Care Of Bonsai Trees: Fungi – Three Things To Look Out For

bonsai trees

Despite our best efforts with our care of bonsai trees, our trees can get diseases and we need to be able to identify them and know how to combat such fungal infections such as mildew, rusts and black spot.

Mildew is a white mould forming on the foliage. It extracts the sap from the tree. It then spores over winter and emerges with the buds and foliage in the spring.

Rusts are another fungal disease that causes raised brown and or orange areas on the underside of leaves. This is especially found in Beech or Birch species.

Black Spot is a cluster of black spots on the surface of the leaves which results in the foliage turning yellow and then dropping off. This type of fungi is commonly found on Chinese Elms.

You need to be aware with your care of bonsai trees, that there are three main ways to treat fungi so it is best to think about what you are trying to achieve and match that up with the appropriate type of fungicide before you treat your tree.

1. PROTECTANT is a fungicide that will shield healthy tissue from invasion.

2. ERADICANT will kill fungi that have already invaded the plant.

3. SYSTEMIC fungicide spreads within the plant and can protect areas that have not been directly affected by the fungi.

The following is a list of chemicals that appear to work best on fungal infections:

Mildew: Triadimefon

Rust: Chlorothalonil, Mancozeb, Propiconazole

Black Spot: as per the others above and Benomyl

When trying out fungal treatment, it is best that you do not treat the entire area until you gauge how that particular fungicide affects your tree. Just start by treating a small piece of the tree and see how it responds before going over the whole plant.

Fungus is spread via water and thrives in warm wet conditions. Before you water your tree, check to see if there is any fungus. If you see that there is, it is best that you do not spray too much water onto the foliage as the water helps the spores to travel. Also consider that during long periods of warm rainy weather it is best to shelter your tree from the rain for a while so to give it a spell from those warm, wet conditions.

As is always the case, prevention is better than the cure and this holds true with the care of bonsai trees. You can assist your tree to ward off infections by keeping your tree healthy and seeing that it is fed and watered adequately, given plenty of fresh air and sunshine, kept dust and debris free and not placed under any unnecessary stress.

In addition to all your regular care of bonsai trees, stay on the lookout for fungi and get rid of them quickly so that your tree will continue to thrive in good health.

Tags: Bonsai, care, Fungi, Look, Things, Three, Trees

Care Of Bonsai Trees – Three Tips To Keep Your Tree Alive

bonsai trees

There is nothing particularly hard about the growing and care of bonsai trees, but they do require constant care in order to thrive.

Bonsais require the same three ingredients essential to all plants – soil, water and light. The trick in providing the proper care of bonsai tree is ensuring they get just the right amount of these crucial elements. While it’s not difficult it does require a little specialist knowledge and without the proper application of that knowledge your bonsai will probably very quickly die.

Many people new to the care of bonsai trees assume they should tend to it in the same manner as any other potted plant. Despite the fact your bonsai is potted, it is not, in any true sense of the word, a pot plant. It is a miniaturized tree and as such thrives best in the same conditions as a normal tree of the same variety. Most bonsai therefore prefer to be outdoors, however it does depend on where you live and what kind of climate your tree is suited to.

In order to provide the best care of bonsai trees you need to do some research to determine the conditions that best suit your particular variety of tree. If you live in an area where it snows during winter, leaving a tree outside is fine, and probably best, if your tree has been adapted by nature to those conditions [such as a fir or juniper]. You may find your bonsai prefers to be outdoors in winter, rather than cosseted inside. However if your bonsai is a more tropical plant, such as a bougainvillea, leaving it outside in even a mild frost could prove fatal. Check exactly what conditions are native to your particular tree and find a position which produces the closest match.

Watering:

Correct watering is also vital to ensuring your tree stays alive. Because the roots of your bonsai have been trimmed there is less mass to undertake the task of taking up water to feed the tree, therefore frequent watering is a must. You may not need to water every day, but you should make a daily check of the moisture content of the soil in your bonsai pot. If the soil gets too dry your tree will begin to lose leaves and, if left completely dry for several days, it will quickly begin to die. However keeping the soil too wet can encourage fungal growth and root rot, also leading to the demise of your bonsai.

One easy way to check the moisture level is to poke a small stick, like a toothpick or chop stick, into the soil. It may be dry on the surface of the pot but still contain moisture around the roots. You may find you need to water your tree several times a day during a hot summer but leave it without for days, weeks or possibly even months during the winter.

It is also a good idea to occasionally ensure the roots get a good soaking by popping the bonsai pot in a tray of water. Do not, however leave it in too long and also ensure your pot has plenty of drainage holes to allow excess water to run out.

Finding the right balance can be a matter of trial and error but one handy little trick is to get used to judging the weight of your tree, pot and soil. About one quarter of the weight should be water, so if your pot is feeling lighter than normal it is probably time to give it a drink.

Soil:

You can use any good quality potting soil for your bonsai, though it must be free draining. However some garden centers and specialist shops sell special soil mixes to provide extra specical care of bonsai trees. These specialist soils are usually freer draining than one-size-fits-all mixes and have less in the way of fertilizers which helps limit growth. The soil in your pot will need to be changed at least every two years, and is generally done when you repot the tree.

Light:

Try to ensure your bonsai is shaded from the sun during the hottest part of the day. But again, each variety of tree prefers slightly different conditions and you should try to emulate its natural habitat as much as possible. Because plants naturally grow towards the light, it is a good idea to turn your plant regularly so that all sides get an equal amount.

The care of bonsai trees can be likened to the care of a small child. Like babies they require constant and tender loving care. It can be very costly learning through your mistakes. It is easier on the pocket and also less frustrating to learn the proper techniques before attempting the care of bonsai trees.

Tags: Alive, Bonsai, care, Keep, Three, Tips, Tree, Trees

Three Quick Tips for Pruning Bonsai Trees

bonsai trees

Pruning bonsai trees is important if you want them to stay healthy and looking their best.  If you’re new to the process, there are a few things you need to know.  This article will give you a few tips to get you started.

Timing

You should make sure that you prune your bonsai at least once every year.  Most gardeners do this during the growing season.  By pruning away new growth, you will help maintain the shape of your tree.  If you’re looking to get rid of old season’s growth, you should do so in the fall.

Pruning bonsai trees can also be done during the winter if you want.  If you have a deciduous tree, it will be a little easier for you to see what needs to be cut.  However, you shouldn’t prune if the temperature outside is below freezing.  The wood will likely shatter when you cut it.

Branches

You will most likely need to cut some branches away.  You should start out by removing small branches that are growing toward the center of the tree where they’ll get little sunlight.  Also, it’s important that you remove any branch that is intersecting with another branch.

Leaves

If you own a certain type of tropical or deciduous tree, you may also need to prune some leaves.  This is done to get rid of ugly leaves and also to trim away large ones.  You should cut leaves using very fine scissors.  Make the cut directly behind the leaf instead of further up the steam.  Also, if you cut away a lot of leaves, you need to make sure that you leave enough so that your tree can maintain enough energy.

Tags: Bonsai, Pruning, Quick, Three, Tips, Trees