Hey all, brand new to Bonsai, I'm in NZ and we're getting colder now.
Is there anything I should be aware of? I have a Japanese Cedar, does it hibernate, do I need to reduce watering?
Another question regarding pinching, when exactly do I need to pinch back the leaves and why? Currently this what it's like, and I'm wondering if some of the edge branches need pinching
Firstly welcome to the wonderful world of bonsai!!! And to the forum! I don't have any experience with Japanese Cedar ... and not much with pinching, believe pinching is usually done during growing season which is spring/summer for most species (don't quote me). Best to wait for good advice on that front.
Watering though ... when have you been watering it? On a regular cycle, or when it's dry?
Most beginners get into a routine, and I've seen over watering the cause of much stress, for the trees then their owners.
Hard to tell from your pic, as the stones make it hard to see the soil. Try scratching back a bit, if it feels damp, wait until the next day. If it's dusty/dry water it yesterday. Hehe.
Also, where is it positioned? On stone, wooden bench, or a garden bed? Most of mine sit on soil these days, they love it ... they also send roots through the bottom of the pots and grab some extra goodness from the earth. I can tell which ones have, as they have massive growth spurts.
In summer, in Sydney, I'm checking my trees every morning, and on hotter days in the arvo too. In winter, I tend to check every 2nd or 3rd day. Don't make the mistake I did by assuming winter equals damp, some days the wind and cold dry everything out.
I used to dunk my trees, when very dry, these days my watering technique, and positioning on the ground, seems to keep them happy.
Hope this info overload helps???
If unsure, scratch back the rocks, take a pic and post it here?
Thanks Daniel,
As for watering - in the first photo you can see a clump of dirt at the base of the trunk and I've basically been going visually off of that, whether it looks wet/damp/dry.
Should that be a clear enough indicator?
Cryptomeria is an evergreen conifer so while growth slows in winter they never really 'hibernate' like deciduous trees. It will need occasional water if there's no rain and could probably do with an occasional feed.
Checking the surface of the soil is not the best way to check water. Surface dries out far quicker than deeper in the pot so sometimes you can be watering when it is not needed and that can occasionally contribute to root problems.
If you don't water really well in summer the outside of the soil may appear OK while inside it is still dry.
After a while you will get to know the soil, the pot and the plant and be able to predict when it needs water but for a start it helps to get a more accurate feel. Some people stick a wood skewer in the soil as a moisture gauge. Pull it out each day to check moisture levels deep in the pot.
Pinching is to manage the shape of your bonsai. If any branches or shoots get too long just break or cut them back to the size you want. This is a dwarf type of cryptomeria so it probably won't grow long shoots in a hurry. You may need to get in and thin out where it is really crowded but you need to decide what shape to make your bonsai. If you like the dense round shape then just keep trimming any wayward shoots whenever you see them. There's no best time or way, just snip off the long bits and the tree will grow new buds from the branch you leave.
You can also prune larger pieces off any bonsai if you think the branches are too crowded. Many conifers won't produce new buds on bare sections so best to cut branches off completely or cut back to a side shoot.
