Bonsai Beginnings

the "Karate Kid" tree

2012-01-27T21:34:00.000-05:00

Green Mound Juniper

Green Mound Juniper

Japanese Dwarf Garden Juniper

the "Karate Kid" tree

Sonore

Juniperus procumbens nana

Green Mound Juniper need to

experience seasonal changes

and should be kept

outdoors year round.

The Japanese landscaper uses the Japanese Garden Juniper for shaping around stones; it oozes around objects in a natural way and the dense foliage takes on the windblown look all by itself. It can become a real specimen in small spaces.

Juniperus procumbens 'Nana' is strongly identified with the art of bonsai.

The Japanese garden juniper mounds on itself with age. A mature mass planting reminds one of a choppy sea. The natural movement of the trunk and branches captures the essence of bonsai.

If exposed to cold, the tree develops
a purple cast or "bronzing" in winter.

In the depth of winter cold, many junipers’ green foliage turna purplish bronze. Bronzing is causedby mild desiccation over winter. The depth of the bronze tends to deepen onplants exposed to full sun and extreme cold. This is a natural phenomenon and thegreen returns once temperatures warm and the tree begins growing again. Toprevent bronzing, protect the tree from frost and strong winds; however, thetree needs to be kept cool for dormancy.

This winter color change

is a natural phenomenon.

Keep Outdoors in a sunny location.
WILL TOLERATE FREEZING, but PROTECT FROM STRONG WINDS & SEVERE COLD.
Spray water daily through the foliage.
Water when the soil moderately dries, but do not let the soil dry out.
Fertilize at one-third strength during the growing season.
Finger-pinch the new growth to maintain the size & shape
A great plant for beginners.

Juniperus procumbens "Nana"

Green Mound Juniper
After wiring and bending

Green Mound Juniper
Juniperus procumbens 'Nana'
cascade 2010

Green Mound Juniper
Juniperus procumbens 'Nana'
cascade 2007

Bonsai @ the Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens

2012-01-24T15:50:00.000-05:00

Bonsai with Bill Pfeiffer @ the Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens

Feb 11, 2012

1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Begun in 1918 as a USDA plant introduction station, the

Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens at the Historic Bamboo Farm is today a part of the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension with the mission to provide education, public outreach and applied research in horticulture and environmental sciences. The Bamboo Farm and Coastal Gardens is located at the intersection of U. S. 17 South, going toward Richmond Hill, and Canebrake Road. The entrance is a quarter mile south of Walmart and a mile north of the Ogeechee River Bridge

Arborvitae Shimpaku Juniper
Procumbens Nana Juniper

4710: the Year of the Dragon

2012-01-21T18:13:00.000-05:00

Gung Hay Fat Choy!

Lunar New Year.

Gong Xi Fa Cai!


Pine-Bamboo-Plum "Three Friends of Winter"

For the New Year celebration it is customary to arrange plum blossom cuttings, bamboo, and pine sprigs together in a display. This combination symbolizes the coming together of friends and families; the Chinese plum (Prunus Mume) blossom signifies reliability and perseverance; the bamboo is known for harmony among people-under adversity it bends, but never breaks; the evergreen pine evokes longevity and steadiness. Together they are called the "Three Friends of Winter"

2012 is the Year of the Water Dragon

The Year of the Dragon will start on 23 January 2012
and end on 09 February 2013.

A creature of legend, the dragon is an auspicious symbol of good fortune and power. It represents the ultimate symbol of success, happiness, and wealth.

Ume
Japanese apricot
Chinese plum
(Prunus Mume)
plum blossom
reliability and perseverance

harmony among people

longevity and steadiness

What do we expect in the Year of the Dragon:

good fortune
good health
wealth
longevity

After the roller coaster ride of the last few years, we need all the good luck we can get in 2012!

Spring Garden and Art Festival

2012-01-16T22:33:00.000-05:00

Banana Grove

See you at the Spring Festival
March 24, 2012
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM

UGA Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens at the
Historic Bamboo Farm

Strawberry Field

Families looking for a family friendly outdoor activity this spring should plan to visit the UGA Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens at the Historic Bamboo Farm's Spring Garden and Art Festival.

Camellia octopetala

Sponsored by the Friends of Coastal Gardens, this fundraising event includes educational lectures, activities for children, plant vendors, arts and crafts vendors, and demonstrations. Admission to the festival is free but there will be a $2 charge for parking. Some activities are free while others have a small charge.

Bonsai with Bill Pfeiffer @ the Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens

Feb 11, 2012

1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Bananas

Visitors to the 50 acre Bamboo Farm will experience one of Savannah’s hidden treasures. Display gardens, bamboo groves, pick your own strawberries and blackberries in season, places to picnic and to walk are to be found in this historic site. Nationally known for the bamboo collection and palm collection, the farm is now developing an extensive camellia garden with the help of the Southeast Camellia Society. More than 550 items -- from yard rakes and flutes to medicine containers and pigeon whistles, all made from bamboo – are on display at the new Bamboo Artifact Museum.

Camellia

Banana Flowers

Begun in 1918 as a USDA plant introduction station, the

Each stalk produces one huge flower cluster and then dies.
New stalks then grow from the rhizome.

Great spring weather grows cash for bamboo farm
Posted: March 21, 2010 - 12:16am

Savannah Morning News

Bonsai Begins With a Seed

2012-01-13T21:30:00.000-05:00

The Maple seed are sprouting!

Seed germination begins!
Time to move them out of the cooler and into some good soil.

The cotyledons are the embryonic "first leaves" of a seedling

Tsukamiyose

Tsukamiyose
3 weeks later

First True Leaves
January 2012

the embryonic root emerges from the seed

Many poke fun at the idea of starting a bonsai from a seed. “Look how old I am I don't have time", but the creation of a bonsai from a seed is very rewarding.

Japanese maple seed wings drying

Japanese Maple

Momiji

Acer palmatum

Japanese maple seed tips of the
wings turn brown in late summer

Japanese maple seed in mid summer

From Japanese maple seedlings

There is no such thing as "bonsai seed". The packs of seed marked as such, are just ordinary tree seeds that can be grown into a bonsai. They are a good source of tree seeds when none are locally available.

Once the new leaves come out
in the spring, flower
and seed begin to appear
on Bloodgood Seedling

Bonsai grown from seeds are called Misho bonsai.

Tsukamiyose A natural forest planting can be created by scattering several to several dozen seeds in a tray. The seedlings are planted very close to each other and develop into multiple trunks with each tree naturally competing for its own light and space.

Getting tree seeds to sprout:

Most tropical trees will germinate as soon as they ripen, but seeds from most temperate trees need to be sown after stratification. Stratification is a period of artificial winter that trees that are not tropical need to set off the internal clock that spring triggers and makes seed sprout as temperatures rise. Depending on the seed species, they will need 21 to 90 days of cold storage to begin to sprout. This can be done in the home refrigerator. Use zip-lock sandwich bags with damp peat moss. A fungicide can be used in the media to keep soil borne diseases from killing the seedlings. If any of the seed germinate in the refrigerator, plant them.

