Third Thursday Members Free Workshop. Make plans to stop by the Free Third Thursday Workshop on July 16. The workshop begins at 7PM and is a lot of fun for everyone. Summer sun and fog are here! Stop by and learn what steps are needed to develop your tree. So, bring a couple trees by and get advice from more experienced members of the club.

Summer is here already? San Franciscans know what that means! FOG! Yep, soon our summer sun and heat will disappear. In its place is a cold windy fog that can abruptly stop our grow season. If we are lucky, the days won’t be too cold and those foggy days will just pepper the week a few times the next couple months. Whatever happens, keep a sharp eye on your trees. Be cautious that a cold foggy morning can turn into a hot windy afternoon. Trees can dry out quickly if the weather turns. So keep an eye on your local weather forecasts to best guess how to water before you leave for work!

While growth of your tree may be slowing, don’t forget to fertilize regularly. The late summer months are similar to the last miles of a marathon. The excitement of the spring is fading. No more fresh leaves or colorful flowers. Slower growth isn’t eye catching. BUT, our trees are already making new buds for next year and storing energy for the winter. Nutrients are needed now to help store the sugars made by all those leaves. So keep pushing yourself to fertilize and finish the race to winter. Consult our species guide for the correct fertilizing regiment needed for you trees. Copies are available on the website and at our meetings.
In SF, we have already decandled our Japanese black pines and you should be waiting the arrival of your new buds! Watch for infestations of adelgia that love the moist foggy conditions in the area and keep a look out for a hungry caterpillar or two that may wreak havoc on those delicate buds. These are the buds that will give the fine branching you need to keep in your pines in scale. Protect them from hungry insects and you advanced your tree’s silhouette for next year.

Thought about defoliating a maple? If you are lucky to have good sun right now and your tree is healthy, consider defoliating your tree to help ramification of the branches. Sometimes multiple defoliations can be accomplished if the trees is ready. Not sure? Stop by the 3rd Thursday workshop for advice. If you are growing out branches, be sure to wire them now while the wood is flexible.

Keep and eye on all the wire you applied last fall and winter. Rapid grow on your tree could lead to serious wire scars on branches. Remove it before a problem starts.

Many clubs around the area are preparing for Fall club auctions, shows, and sales. Consider attending these events and purchasing some stock material. You will always find great plants for your collection and in turn, help a bonsai club raise a few bucks for their bank accounts.

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