Winter Maintenance and Care Help

[longd_au]

I know it is a bit early for this but I like to plan ahead.
What are your winter maintenance, prevention and pest control routine over winter and into early spring for the species you have?

I generally do nothing until I see an issue. Then I would spray with the appropriate chemical. But like all things, I think prevention is better than cure.
Does anyone have a routine they like to share?

The reason I asked is I too had some issue with my tridents early in the season. Some of the leafs were warped and some even had black tip. But like others, they seem to grow out of it. I think this slowed growth. I would like to prevent it next season. I also have elms that have similar problem with black tips. But they too grow out of it once they get growing. My current pomegranate is suffering from leaf curl at the moment.
I suspect the maintenance care may be required for the entire growing season. I am not a real fan of spraying anything in my yard but I fear I might lose the battle if I don't do something.

Any thoughts?

[shibui]

Like you Dennis I have normally waited until something turns up then treated but each year I am finding more problems, mostly fungal - the ones you have described and some sudden death in Japanese maples as well. Last winter I sprayed the entire nursery with a fungicide to try to reduce the problems. I think it helped and will do the same this year.
I know that they do preventative sprays at the National collection and I think they use a combination of products. Hopefully Leigh or Grant will post the timing and products they use.

[Jow]

I spray lime sulphur a couple of times over winter.

I also hit my tridents that show any signs of black tips with Rogor and it clears it right up. I have had less luck with Confidor. I am pretty sure it is tiny thrips or the like inside the unopened buds.

Joe.

[Kevin]

Two Points:

1. Your potting mediums require beneficial fungi and lots of it. The further we strive to obtain the benefits of the soil-less, highly aerated medium for our small trees, the further we are removing the opportunity for this fungi to exist within our mediums. Without the plant hormones being generated by your plant roots from this billion year old phenomenon called a "symbiotic relationship" will inevitably cause your small trees to exist solely on the force fed nutrients in which they are being supplied by external and unnatural interventions. Do remember we are not growing a lettuce plant for consumption within 30 day cycles for the markets.

Whilst I have thought this for some time now. More recently i have spent an innumerable amount of time researching biodynamics, it's impact in the rhizosphere and the resultant production of plant root hormones. Very tedious, but fascinating. Well, approximately 48 hours ago the fun began with several experiments involving supplemented applications of several Trichoderma sp in various methodologies. Just now i inspected the stems of several soft wooded and hard wooded eucalyptus sp. which were lopped off the top of a plant 72 hours ago and have stood as cut flowers would in a concocted mixture for 30 hours and whilst the light isn't the best, i believe i witnessed some notable change in the Eucalyptus plants stem cells in several areas on multiple cuttings. If it is what i think it may be, it means the Eucalyptus cuttings may have started producing roots within 72 hours. Photos will definitely follow, but probably buds, still a notable (for me) experiment.

2. Also recently, i resurrected from my chemical storage and commenced using for the first time on my small trees - Calcium Nitrate. Applying it diluted in small doses directly to the plants three times per week. The improvement from within the bonsai, notably its defence mechanisms, specifically the healing and encapsulating of past injuries has improved remarkably - in my words unbelievably fast, almost a full seasons of healing within 5 - 6 weeks.

Whilst this small tree, an English Elm has continuously been cultured within a bonsai like environment by myself from scratch for 30 years. I feel inexperienced enough to advice all - To Pro Actively apply Calcium Nitrate to your plants to improve and generate your own plants self defence mechanisms. However, i am experienced enough to advise everyone to always follow manufacturer specifications regarding application and dosages and remember when used solely, Calcium Nitrate isn't a balanced diet for your plant.

Anyone with experience, who can add to my little 5 - 6 week observation on Calcium Nitrate would be helpful.

Kevin

[longd_au]

My online reading have found many do the following during winter:
- spray with lime sulphur
- spray with a fungicide e.g. for roses
- keep relatively dry over winter watering once every one or two weeks
- Keep in a well ventilated area

Most problems you see over spring initiated in winter.

This year, I plan to spray my dormant trees ( in pots or in the ground) with lime sulphur early in winter.
During mid winter, I will give them another dose of fungicide (probably one for roses to combat mildew, black spots)

I am not sure if I will spray another for root rot as I don't really have this problem.

I really would like to hear what others do, especially those with mature collections. I want my trees to live forever (yep forever) and I think preventative sprays is necessary along with good practices.
I saw a clip in Japan where they also spray though I am not sure what they use.

[Mojo Moyogi]

My online reading have found many do the following during winter:
- spray with lime sulphur
- spray with a fungicide e.g. for roses
- keep relatively dry over winter watering once every one or two weeks
- Keep in a well ventilated area

Good advice!

Hi Dennis,
2 Applications of Lime Sulphur in winter one early, and another later should give you a good start.

Have a read of what LS can deal with here, it can prevent both fungal disease and insect pests: http://www.yates.com.au/products/diseas ... ULWDMPs.97

I would hold off on any other preventative chemical hits, practice good plant culture (location, timing, watering, soil, nutrition) and treat disease if it shows up, with a good diagnosis and a targeted, low (or zero) toxicity response.

Cheers,
Mojo

[Lane]

I was lead to believe this is a benefit of using mostly organic fertilisers, it benefits the symbiotic relationship Kevin mentioned earlier.

Organic fertilisers benefit that bacteria, chemical ferts negate the need for this bacteria and it disappears, resulting in a tree with a weak immune system.

[Mojo Moyogi]

I was lead to believe this is a benefit of using mostly organic fertilisers, it benefits the symbiotic relationship Kevin mentioned earlier.

Organic fertilisers benefit that bacteria, chemical ferts negate the need for this bacteria and it disappears, resulting in a tree with a weak immune system.

This is fairly true MacGuyver, being organic or mostly organic in bonsai has very measurable benefits, but to adopt this methodology, it a long term approach and you must be prepared to absorb losses and setbacks as you progress. Proper nutrition and pest control are a little trickier and more labour intensive to begin with, after a period of time beneficial bacteria and predators make the job far easier. I am helped by my surrounding environment where I live today. In suburbia my early efforts to go zero chem, provide habitat for bird life and let insect predators do their thing were undermined to an extent by my neigbours (and council) nuking everything that moved.

Keep in mind too that life only affords you X amount of time to work on your trees, how you grow them has to fit in.

Also, don't underestimate the role that good quality water and good watering practices play in growing bonsai well. Getting the H2O optimal is integral to organic growing, plants that are repeatedly under stress or in excess are easy targets for insect and fungal attack.

Cheers,
Mojo

[Matt S]

Don't forget some basic hygiene - take the opportunity to clean your benches of any material that has collected there over Summer, remove weeds that are growing in and between your pots, remove leaves that fall over Autumn. You want nice clean trees, pots and benches with plenty of airflow.

[longd_au]

Thanks for all your inputs.
Hope everyone wins their battle with fungal infections and never lose a bonsai again.

[Mojo Moyogi]

Don't forget some basic hygiene - take the opportunity to clean your benches of any material that has collected there over Summer, remove weeds that are growing in and between your pots, remove leaves that fall over Autumn. You want nice clean trees, pots and benches with plenty of airflow.

Yes Matt, good point. Two of the reasons that I began to replace my timber slat benches with galvanised steel mesh benches was airflow and hygeine/pest control.

Cheers,
Mojo