It All Begins With a Seed

When the artificial winter is over, the seeds are ready to be planted. It is suggested that they be soaked overnight in room temperature water to improve germination percentages. Seeds that float after soaking won't germinate so toss them out.

Japanese maple seed

Sow the seed in a light and friable soil mixture is so that it drains well to prevent fungus and sprinkle peat moss over them. Air should move to prevent damp-off. The air movement he says simulates natural outdoor conditions. Light friable soil dries quickly and seedling with their minimal root system can be killed in a few hours from dryness, or direct sun!

Banrot is a broad spectrum root rot fungicide in a 40% wettable powder configuration. It provides contact and systemic action for control of damping-off and root and stem-rot diseases

Subdue Maxx Controls damping-off and root and stem rots caused by pythium and phytophthora. Apply only as a soil drench or soil surface spray followed by irrigation.

Bloodgood Seedlings
"I started it from seeds myself."

Alternatives:

Chamomile tea - 2 tsp of chamomile flowers to 1 cup of boiling water allow to steep overnight or at least until cooled. Strain and then use as is to moisten growing medium before planting seeds then use in a mister to spray soil. Sage or garlic teas also have been used. Soak the seeds in a solution of hydrogen peroxide and water (1 teaspoon to 1/2 cup of water) to remove any lingering bacteria on the seeds. Some lightly sprinkle a bit of cinnamon or baking soda over planting mix used as a fungicide on plants for mildew.Two capfuls of household bleach in the water used to dampen your peat moss or vermiculite could act as a fungicide.

Always make sure horticultural tools are disinfected even if they are new, and that your planting pots are disinfected....

Disinfection of Horticultural Tools and Pots

Protect that
"Empty pot of soil"

Plant tree seed in the Fall and let Mother Nature take care of your stratification. Just remember to protect them from rodents (squirrels and mice) and label that “empty pot of soil”. Once I was talking with a fellow enthusiast in the nursery and he started raking his fingers through a tray filled with soil and began talking about soil mixes. I should have labeled that flat as I had seeded the tray with Jacaranda for a Tsukamiyose the day before!

Growing 'misho' bonsai is economical and rewarding.

Second summer

More Misho Pictures.........

2012-01-12T20:31:00.000-05:00

2012 Georgia History Festival's

Super Museum Sunday

Sunday, February 05, 2012 12:00 noon - 4:00 p.m.

Savannah-area museums Free and open to the public

Owens-Thomas House

Georgians and visitors alike will experience our first city's rich history and cultural life as historic house museums, art museums, and other points of interest open their doors to the public at no charge during this Georgia Historical Society's Georgia Days tradition. More than 40 cultural institutions in and around Savannah participate in this popular annual family event.

Savannah History Museum
The cotton gin was invented in 1794
on Mulberry Plantation by Eli Whitney

Participating in Super Museum Sunday 2012

Savannah History Museum

10th Annual Joy of Bonsai

2012-01-06T20:24:00.000-05:00

Kawa Bonsai

will be presenting its Tenth annual

"Joy of Bonsai"

on January 13, 14 and 15, 2012

It's a small world: Bonsai demo draws hearty crowd
By MARK ESTES, CORRESPONDENT
The Daytona Beach News-Journal

at the

Flagler County Extension Office,

Bunnell, Florida

Bonsai Artist

Suthin Sukosolvisit
Royal Bonsai Garden

It will be very cold tonight!

2012-01-03T19:47:00.000-05:00

TONIGHT...CLEAR AND COLD.

NEAR RECORD LOWS AROUND 21^ºF...

NORTHWEST WINDS 10 TO 15 MPH...

DIMINISHING TO 5 MPH.

Pseudocydonia sinensis- Karin seed

2011-12-11T07:00:00.000-05:00

Pseudocydonia sinensis

Pseudocydonia sinensis
soo-doh-sigh-DOH-nee-uh
sy-NEN-sis

False Quince
Karin

Pseudocydonia

Native to China

cold hardy to zone 5

Fall color

A deciduous tree with beautiful exfoliating bark. The old bark peels off in patches similar to a Crepe Myrtle, revealing shades of gray, green, orange or yellow.

Fruit ripens in mid to late autumn

One can grow a Chinese Quince bonsai from seed. This takes time, but growing 'misho' bonsai is economical and rewarding. Now is the time to collect the Karin seed. The fruit should be overripe before harvesting.

A row of seed in a halved Chinese Quince fruit

Sow Chinese Quince seed outdoors in the Fall and let Mother Nature take care of the stratification. Protect them from rodents (squirrels and mice) and label that “empty pot of soil”.

The fruit emits a sweet aroma

Storedseed requires 3 months cold stratification. Remove fleshy coating on seeds before storing. Stratification is a period of artificial winter that trees that are not tropical need to set off the internal clock that spring triggers and makes seed sprout as temperatures rise. Chinese Quince seed will need 90 days of cold storage to begin to sprout. This can be done in the home refrigerator. Use zip-lock sandwich bags with damp peat moss. A fungicide can be used in the media to keep soil borne diseases from killing the seedlings. If any of the seed germinate in the refrigerator, plant them.

Seed in fruit

The edible fruit makes delicious jam and jelly. Chinese Quince cooked with apples is delightful. The yellow medium-size fruit is hard and is suitable for pickling and can be made into a tea. It ripens in mid to late autumn The fruits emit a sweet aroma and are placed in a bowl to impart a delightful spicy scent to a room.

Flowers from April to May

5 light pink petals 1 to 2 inches across

Chinese Quince flowers from April to May with 5 light pink petals 1 to 2 inches across, appearing in spring on last years growth, so heavy pruning is best avoided.

Pseudocydonia sinensis Bonsai

US National Arboretum


	Pseudocydonia sinensis Bonsai

A Thanksgiving snow in Savannah

2011-11-24T10:50:00.001-05:00

The wind was blowing and the temperature dropping yesterday afternoon, and I saw snow flurries outside! White flakes kept flying by as Iate. This illusion was created by a hedge of Sea Myrtle growing upwind of therestaurant. In late summer and early fall small dandelion-like seed cover thetree, giving it a snow covered look. Now the winds are blowing trillions of thefeathery seed across the lawn.

Snowy flower-heads

Baccharis halimifolia

BAK-uh-riss

hal-im-ih-FOH-lee-uh

Sea Myrtle

Groundsel

Eastern Baccharis

Saltbush

Groundsel tree is a common evergreen large shrub or smalltree of moist areas edges and wastelands; it is quite showy when it flowers. Tolerantof saltwater spray, Sea Myrtle is one of the few eastern shrubs suitable forplanting near the marsh.

