Tree Tips
September 2026
The club show
Get your track shoes on - only one month to go 'til our show (October 3rd). We’re going to need everyone's help this year!
Getting our trees and accent plants ready is now an important priority. Clean up the pot, remove weeds and put fresh soil on the surface. If you have attractive moss, add that. Check and remove any dead or sick foliage from the tree. We want to have our trees as presentable as we can regardless of their stage of training.
transitioning to fall weather
For trees other than ones you are showing, September is truly a transitional time in bonsai when we can work on both conifers and deciduous and broadleaf evergreens, and guide them from all-out growth and ramification to holding and directing the tree's energy for the big push next spring.
I will stop pruning back to two leaves in the middle of the month. After that I will allow the trees time to mature their foliage and build energy over the late fall and winter. In the meantime, continue cutting back and fertilizing, gradually lessen the amount of nitrogen through November. We’ll be trimming back the winter growth in December and January to the location where you want the ramification to start sprouting in spring. You can still wire to create movement this fall.
Conifers get most of our attention for styling and wiring in the fall and winter months. Wire to develop short incremental arcs rather than long wavy branches in order to create natural looking branches over time. Different lengths, different angles and different directions.
For all of your trees, fall is still a good time to fertilize. The trees are storing energy in the vascular system to over-winter and start spring with a big bang.
regularly inspecting your trees
If you haven’t already, take out your cell phone. Put in a new reminder for the same time and day each week. “Check Trees for Weeds and Needs.“ Put alerts on so you won’t blow it off. I have mine on for Monday morning and the night before but you might want to do it on Saturday or Sunday. Weeding your trees the first time will take some time and be somewhat frustrating. Time it from start to finish. Use bent nose tweezers or chopsticks to loosen the weeds. The next week it will take very little time. Remember that there are some weeds (like dandelions), that if you don’t get all of the roots out, they will re-grow again and again, but if you persist, they will get weaker and weaker 'til they finally die. Some weeds (like grassy weeds) can be killed at the first weeding by severing the roots below where they connect to the above-ground part of the weed. Getting new weeds when they’re small is easier than letting them get established. This really works and will keep you engaged and alert to your trees development. Also check for bugs, disease, branch damage, rotation and vigor of growth.🌳
