this cool weather our trees are still growing as fast
as if its spring, in fact I still have a few azaleas
blooming. But this also means that the trees are
drinking water more than ever, and everyone should be on the alert
not to let their trees dry out.
I've gone so far as to take a wheelbarrow full of water
around the nursery
and dunked my pot-bound trees for several minutes each to get
water deep into the roots. But as always, be sure not to overwater
either (see the notes on cold-hardy
trees further down in this
article).
I love this time of year! Finally all
our tropicals are vigorously growing and we are pruning them back
hard - even defoliating many of them.
The advantage to heavy leaf
pruning with tropicals this time of year is that they are growing
so fast that they back bud almost immediately.
The leaves come
in smaller and more compact and replace the older, often blemished
leaves that increased in size because of being indoors all winter.
Remember: leaves increase in size when they
are not getting enough light so with the intense summer sun trees create tiny leaves
perfect for bonsai.
At Bonsai West, our chores consist mainly of
repotting, pruning, and weeding
time.
You should be fertilizing
regularly now - we rotate between slow-release organics such
as Green Dream and liquid such as Miracle
Gro or Pokon.
We also
spend a lot of time weeding this time of year.
Even though I like
the look of some of the ground cover that has found its way into
our bonsai pots, rememver that a clean pot will allow better watering
and better all around care.
Now is
the perfect time to repot all tropicals especially Brazilian
Rain Trees and Black Olives.
Yet while tropicals
are exploding with new growth, many of our cold
hardy trees will
begin to shut down for a while toward the end of this month.
I like to think
of this as a mini dormant period for trees like Larch, Maple,
Hornbeam and Pine.
Its important to move maples out
of the direct sun, and to be careful not to overwater trees that
seem to be drinking slowly.
I check my trees everyday for water however I
only water when needed. And do skip over trees that are not drinking
as much!
If you find that a couple of trees in your collection
are not looking so great, may be a little weak or sick,
it is very important to move them to another spot, a sick bay
if you will, so you can monitor them separately.
Bonsai tips and chores for
July:
- Pines need to be in full sun and candles
need to be pinched keep a little on the dry side
- Old flower
buds on azaleas should be removed including the little stem
- Bud pinch all junipers
- Repot and prune tropicals
- Move maples
into semi shade
- Fertilize everything well
- Remove old wire before
its too late
- Now is the time to separate healthy and weak trees—healthy
trees are drinking daily weaker trees drink less often
- Shimpaku
juniper tips need to be pruned back, also downward weak growth
should be removed
- Elm trees should be pruned back hard
NEW ARRIVALS!

Our spring shipment of Tropical bonsai and stock plants is here and ready for you!
We have filled ”Dan’s” greenhouse (the greenhouse in the back) with hundreds of new trees just in from Florida.
These trees include many one-of a-kind specimens: Brazilian Rain Trees, Portulacaria, Ficus, Texas Ebony, Cypress, Buttonwood, ArborIcola, Cherry, natal plum, Black Olives, Tropical Holly, and Jasmines.
Come on in and have first pick!
MAPLE CULTIVARS AND OTHER UNUSUAL SPECIMEN FOR BONSAI OR JAPANESE GARDENS
Over the years we have had many inquiries about supplying interesting plant material for your home gardens. This year we have started to offer a selection of Japanese Maples, uncommon maple species and a few choice Conifers.
Here is a list of the Maples we have on hand - they are all one-of-a-kind!
Acer, japon 'Vitifolium'
Acer, nikoense
Acer, palma 'Aoyagi'
Acer, palma 'Beni shichihenge'
Acer, palma 'Emperor
Acer, palma 'Hogyoku'
Acer, palma 'Kurabu yama'
Acer, palma 'Orange Dream'
Acer, palma 'Red Pygmy'
Acer, palma 'Sherwood Flame'
Acer, palma 'Tobiosho'(Iseli)
Acer, palma 'Tsukushigata'
Acer, palma 'Tsuma gaki'
Acer, shira 'Palmatifolium'
Acer, triflorum
We also have a great selection of unusual Japanese White Pine cultivars.
These trees would make a spectacular addition for a Japanese Garden.
Picea, glauc 'Jean's Dilly'®
Picea, polita
Pinus, bunge 'Rowe Arboretum'
Pinus, conto 'Spaan's Dwarf'
Pinus, mugo 'Moppet'(Iseli)
Pinus, parvi 'Bergmani'
Pinus, parvi 'Gin setsu'
Pinus, parvi 'Hagoromo'
Pinus, parvi 'Hagoromo'
Pinus, parvi 'Ibokan'
Pinus, parvi 'Ibokan'
Pinus, parvi 'Kokonoe'
Pinus, parvi 'Wy'east' (Iseli)
Pinus, pumil 'Jeddeloh'
Pinus, sylve 'Glauca Nana'
Pinus, sylve 'Nana Compressa'
We will also be offering a selection of rare Japanese Chrysanthemum this fall!!
We hope that you will consider Bonsai West for buying that centerpiece in your landscape.

100 Great Rd (2A/119)
Littleton, MA 01460
9 7 8 - 4 8 6 - 3 5 5 6
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