Fuzzy Flowers

The flowers attract butterflies and the tree provideswildlife food and cover.

Salt Bush grows in moist edges

Miniature paint brushes

Eastern Baccharis
leaves

showy when it flowers.

Feather Pine- collected seed today

2011-11-20T22:24:00.000-05:00

Taxodium distichum

Bald Cypress
Feather Pine

Sunday November 20, 2011
Bald Cypress Cones were opening today and seed falling out!

Opening cones and seed

Seed

Seeds are produced annually and good seed production occurs about every 3 years. Seeds are dispersed more frequently by flood waters. Under swamp conditions, the best seed germination generally takes place on a sphagnum moss or a wet-muck seedbed. On better drained soils, seed usually fails to germinate due to lack of surface water. Soil saturated for 1 to 3 months after seed-fall is required for germination. Seedlings require light for good growth, thus control of competing vegetation is necessary.

Green Bald cypress cone

trees with cones

Bald Cypress is a "deciduous conifer"- it has cones and sheds its needle-like foliage in the Autumn.

Other deciduous conifers are:

Larch- Larix
Golden Larch- Pseudolarix amabilis
Chinese Swamp Cypress- Glyptostrobus pensilis
Dawn Redwood- Metasequoia glyptostroboides.

Along the Altamaha River

Bald cypress and pond cypress are in the Taxodiaceae family. Bald cypress can be easily confused with pond cypress (Taxodium distichum var. nutans). Pond cypress has smaller, scale-like leaves pressed on the twigs. A twig of pressed pond cypress leaves resembles a pine needle pointing up or out from the stem. Bald cypress leaves are linear and feather-like and the twigs hang down looking more pendulous than pond cypress twigs and leaves. Also, pond cypress tends to occur in still-water wetlands rather than flowing-water wetlands.

Bald cypress are found in wetland habitats

Bald cypress is a wetland species that grows along rivers, streams, and creeks as well as in swamps with slow moving water. It is a legendary tree of the Deep South known for its "knees," moss-draped crown, and buttressed trunk. Taxodium distichum can live up to 600 years old. Taxodium distichum is native to the coastal plains along the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean and north up through the Mississippi River Valley. The heartwood of old growth bald cypress is very resistant to rot. This is not true with younger second growth trees.

Bonsai in Autumn
Bald cypress with knees

Cypress knees are woody projections sent above the normal water level function is unknown Lowland or swamp-grown cypresses found in flooded or flood-prone areas tend to be buttressed and "kneed," as opposed to cypresses grown on higher ground which may grow with very little taper.

Old-growth bald cypress
form a flattened crown.

Altamaha River

Bald Cypress tree is an excellent choice for someone who is just getting started with bonsai. Seeds and small trees are easily collected in this area, now is the time to find trees with cones and watch for them to turn brown so that the seed can be collected just before the cones open. The best digging time for cypress is from mid-December to late February. Bald cypress bud back easily and will produce vigorous sprouts from the stumps. Taxodium distichum are frequently planted in groups in a single container, forming a Bonsai forest. Japanese term for growing a bonsai from seed is Misho.

Ron Martin bonsai forest Workshop

Bald Cypress
bonsai prefer to
live outdoors.

Bald Cypress are not true cypress. True cypress are in the Cupressus family and are not native to the southeastern United States.

Bald cypress
with roots submerged in water
and branches draped in
Spanish moss
Tillandsia usneoides

Pond Cypress
Taxodium distichum var. nutansin still-water wetlands
SE Georgia

When keeping bonsai indoors.........

2011-11-14T06:00:00.000-05:00


'Warm House' Bonsai Umbrella Tree Hawaiian Schefflera Schefflera arboricola

When keeping bonsai indoors, There are 'Cool House' Bonsai and 'Warm House' Bonsai. Cool House refers to trees that are not as cold tolerant, and need winter protection from freezing or severe cold. Most of these trees still need a winter hibernation period for their health. Most homes are far too warm for such trees to be kept in the living areas of a home. Here in the coastal Georgia/South Carolina area trees that can be kept in a "warm house" are best: Ficus, Schefflera, Buttonwood, Norfolk Island Pine, Texas Ebony, Brazilian Raintree, Fukien Tea, Jacaranda, Black Olive, Nicodemia, Aralia, Jades. With our not so cold winter temperatures, it is difficult to keep even unheated rooms cold enough for the required dormancy. It is best to bring in those not as cold tolerant trees only when we have that few days of real winter. Cover with a thermal plant blanket for cold snaps.


'Cool House' Bonsai Chinese sweet plum Sageretia theezans

First frost 2011

2011-11-12T08:30:00.000-05:00

Saturday 11-12

Frost on the Roses

Frost on the Banana

Frost on the lawn

Frost on the Japanese Maple

Frost on the Loropetalum chinense
The name Loropetalum refers to the shape of the flowers and comes
from the Greek loron meaning strap and petalon meaning petal.

Tomato season is over

Collard season is beginning

Frost on the
Acer palmatum Otohime
Otohime Japanese Maple

A nice dwarf green selection.
Named after the “fabled” Queen Otohime
who reigned at the bottom of an ocean kingdom.

Frosted Roses

Frost on the
Trident maple

Acer buergeranum

Kingsville Dwarf

2011-11-05T22:31:00.000-04:00

Littleleaf boxwood

Small-leaved boxwood

Buxus microphylla

Dwarf Boxwood garden in Savannah.

Buxus microphylla 'compacta'

“Kingsville”

Kingsville Boxwood
buxus microphylla 'compacta'

Kingsville Boxwood (buxusmicrophylla'compacta')

The Kingsville leaf reduces well and makes a wonderful bonsai. Often the Kingsville is described as a "Native to Japan" but "Kingsville Boxwood" takes its name from "Kingsville Nursery" where this cultivar was discovered in 1912.

do not let the soil dry out

Keep Outdoors in a sunny location. WILL TOLERATE FREEZING, but PROTECT FROM STRONG WINDS & SEVERE COLD. Foliage can become bronzed after frosts during the Winter but it will green up again in the Spring. Water when the soil moderately dries, but do not let the soil dry out. Fertilize at one-third strength in the growing season. Re-pot– every two years. Boxwood dislike acid soil. Avoid using very shallow pots. Thin branches and leaves to open up the tree and place boxwood in a location with good air circulation, because during times of high humidity interior leaves may mildew. Boxwood tolerate medium shade, filtered sun, or full sun. Boxwood tends to be generally slow growing. The branches become brittle after the wood has hardened, so wiring or bending must be done carefully. Boxwood respond well to shearing and back bud readily, easily creating foliage pads on the branches. A great tree for beginners.

American Boxwood Society

Dwarf Boxwood used
in a formal garden in Savannah.

