Roy Hicks Bonsai tips June from the YKS archive
Roy has found the following tips which he would just like to share with club members Roy would
also like to make the following comment
"Can I add that the Bonsai tips section is not all my own work & that I cant credit the original
author as I do not know who it was.
The tips are from some information sheets I have had for many years & which I have altered / added
to as new practices come along"
ROY Hicks
June
In the northern Temperate Zone, summer really begins in June. This is the month when the days are longest
and the temperature begins to rise into the seventies. Watering is by far the most important task during this
month. Trees will need to be watered daily in the evening, from 6pm onwards (unless of course it has been
raining heavily during the day).
On very dry and warm days it may even be necessary to water twice daily once in the early morning before
direct sunlight falls on the trees, and again in the evening. Apply a granular organic-based fertilizer, such as
dried blood, fish or bone once a month. Trees wilt also benefit from a weekly feed of dilute PK fertilizer
such as Phostrogen. Thus, if you apply a granular fertilizer on the first of the month, feed the tree again
with a dilute solution of PK fertilizer on the 7th, 14th and 21st of the month before applying granular fertilizer again on the 1st of the following month.
Insect pests such as greenfly and black fly begin to multiply in June so you should make a regular check of
the undersides of the leaves and take prompt action the moment they appear. Continue to make airlayering's of both evergreen and deciduous trees. June is also the best time for taking soft-wood cuttings.
Chinese elm, zelkova, Japanese maple and trident maple cuttings taken in early June will root in three to
four weeks under optimum conditions. These rooted cuttings can be potted up individually by the end of
July. Seedlings that were sown in March will now have two or three pairs of leaves and may be potted up
individually to grow on. Wiring can of course be done throughout the year and there is no reason why it
may not continue into June. Take care not to damage the young leaves of deciduous trees.
From the beginning of June until about mid July, leaf pruning of deciduous trees may be carried out. Maples, beech and sycamore are varieties, which are usually leaf pruned in order to induce smaller leaves to
develop. Trees grow very vigorously during this month and constant pinching of the new shoots (including
the candles of pines) is essential in order to maintain a good overall shape.
Tony