Make plans to stop by the Free Third Thursday Workshop on May 20. The workshop begins at 7PM. Last chance to polish up your trees for the show. Experienced members of the club will be on hand to give their suggestions and help out. See you there!

Here in the Bay area, we have been fortunate to have a great combination of bright sunshine and soaking rains this May. By now, your trees should be in full growth mode. With repotting finished more than 6 weeks ago on our trees, you should be fertilizing regularly. Take advantage of the great growing conditions. If we have learned from past history, giant cold fog banks await the end of June and all of July. So, time is limited to get great growth on our trees. The frequency of the rainy weather will slow soon. Until it does, be sure to check the drainage in your pots. Most trees with wet feet are not happy. As for those trees with fresh soil, be sure to check their soil every afternoon. Fresh soil dries quickly and with the sunny and windy days we’ve had, the tree can completely dry out. Be careful about watering in the late afternoon. Avoid soaking the plants’ foliage just before nightfall. Wet foliage through the night can sometimes promote mold growth. So, keep the water limited to the soil surface.

As for pruning, if you have well developed maples and deciduous trees, prune back the new growth. If the tree is in development, consider light of wiring the branches to give some movement.

Keep a sharp eye on any wire on your trees. The diameter of quick growing twigs and branches can increase rapidly, causing serious wire scars.

As for your trees, spend at least 10-15 mins every morning inspecting them. It’s a great way to start your day and a great way to spot any problems before they become serious.

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