Small Leaf Boxwood, Buxus microphylla compacta grows slowly. Use as an edging or accent for small gardens or bonsai.

Boxwood cultivars
B. harlandii, B. microphylla ‘Compacta’, B. microphylla var. japonica, B. sempervirens ‘Elegantissima’, B. sempervirens ‘Graham Blandy’, B. sempervirens ‘Suffruticosa’, B. sempervirens ‘Vardar Valley’, B. sinica var. insularis ‘Justin Brouwers’, B. sinica var. insularis ‘Winter Beauty’, B. sinica var. insularis ‘Wintergreen’, and Buxus ‘Green Mountain’.

Boxwood are tough but can be stressed by shearing, over-watering and over-fertilizing.

Sheared into a sinuous ribbon

Growing Boxwoods in the Landscape

Jasmine- One Fine Vine

2011-10-20T09:30:00.000-04:00

Asiatic Jasmine
Trachelospermum asiaticum

Variegated Asiatic Jasmine

A dwarf star jasmine with small yellow and green variegated leaves evergreen small-growing vine with glossy leaves that are much smaller than those of the standard Trachelospermum asiaticum. New growth is pinkish-bronze. The plant has a tight, compact growth with ovate to elliptic leaves ranging from quite tiny to around 1/4 inch in length. Insignificant flowers but gets great fall colored foliage. The milky sap will irritate sensitive skin.

Started 1980

If unpruned it will climb or crawl on the ground, but it can be pruned to make a miniature shrub. When treated this way it makes a nice bonsai. A prolific grower so will need to be pruned regularly. Can be heavily top and root pruned. Will back bud on old wood. Wiring of main branches in initial styling can be done, they are very flexible. Being such a quick grower clip and grow can be used on secondary and tertiary branches. Prefers not to have wet feet, so do not over water. Is very drought tolerant in the landscape but should never dry out completely. Cold hardy, leave out all year.

USDA Zone 7-10.

Trachelospermum asiaticum

Asiatic Jasmine

Confederate Jasmine
Trachelospermum jasminoides

Confederate Jasmine
pleasantly fragrant in bloom

One highly prized vine for Southern gardens is the Confederate Jasmine. Trachelospermum jasminoides Blooms from early Spring on into Summer. Big trunks found in landscapes can also be trained for bonsai.

climb garden trellises

Confederate Jasmine
Arch entry to the garden

Time to gather the Ginkgo seed

2011-10-08T22:10:00.000-04:00

fruit is a nut with a fleshy covering

The Ginkgo Tree is also called the "Maidenhair tree" and nicknamed "The Stink Bomb Tree." An erratic vertical branching structure is the trees natural form. As a bonsai the strong upright branching creates the 'candle flame' style. Basal and aerial "chi-chi" form on older trees.

Gather the seeds as they fall from the tree (wear good latex gloves). Remove the fleshy coating (wear good gloves!) crush the coat and squeeze the seed out with ones fingers. Then rinse the seeds a few times until they are very clean!) and let them dry well. Store them in a closed container filled with slightly moistened sphagnum moss in the fridge or in a cool, dry place until they are planted in spring. When they are sown, carefully pop the seed shell open.

Ginkgo in Forsyth Park
Savannah, Ga

Some people are sensitive to the chemicals in the fleshy outer layer. These people should handle the seeds with care when preparing the seeds, wear disposable gloves. When I cleaned the seed of these trees, I had several 5 gallon buckets full. The cheap rubber gloves developed holes and my entire arm was coated with the juice. fortunately I had no allergic reaction, but the next morning my arms had turned black. Two weeks later the skin pealed a way........

A 1980 Seedling in 2011

Ginkgo seeds and leaves are used as a medicine throughout the world. In South Carolina at the "medicine tree farm" Ginkgo leaves are harvested and shipped to Europe to be made into a prescription drug.

Another 1980 Seedling in 2011

Ginkgo trees are a "living fossil" and the earliest leaf fossils date from 270 million years ago. It was rediscovered in 1691 in China. The Ginkgo is a good urban tree because of its ability to tolerate drought, heat, and poor soils. Ginkgo is dioecious. There are male and female trees. Some complain of the mess and odor created by the fleshy seed covering and recommend planting only the male of the species. Sad if only male ginkgos are planted without females counterparts.

In the fall the leaves
turn a brilliant yellow!

Portulacaria afra - Dwarf Jade

2011-09-30T20:45:00.000-04:00

Portulacaria afra -
Dwarf Jade or the Elephant's Food

Easy care succulent from South Africa.
A houseplant, anywhere with adequate bright light. Drought tolerant. Chronic over watering can kill the tree. Can go for several years without repotting. But do let the soil dry out. When in doubt- don't. Avoid watering Dwarf jade late in the day or at night. Care should be taken during the winter rest not to over water (water only enough to keep the leaves from shriveling). Fertilize at one-third strength during the growing season. Prune by pinching or cutting above a pair of leaf pads.

Dwarf Jade

Portulacaria afra,
the Elephant's Food,
Spekboom,
Dwarf Jade,
Elephant Bush

Forest

Portulacaria afra Information Overload
A monograph by the
Phoenix Bonsai Society

Semi-cascade

To Purchace
Portulacaria afra

WARNING: Elephants attack this plant as if it were a cat attacking catnip.

Portulacaria Bonsai
by Jim Smith:

Pictures

Jim Smith, bonsai master, is donating 100 bonsai trees to Heathcote Botanical Gardens in Fort Pierce.

Guide to Succulents of Southern Africa

World's Greatest Plant Swap: 1 October 2011

2011-09-25T21:41:00.000-04:00

Fishman: A simple thank you savannahnow.com

World's Greatest Plant Swap
1 October 2011

When: 8-11 a.m. Oct. 1
Where: 501 W.Boundary Street, In the garden between between Chatham Steel and SCAD’s Boundary Hall.
Rules: There are none. Anyone can attend. There is no money exchanged. Bring plants you want to give away and get ready to go home with plants you’ve always wanted.
Information: Call 912-484-3045 or email Jane Fishman at gofish5@earthlink.net.

Free

2011 Fall Festival at the Bamboo Farm & Coastal Gardens

2011-09-22T13:00:00.000-04:00

October 22, 2011

The 17th Annual Fall Fall Festival

at the

Historic Bamboo Farm & Coastal Gardens

2 Canebrake Road

Savannah, GA

2011 Pictures

From Hwy 204 take the Hwy US 17 S

(toward Richmond Hill)

A family-friendly outdoor activity this fall- the Bamboo Farm and Coastal Gardens’ Fall Festival

Buddha Belly Bamboo Bonsai

arts & crafts vendors
Bamboo, plant & Bonsai vendors
educational lectures
children's activities

Fun, Food and entertainment for the entire family

Fall Festival 2010

Carve your
pumpkin

Pumpkin Patch

Mon-Fri from 9 AM - 4 PM

Sat from 9 AM - Noon.

