Full sun or not ? HELP :)

stocaz · Post by **stocaz** » March 3rd, 2013, 11:35 am

Hi all, I'm new to bonsai and have caught the bug well and truly !

I've got junipers,maples & a Chinese elm.

Question is I've built a bench for them but the only position in my courtyard for it is in full sun from about
10am to 4pm.
I'm in Melbourne and am aware that in extreme summer heat I will need to at least move the maples but
How about when its only around the 30 deg mark ?

I guess I just want to know if I can leave them there all year and just move them when it gets REAL hot ?

Any advice would be fantastic

Thanks Ross

k2bonsai · Post by **k2bonsai** » March 3rd, 2013, 11:43 am

I just leave my maples in full sun (live in Sydney). Although the 47 degree day we got blasted with pretty much burnt nearly every leaf to a crisp. Not to worry as i now have a full crop of fresh leaves and days like that take their toll on any plant... wekk except my ficus who just seem to thrive in any weather. If you have finished bonsai and don't want burnt leaf edges then shade is cool (or under a large tree etc) but if you are still developing trunks etc then who cares, as long as you keep the tree healthy, watered, fertilised etc.

Post by **kcpoole** » March 3rd, 2013, 12:29 pm

I leave mine in full sun too. Defoliate after January to get a new flush of leaves for autumn colour

stocaz · Post by **stocaz** » March 3rd, 2013, 3:59 pm

Great thanks really happy with that

msarp · Post by **msarp** » March 3rd, 2013, 4:10 pm

It would be great if you could share pictures

SteveW · Post by **SteveW** » March 3rd, 2013, 4:13 pm

Invest in some 30 percent shade cloth for hot days and your maples will appreciate you. Saying burnt leaves are fine is uncaring ; no need to stress you trees unnecessarily.

stocaz · Post by **stocaz** » March 3rd, 2013, 5:04 pm

I think it came up great just put a coat of oil on the merbau

The problem I have is that the sun hits it from the front not directly over head.
So sunshade would have to cover half the yard to give the plants any shade at all which isn't going to be possible

Do you think the leaves would still burn on 30 deg days ?
Ill just move the maples when it's going to be too hot.

Thanks Ross

k2bonsai · Post by **k2bonsai** » March 3rd, 2013, 5:16 pm

also i find hot winds have much more impact than just hot sunny days.

shibui · Post by **shibui** » March 3rd, 2013, 8:07 pm

I keep as many of my trees as possible in full sun because I get more compact growth and better shape to the trees. I have trident maples, juniper, Chinese elm, Zelkova and Callistemon that have been in full sun all day every day all summer and do not have burnt leaves. The Japanese maples and English elms had to be moved under shade when it got really hot.
This is possible when the trees start the year in full sun and are adapted to it. Moving a tree from a shaded area to full sun in summer is asking for trouble.
I think most species should be ok in sun at this time of year with 30C temps. As K2 says, wind is a big factor.
You do need to be diligent with watering and adjust watering to meet the needs of the plants in a sunny position and water well so the entire rootball gets moisture. Superficial watering often only wets the outside of the rootball which may be ok most days but will cause problems on a hot day.

Watto · Post by **Watto** » March 3rd, 2013, 8:10 pm

I also try to give my trees plenty of sun so I think yours should be OK with proper watering.

stocaz · Post by **stocaz** » March 3rd, 2013, 8:24 pm

Fantastic thanks for your replies !

fireworks · Post by **fireworks** » March 3rd, 2013, 8:47 pm

Stocaz, welcome to AusBonsai! You have already been given valuable information on which to act. Your trees will love you for caring enough to ask the wonderful bonsai enthusiasts on this forum.
I, too, leave mine in full sun. On the extremely hot days, I cover maples with shadecloth. All have survived and some of my maples are already turning Autumn colours. Good luck with your trees.

craigw60 · Post by **craigw60** » March 5th, 2013, 6:14 am

Achieving good ramification on palmatums is a long slow job. Every growing season is an opportunity to further that goal which needs to be taken full advantage of, by allowing your trees to burn you are placing the tree under stress and therefore slowing down its growth and reducing the already short window available to ramify the tree. Palmatums are cool climate trees, they have not evolved to cope with our harsh summers and require a cool root run. By positioning them in full sun you are not only damaging the foliage but also placing the root system under stress. If you want to develop really good palmatum bonsai then I believe its is best to protect them from the heat of the day during the summer months, even here in one of the cooler parts of the country I give my palmatums shade from the hot sun over the summer. There are big old japanese maples in the gardens all around my property and the best ones are growing in very sheltered positions with well protected root systems.
In order to grow beautiful bonsai you need to understand each species you grow and the requirements of that species.
Craigw

AusBonsai