It’s almost August! Wow, this is going way to fast! Seems I just completed my spring repotting, grafting, cuttings and all that goes on in the blink of an eye for spring. Now, it’s time to do it ones again! Time to grab some Bonsai and repot, root prune, adjust wire, do some carving and Jin work… Hey, it’s what I do and what I love. Seeing The Japanese maples graft’s bumping to larger containers, the 1’s to 2’s and then on up. This is a time when I also select trees and mark them for scion wood when the tree has shown strong growth and the characteristics that are desirable to become the next generation.

    Bonsai I like to really pay attention to the soil I remove. Florida is notorious for its weeds and insects. Tale tell signs in one container (seeds, larva, eggs and any other of the many intruders) can often be in several. If you have the ability to sterilize your soil on your own by “cooking” it like I do will take care of a lot, 99.9% it seems. I am lucky to have simply a few old steamers I got cheap. I have used two old ovens in the past. Either way the smell is less than pleasant but your able to save cost in this manner. If not, a good fungicide, herbicide and insecticide sprays available readily at local garden centers or home stored. Fungicide 3 is one that comes to mind.

  Repotting is done for several reasons. Replenish the soil by replacing it with new so it is full of the nutrients and minerals that have been depleted during the growing season. Extract unwanted seeds, weeds and other unwanted visitors. In zones where hard there are often multiple hard freezes each year, it can add an insulation property to aid in the plants ability to survive. Here in Florida (and Georgia), we don’t often have this issue though there are several hard freezes a year inland. For tree I have that are more sensitive to cold or freeze I grow in the much underutilized Mica pots. These double as insulators in the summer to aid in retaining moisture for the plant.

  I have an array of Bonsai ranging from fir, hemlock, false cypress to Ficus, Schefflera and Jabuticaba (often called Brazilian grape). It seems I have been able to amass a collection from the equator to the polar circles. This presents a challenge but a welcomed one. With this diversity, I have learned to be much more observant when reporting

  Soil consistencies vary from heavy, dense medium for tropical plants to bark, loam and various course materials. With most tress, you need to strike a balance of a well-drained mix with the right amount of moisture an organic material. I strike a balance that I have found to be very consistent for most of my stock. It breaks down to organic and inorganic soils. On the organic side I steer toward bark, peat or a mixture of peat and composted leaf material. Monitor the amount of leaf compost to avoid mold. Adding this to course sand and sifting out the really fine material. You want organic but also the ability to let air flow through. Too much compacted material can hold to much water that you may not notice before a problem arises. After this, I add Akadama and Turface. Akadama in the larger sizes with Turface making the smaller granular inorganic material. The ratio can depend on the plants but I tend to lean 60% inorganic and 40% organic.  I have found it best to either mix your own soils or get them from a reputable Bonsai dealer. A lot of soils packaged at nurseries and garden centers labeled “Bonsai soil” are nothing more than a waste of money. If you’re unsure ask. A reputable dealer can always assist you. I have gone over several different mixes with guest many times. I feel the hands on and visual aid helps when they go to mix their own.

   So when it comes time for your seasonal maintenance, get the scoop on soils and do some homework. Your results will be noticeable and rewarding! Until next time…