The patch will be closed on Sundays.

Be a Friend of the Coastal Gardens

time to prepare the winter quarters

2011-09-20T07:00:00.000-04:00

When will the 2011 Ice Age begin?

We are having the first cool mornings in Savannah forewarning of the soon-to-come autumn. With that snap in the air, it’s time to prepare the winter quarters of the cold sensitive trees...............

Each winter, on average, our risk of frost is from November 24 through March 1.
Almost certainly, however, we will receive frost from December 14 through February 10.
We are almost guaranteed that we will not get frost from March 20 through November 4.
Our frost-free growing season is around 268 days.

November 21-30

light, moderate, or hard?

Light freeze: 29°F to 32°F—tender plants killed, with little destructive effect on other vegetation.
Moderate freeze: 25°F to 28°F—widely destructive effect on most vegetation, with heavy damage to fruit blossoms and tender and semi-hardy plants.
Severe freeze: 24°F and colder—damage to most plants.

New Benches

PVC Hoop House

Ficus Burtt davyi "nana"

The level of available potassium in the soil will increase a tree’s frost resistance.

Bonsai Beginnings: Freeze Protecton

Pumpkin Patch @ the Bamboo Farm

2011-09-17T17:30:00.000-04:00

Pumpkin Patch

at the

Historic Bamboo Farm & Coastal Gardens

2 Canebrake Road

Savannah, GA

October 8 from 9 AM - 4 PM

Normal operating hours will be

Mon-Fri from 9 AM - 4 PM

Sat from 9 AM - Noon.

The patch will be closed on Sundays.

Spring Strawberry Fields

Praying/ Preying Mantis

2011-09-07T20:32:00.000-04:00

Chinese Mantid found in my garden

a beneficial insect with a frighting appearance

prays then preys

Praying Mantis
as though in an
attitude of prayer

Praying Mantis or Preying Mantis

Praying mantis egg cases are purchased by farmers and gardeners to hatch an army of ferocious predators to control insects such as mites, gnats, flies, white flies, and aphids.

"preying mantis"

they are

"carnivorous"

eating other insects

One generation develops each season. In the autumn, females lay eggs in a large cluster, in a frothy substance glued to tree twigs, plant stems and other objects. Overwintering occurs in the egg stage in this case. The nymphs emerge from the egg case in the spring or early summer.

Surprise on the Morning Glory

Females regularly lay hundreds of eggs in a small case, and When nymphs hatch they are tiny versions of their parents. Leave any praying mantis egg cases hanging out on branches. There are 40-100 baby praying mantis in them.

their spiny-like forelegs can

be readily felt as a "sharppinch"

but they are harmless to people

Ehretia buxifolia- Poor Man’s Tea

2011-09-03T17:55:00.000-04:00

Fujian Tea
Fukien Tea
Philippine Tea
Philippine False Tea
Poor Man’s Tea
Tsaang gubat
Wild Tea

Once known as Carmona microphylla,
renamed Ehretia buxifolia or Ehretia microphylla

teens love to give
their Moms a
"Fuken" Tea Bonsai

A Fukien Tea Tree Penjiing is a popular as an "indoor bonsai" plant. The Fujian Tea may not be the best choice if you are a beginner, but an experienced bonsai enthusiast will enjoy the challenge. Fukien Tea "bonsai" imports from China have become very popular commercial "Bonsai".

The Fukien Tea is a tropical evergreen tree that is common in the Fujian Province in China. It is found growing throughout eastern and south-eastern Asia and is used as an herbal tea and medicine. Fukien tea will make you “feel young and slim”.

Flowers and foliage of a
Fukien Tea Tree
''Carmona'' bonsai

The tree produces shiny dark green leaves and miniature white flowers in the summer which eventually turn to small tomato shaped green changing to orange then to red berries.

tomato shaped green changing
to orange then to red berries.

Keep Ehretia microphylla outdoors as long as possible and bring them in when the nighttime lows are below 50º F. Good air circulation is vital indoors. Indoors select a well lit area and warm spot. The more sunlight the tree receives the smaller the leaves will grow and if the tree does not receive the proper amount of sunlight, it will not produce flowers or berries. The Fujian Tea is relatively pest free in an open outdoor location. Indoors check regularly for pests. These trees are susceptible to scale, aphids and mealy bugs. Indoors there are no natural predators, like lady bugs to keep pests under control, so it will be up to you to deal with the pests yourself. Fukien Tea is sensitive to pesticides. Fukien tea prefers a humid environment. To create a more humid environment, place a tray filled with very small stones or gravel and fill with water and place the pot on top of the stones making sure that the water does not wick into the soil.

Ehretia is relatively pest free
in an open outdoor location.

Train the Fujian Tea using “clip-and-grow” methods, trim frequently and use little wire. New shoots emerge from the base of leaf stalks after pruning. The most popular styles are broom, literati and cascade. There is a “Small leaf” variety is slow to develop a trunk, but bears tiny red fruit prolifically and a “medium leaf” variety develops a bulky trunk more quickly.

Keep moist but do not to overwater. Use a good well draining soil. Fukien Tea likes to be evenly moist, not soaking wet. It prefers some organic matter in the soil mix. Root bound Ehretia can deteriorate quickly. Root prune and repot in early summer when the nighttime lows are above 50º F and daytime highs are above 90º F.

Seedling under
the mother tree.

Misho: Bonsai tree grown from seed.

The Fujian Tea is easy to start from seed. Remove the moist coating from the fruit, and plant immediately into moist well draining soil. Within a short time small seedlings will emerge. Sometimes seedlings sprout under the mother plant. Seedlings are excellent for Penjing or forest plantings. Start shaping them when the trunk becomes woody.

Flowers and foliage
Fukien Tea Tree
Ehretia buxifolia

Cuttings and air layers are also good methods to propagate Ehretia.

Ehretia buxifolia is used in the Philippines and India as an herbal medicine.

Sometimes seedlings sprout
under the
Fukien Tea Tree.

Chinese sweet plum

2011-08-27T05:55:00.000-04:00

Sweet Plum

Chinese Sweet Plum

Chinese Bird Plum

Hedge Sageretia

Pauper’s Tea

Mock Buckthorn

Sageretia theezans

Sageretia thea

sa-jer-ET-ee-a

Chinese Bird Plum

Sageretia theezans

Sageretias are tender shrubs with smallgreen leaves and leathery exfoliating bark that leaves a multicolored patchwork. In summertiny flowers appear in the leaf axils of new shoots and produce large clustersof white followed by small blue stone fruit.

field grown
Chinese sweet plum
Sageretia theezans

Sageretias are evergreen in milderclimates but become deciduous in temperate zones when exposed to the cold ofwinter. Sageretia are very rarely seen for sale in Garden Centers. Chinesesweet plum has a tendency to climb and is difficult to control as an ornamentalplant. There was one growing in Daffin Park, but it was removed a few yearsago. Branches have spines, sharp thorn tips.

