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applestar
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Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

Logistics and timing - when to do what? And how to juggle?

OK, here's a very basic newbie question.

I have a general idea of when you should be doing stuff with your Bonsai trees, but for me the kicker is that they almost always seem to coincide with times when I'm trying to get a whole bunch of other gardening chores done.

I realize part of this is the priority you set and I'm not committed enough to Bonsai -- sorry about that.

But -- like when I'm scrambling to prune fruit trees is probably when I should be pruning my Bonsai wannabe trees, and when I've started and growing way more veg seeds than I should be, and am despairing that I would ever get them all Uppotted from their tiny starter and community containers is when I should be repotting my Bonsai wannabe trees. Then before I know it, it's time to plant the veggies out in the garden and spring chores of weeding and inspecting the irrigation and setting up the garden and, and, and.

...and yet again, my wannabe trees were neglected...


So, I thought I would ask around for general schedule of annual chores -- maybe time saving techniques and tricks
  • ~ do you keep journal and notes? Scrap books to follow their progress?~
    - Around when in late winter/early spring you start thinking about taking your Bonsai trees out of winter hibernation and fussing with them? When do you set them up for the season?
    - Basic timing for major pruning?
    - Does the last average frost signal anything? Are there things you try to get done before then?
    - Do you all water your trees by hand individually? Does anyone use some kind of automated system? (Is that a sacrilege to even ask? But those of you with many many trees must need to do something....)
    - What about --- what is that called when you cut the leaves smaller? -- how often do you trim back to encourage branching -- I suppose that might depend on the tree. But roughly -- your routine -- every week, every couple of weeks....
    - do you start spraying and change spray/fertilizer regimen as the growing season progresses?
    - do you change where you situate your trees as the sun gets stronger and temperature get hotter?

wheelhouse
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Posts: 1
Joined: Tue May 31, 2016 3:25 pm

Recommended care (light, watering, pruning, etc.) definitely varies depending on the types of trees you've got -- sharing more details (type, quantity, layout of your garden) would be helpful :)

Generally speaking, for a sizable yard or garden, it would be worth considering installing drip irrigation. Hope that helps!



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