Stream Corner

The various types of trees grow at different rates, but in general terms fruiting and flowering types may require re-potting every year. Deciduous trees can last for two or even three years without repotting, and evergreens, particularly the conifers first mentioned, can go to four or five years before they outgrow their containers and so demand the revitalization of repotting.

Take a piece of soft copper wire and twist it gently around the stem or branch which is to be bent, one end twisted firmly around the main trunk, buried in the soil or attached to the pot or container.

The other end will be twisted along the branch which is to be bent and then snipped off just short of the end. Now you will find that you can very gently bend the copper wire and that it will stay in the required position, holding the branch quite firmly.

If the bending is not too drastic it can be carried out in one operation, but if a considerable angle is to be made it is better to do this by degrees, bending the limb gradually over a period of several months until you have achieved the results you seek. The copper wire will tarnish and take on the colour of the tree bark to some extent, so it will be quite unobtrusive and will not spoil the appearance of the young tree. This training harness may have to be left on the tree for several years as the process of shaping gradually takes place. It will do no harm to the tree so long as it is watched carefully.

Normal cold will do them no damage. Wherever possible water using rain water. If you have no rain water draw some off from the tap and allow it to stand in the air for a day or two. This will help remove some of the chemical impurities. Feed by using only tiny quantities of slow acting fertilizer such as bone meal, always in summer and never in winter.

Bonsai trees can be tough and last longer than you, but the pointer towards this longevity is correct care, gradual pruning and remembering always to keep the soil in the container uniformly moist at all times.