Chinese sweet plum is widely used for creating bonsai and is often sold as a bonsai for indoors. Sageretia theezans shoots from old woodand is trained using the “Clip and Grow" technique. Many bonsai Chinese sweet plum areimported from China where they are field grown. Sageretias are tender shrubs and willsurvive temperatures just below freezing but will drop all leaves. They must beprotected from hard freezes where the roots could freeze. Sageretia are consideredto be a cool house bonsai. If kept indoors, Sageretias need a position that isreasonably humid and should be cool at night as in an unheated room. Keep the soil slightly moist, never let dry completely.

exfoliating bark

In Savannah the Sageretia can be grown outdoors all year round with some protection on the few nights that dip below 25 F. Small flowers and fruit will develop if the tree is left unpruned.

Ponytail Palm- no true palm

2011-08-23T16:29:00.055-04:00

Nolina recurvata

Beaucamea recurvata

Ponytail Palm

Bottle Palm Tree

Elephant Foot Palm

but it is not a true palm

A succulent that is often grown as a houseplant. Bottle Palm Trees need to be provided with well-drained soil and, although they will respond to being watered during summer, they should be kept dry during winter. Ponytail palms have an attractive caudex (short, thick stem). A green rosette of strap-like leaves emerges from the head, cascading to the soil line, like a fountain spurting water from a bocksbeutel or fiasco bottle. Nolina is native to central to southeastern Mexico, in semi-desertic areas and is a curious landscape tree outdoors in freeze free locations. As a landscape tree bottle palm may get to 15 feet tall and the caudex can slowly grow to 12 feet in diameter. With age, the trunk may develop multiple heads. Older Nolina recurvata survive lower temperatures.

Cutting the "crown"
can induce branching
Nolina recurvata

Ponytail palm makes a handsome "indoor bonsai", does well even in rooms with air conditioning as long as it has bright light. The brighter the light the narrower the foliage. For optimum performance full sun is best. Keep outdoors in the heat of summer to increase the growth rate. Bottle Palm Tree tolerates heat very well and does not appreciate frequent watering. Never allow water to sit in the bottom of a container saucer or for soil to remain soggy as Nolina recurvata stores its water in its base. The bulbous base allows it to survive interior winter heat very well. Bonsai soil generally minimizes the chances of root rot, especially compared to the peaty mixes normally used in most tropicals. Allow the soil to dry well between waterings. With any doubt on whether or not to water the plant, don't! Over-watering is the single most frequent cause of failure.

a fountain spurting water from a bocksbeutel bottle.
Bottle Palm Tree

Pony tail palms rarely need to be repotted. The root run is not very extensive so they can be "underpotted" for a considerable time. Root trim and repot in late spring when the "palm" is actively growing. Trim any large, old roots then dust with a root hormone, repot using dry soil. Push the soil into the root ball with a chop stick to eliminate any large air pockets. Do not water for at least a few days. The wounds must callus before watering or else root rot may start. Do not fertilize for a few weeks.

The texture of the trunk looks
and feels scaly like the
foot of an elephant
Elephant Foot Palm

During the growing season, fertilize Ponytail Palms with a water-soluble fertilizer suitable for container plants. Dilute the fertilizer by half for each application to avoid damaging the roots of the tree. Always water any plant thoroughly before applying fertilizer.

In early summer cut off the "crown" to induce branching, new heads will appear in about a month.

caudex forming
succulent
from Mexico

Nolina recurvata are dioecious, that is male and female reproductive parts are on separate plants. Masses of small white flowers are produced in summer, followed by spectacular stems of pinkish, 3-winged seeds on mature female trees. When propagated from seed, the tree forms a more desirable broader base than if propagated from offsets of a parent tree. Bonsai grown from seeds are called Misho bonsai. Soak seeds in warm water for 24 hours. Sow in fresh moist potting soil. Use a mix with good drainage. The seeds grow better with a minimum temperature of 68°F. Keep the soil moderately damp.

Most Ponytail Palms sold here are imported from China.
Chinese Nolina Recurvata Manufacturers

Feather Pine- "Trees with knees"

2011-08-19T23:39:00.000-04:00

Taxodium distichum

Bald Cypress
Feather Pine
Care

Bald Cypress is a "deciduous conifer"- it has cones and sheds its needle-like foliage in the Autumn.

Other deciduous conifers are:

Larch- Larix
Golden Larch- Pseudolarix amabilis
Chinese Swamp Cypress- Glyptostrobus pensilis
Dawn Redwood- Metasequoia glyptostroboides.

Along the Altamaha River

Bald cypress are found in wetland habitats

Bonsai in Autumn
Bald cypress with knees

now is the time to find
trees with cones

Green Bald cypress cone

Old-growth bald cypress
form a flattened crown.

Altamaha River

Ron Martin bonsai forest Workshop

Bald Cypress
bonsai prefer to
live outdoors.

Bald Cypress are not true cypress. True cypress are in the Cupressus family and are not native to the southeastern United States.

Bald cypress
with roots submerged in water
and branches draped in
Spanish moss
Tillandsia usneoides

Pond Cypress
Taxodium distichum var. nutansin still-water wetlands
SE Georgia

Looks like bamboo, is called bamboo, but isn't bamboo.

2011-08-14T16:52:00.002-04:00

Pogonatherum 

po-gon-AY-ther-um

Pogonatherum crinitum
"bamboo-like" stalks

Pogonatherum crinitum

"German Bamboo"

"Bonsai Bamboo"

"Bamboo Grass" Jin Si Cao

Baby Panda Bamboo

House Bamboo Jin Si Mao

Cat teasel, Salsola grass, fox tail, pens to be grass, oxtail grass, Rattus grass, itachi-gaya- weasel saw grass.

Pogonatherum crinitum
"bamboo-like" leaf blades

A delicate grass with tiny, clumping erect "bamboo-like" stalks, clothed with sea-green "bamboo-like" leaf blades. Fabulous when displayed as a bonsai.

Looks like bamboo, is called bamboo, but isn't bamboo.

Give this Asian native a moist, but well drained soil. Baby Panda Bamboo likes a lot of water. If outdoors in the summer it can sit in a saucer of water. Needs a few hours a day of solar light. Fertilize periodically; in the spring use a fertilizer rich in nitrogen and potassium, to encourage the development of new vegetation and of flowerings. Selectively remove “culms” to keep this grass attractive and to encourage new shoots.

Protect from hard Freezing.

Pogonatherum crinitum
a delicate species Fabulous as a bonsai

Pogonatherum crinitum has long been used as a folk remedy for the treatment of many inflammatory diseases in Taiwan. Baby Bamboo is used worldwide as a houseplant. When the grass becomes too tall, trim the plant back so it can rejuvenate.

Miniature Bamboo Grass

Pogonatherum paniceum

Time to collect Japanese Maple Seed

2011-08-12T21:00:00.015-04:00

The seeds have matured and are starting to turn brown. Time to gather them before they fall to the ground!

Japanese maple seed wings are drying

Japanese Maple

Momiji

Acer palmatum

Japanese maple seed tips of the
wings turn brown in late summer

Japanese maple seed in mid summer

Many poke fun at the idea of starting a bonsai from a seed. “Look how old I am I don't have time", but the creation of a bonsai from a seed is very rewarding. There is no such thing as "bonsai seed". The packs of seed marked as such, are just ordinary tree seeds that can be grown into a bonsai. They are a good source of tree seeds when none are locally available.

Once the new leaves come out
in the spring, flower
and seed begin to appear
on Bloodgood Seedling

Bonsai grown from seeds are called Misho bonsai.

Getting tree seeds to sprout:

Acer palmatum stratification

Japanese maple seed

Banrot is a broad spectrum root rot fungicide in a 40% wettable powder configuration. It provides contact and systemic action for control of damping-off and root and stem-rot diseases

Subdue Maxx Controls damping-off and root and stem rots caused by pythium and phytophthora. Apply only as a soil drench or soil surface spray followed by irrigation.

Bloodgood Seedlings
"I started it from seeds myself."

Alternatives:

Always make sure horticultural tools are disinfected even if they are new, and that your planting pots are disinfected....

Disinfection of Horticultural Tools and Pots

"Empty pot of soil"

Growing 'misho' bonsai is both economical and rewarding.

More Misho Pictures.........

Punica Granatum Pomegranate

2011-07-25T21:25:00.000-04:00

Pomegranate
Punica Granatum

Native to Asia from the Mediterranean to the Himalayas
Cultivated for its desirable fruit which is loved throughout Asia and the Mediterranean

Dwarf Pomegranate Bonsai
Plant and Fruit

spherical orange-red fruits

Uro: Hole in trunk
with healed edges
Punica Granatum

Double Pink Flower
Punica Granatum

One can sow seeds in the spring for a Misho
Creating bonsai from collected seed costs less and is very rewarding

flowers well when
slightly root-bound

Can be air layered once
spring growth begins to harden

Dwarf Pomegranate Bonsai

A sub-tropical, deciduous tree grown for its brilliant orange-red trumpet-like flowers followed in fall by ornamental, small, spherical-like orange-red fruits. Has dark green leaves. Slow to moderate grower. Deciduous: drops foliage during winter. Protect from hard freeze during winter, If one likes flowers and fruit on bonsai, the Dwarf Pomegranate is excellent! The leaves are smaller and finer. The fruit and flowers are small. The flowers form on the tips of branches. Restrict the growth of long branches but do not prune shorter branches as it will prevent flowering. After flowering cut branches and shoots to just one or two sets of leaves.

(Punica Granatum var. Nana)

short branches will bear more flowers.

The naturally twisting trunk
appears to be gnarled and ancient

Wiring needs to be done with care because the branches can be brittle. Roots need to have space to grow, choose a pot that is slightly deeper. The dwarf pomegranate is a shrub about 1 meter tall. The slender branches start out upright then droop gracefully. Unpruned shrubs have a weeping or fountain shaped habit. To encourage flowers and fruit, use a fertilizer that's low in nitrogen but high in both potassium and phosphorous

dark green
narrow leaves

Barbados Cherry "Acerola"

2011-07-17T21:03:00.005-04:00

Dwarf Barbados Cherry
-Malpighia punicifolia
mal-PIG-ee-uh pun-ik-ih-FOH-lee-a

Barbados Cherry- Acerola
-Malpighia emarginata
mal-PIG-ee-uh ee-mar-jih- NAY-tuh

-Malpighia glabra

mal-PIG-ee-uh GLAY-bruh

arching dark brown stems
Malpighia punicifolia

A low growing plant with arching dark brown stems and green leaves and pink flowers followed by red berries throughout the year. Excellent bonsai specimen. The creeping stems and sometimes exposed roots can create really interesting shapes.

Malpighia punicifolia
small red fruit

Use a well draining soil. Malpighia does not like wet feet. Water frequently, but allow the soil to dry slightly between watering. Do not let a malpighia completely dry-out. Over-watering and too much sun causes leaves to yellow.

Wiring can be used but care should be taken as the growth is brittle. The "clip and grow" method is best with this plant.

Clip And Grow Pruning Technique

Malpighia punicifolia
Flowers and Fruit

If branches are allowed to get too long, they will drop leaves at the back and have leggy bare growth. If this occurs, clip back to the last 2 leaves, it will break back from this, continue to clip back as the new growth appears until the desired length is obtained.

Only repot when night temperatures are above 60 F. Repotting can be done anytime during the summer. Tolerant of any sun position, full sun is best for small leaves, bloom and fruit however caution should be taken in the summer that the plant does not get too dry and the pot may need to be protected from full sun in the hottest months.

Malpighia emarginata
Barbados Cherry "Acerola"

The butterflies love

the delicate pink flowers

The name honors Marcello Malpighi, a 17th century Italian physician and botanist.

Acerola is used to treat or prevent scurvy

The fruit is rich in vitamin C

Malpighia emarginata

Spirea as a Bonsai

2011-07-08T17:00:00.004-04:00

A good shohin subject

Spirea japonica
Little Princess Spirea

Tiny serrated leaves are short and stout
Spirea japonica blooms in late spring to early summer with clusters of dainty light pink or white flowers.

A cluster of dainty flowers.

Little Princess Spirea

Spirea japonica

Deciduous
Foliage: Mint green.
Fall color: Dark red.
Zone: 4-8.
a good shohin subject

Spirea, Saxifrage, Curly Mondo
in a Kusamono

Keep outdoors in partial sun
Will tolerate freezing to 30 F
They withstand winters even farther north protect from strong winds and severe cold but do not bring inside to a warm place
Keep the soil damp- not wet but do not let the soil dry out
Fertilize at half strength during the growing season & keep the soil acidity high
Trim new growth to maintain the tree form, size and shape.
Remove suckers from the trunk base as they appear.

Spiraea japonica 'Alpina'
small leaves on short, wiry branches
tipped with a cluster of light pink flowers.

Spiraea japonica 'Alpina'
Pruned and other plants removed

Spiraea japonica is easily grown in medium wet well-drained soil in part shade.
Wire with care, the thicker trunks and branches are quite brittle

Spiraea japonica 'Shirobana'
offers deep rose, pink and white
flowers on the same plant.

Spiraea japonica 'Shirobana'
after pruning

clusters of dainty flowers
Little Princess Spirea

Flowering can be prolonged

through regular removal

of faded flower heads.

Little Princess Spirea

Spirea japonica

Spireas all have small leaves and fine, twiggy branches.
Once established in the landscape, they are drought tolerant.
Spirea japonica begins blooming in late spring and continues off and on through the summer.

The traditional Bridal-wreath spirea
features rows of showy white flower clusters
along the length of arching branches.

Willow Leaf Fig

2011-06-25T21:00:00.001-04:00

Willow Leaf Ficus

Ficus salicifolia, Ficus neriifolia, Ficus subulata
and even Ficus mexicana ........................ now: Ficus salicaria

Willow Leaf Fig thrives on heat, humidity, and sunlight. And is ideal for the banyan style, depicting a beautiful forest. The banyan style is one in which the tree has aerial roots that become trunks in addition to the "main trunk". During the winter, even with added humidity, don't panic if the leaves slowly fall off. It is resting. Treat it like a dormant deciduous tree, reduce water and give no food. In the spring it will grow new leaves. The tree responds well to wiring but if the tree is growing vigorously can scar rather quickly. The tree can also be grown using the clip and grow technique. It thrives in shallow pots and hardly needs any roots for growth. The Willow Leaf Ficus sometimes makes a small fig. Regular defoliation can help develop ramification, cut the leaves just above the petiole.

I started training this tree as a bonsai in 1993

In 1997

In 2009

In 2011

Even though it is a tree of "uncertain provenance", it is the best ficus for bonsai training.

The name of this one, however, has long been a mystery. It has been sold as Ficus salicifolia, Ficus neriifolia, Ficus subulata and even Ficus mexicana among other names. Some of these are suitable epithets to describe the plant's narrow leaves, but, unfortunately the names belong to other species with much larger leaves and other characteristics that do not fit the bonsai species

Pictures of incredible Willow Leaf Fig

Bonsai by Jim Smith

Cycas revoluta -King Sago Palm

2011-06-15T12:24:00.000-04:00

"cabbage" shaped female cone

Easy care "living fossil", from the Far East that resembles a palm tree but is a cycad. They can be grown as a houseplant, anywhere with adequate bright light. Drought tolerant. Chronic over watering can kill the plant; do let the soil dry out. Repot in late winter and early spring when Sagos are dormant before they start getting their new summer leaves. Cycads prefer to be root bound and should be repotted into a container only slightly larger than the root system. If roots are trimmed for bonsai use, remove a comparable amount of lower leaves. Fertilize at one-third strength during the growing season. Sagos throw a new set of leaves during the Spring or Summer.

Sago Palms in Yoshino Park

Kagoshima City, Japan

1985

Small multi-head or multi-trunk sago palms are used as a subject for bonsai. The sago palm is native to Japan’s southernmost islands—a subtropical area of high rainfall and warm temperatures. A Processed starch known as sago is made from this and other cycads. When grown as a bonsai give ample root depth by picking a pot or container that is deep. The soil mix should be quick draining. Avoid overhead watering; this may cause rot and the total decay of the plant. The plants are quite cold hardy and can tolerate temperatures below 20° F. The Sago Palm has either male or female cones. New leaves emerge all at once and are very tender until they begin to harden several weeks later. Do not disturb or repot the plant during this process.

Toxicity

Sago Palms in

Yoshino Park

Kagoshima City

Japan

Sagos at private residence in Kagoshima City

Cycas revoluta -King Sago Palm

Cycad Society

"Cycad Day" 2011

Saturday, 25 June

Garden House

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

in Coral Gables, Florida.

Water

2011-06-12T20:51:00.001-04:00

Chinese Elm
Lacebark Elm
Ulmus parvifolia

Bonsai are probably injured more often by improper watering than by any other single factor. No general schedule can be used for watering all plants. In the summer once or twice daily may be required. Size and type of plant, pot, soil mix, light, temperature, humidity and other conditions influence the speed with which the soil mass dries out. Soil kept either too wet or too dry causes plant roots to die, which leads to poor growth. Learn to gauge the moisture content of the soil by its color and feel. As the soil surface dries it becomes lighter.

Kingsville Boxwood

Under continued drying, the soil begins to crack and pull away from the sides of the pot. When severe drying occurs, some damage already will have been done to the roots. Soil kept too moist becomes sticky and slimy, thus inviting root rots and other disease problems.

Umbrella Tree

Hawaiian Schefflera

Schefflera arboricola

Whitish-colored deposits can form and are composed of salts built up from hard water and fertilizer. This is usually an indication of insufficient drainage, and not enough flow of water and air through the pot and soil. To avoid salt buildup, water your plants each time until liquid runs out of the bottom of the pot. This is also one reason that many people burn their plants with fertilizer - they leave behind salts that burn roots. Many homeowners soften their water by using a filtration system to exchange the calcium and magnesium in the water for sodium, creating a softer water that allows soap to function better. Plants use sodium only in very small amounts. Over time, sodium becomes toxic to plants.

Spirea

Plants may be watered from either the top or the bottom of the pot. If one prefers watering from the top, use a watering can with a small spout. Each time, wet the entire soil mass, not just the top inch. Add water until it comes through the drainage hole in the bottom of the pot. Discard water that remains beneath the pot one hour after watering. Periodically plants should be watered by soaking. This is done by immersing the plant into a bucket of water so several inches of water are above the soil line. Then allow it to drain. Potted plants should always have good drainage. Occasionally roots may clog the drainage hole.

Bonsai Beginnings

the "Karate Kid" tree

Bonsai @ the Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens

4710: the Year of the Dragon

Spring Garden and Art Festival

Banana GroveSee you at the Spring FestivalMarch 24, 20129:00 AM - 4:00 PM UGA Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens at the Historic Bamboo Farm

Bonsai Begins With a Seed

10th Annual Joy of Bonsai

It will be very cold tonight!

Pseudocydonia sinensis- Karin seed

A Thanksgiving snow in Savannah

Feather Pine- collected seed today

When keeping bonsai indoors.........

First frost 2011

Kingsville Dwarf

Jasmine- One Fine Vine

Time to gather the Ginkgo seed

Portulacaria afra - Dwarf Jade

World's Greatest Plant Swap: 1 October 2011

2011 Fall Festival at the Bamboo Farm & Coastal Gardens

time to prepare the winter quarters

Pumpkin Patch @ the Bamboo Farm

Praying/ Preying Mantis

Ehretia buxifolia- Poor Man’s Tea

Chinese sweet plum

Ponytail Palm- no true palm

Feather Pine- "Trees with knees"

Looks like bamboo, is called bamboo, but isn't bamboo.

Time to collect Japanese Maple Seed

Punica Granatum Pomegranate

Barbados Cherry "Acerola"

Spirea as a Bonsai

Willow Leaf Fig

Cycas revoluta -King Sago Palm

Water

Banana Grove

See you at the Spring Festival
March 24, 2012
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM

UGA Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens at the
Historic Bamboo Farm