NOTE: The advice below applies to our club’s geographical location and may not apply to your zone. Jacksonville, Florida is primarily in USDA Hardiness Zones 9a and 9b, with the western part of the city in 9a and the eastern part in 9b
January
January is normally our coldest month and a quiet month for bonsai. With cooler weather, water needs will diminish, and trees should be watched to prevent the roots from staying too wet.
Tropical Trees – We shouldn’t be doing any work on tropical trees. Our primary goal this month is protecting trees as temperatures drop below 45 for our most sensitive species (i.e., buttonwood, black olive, etc.) or the low 40’s for other tropical trees. A frozen tropical tree will sustain serious damage that is sometimes fatal.
Deciduous Trees – These species need a winter dormancy period to remain healthy. Once deciduous trees have gone fully dormant it is a good time to do structural pruning since you can see the full winter silhouette and identify potential areas for improvement.
Conifers and Broadleaf Evergreen Trees – These species need a winter dormancy period to remain healthy. It is also time to begin preparing for repotting. Make sure you have the pots, soil, tools, you need once the repotting window begins later in the month.
February
Winter is still upon us in early February even though it doesn’t always feel like it. There have been some cool periods mixed in with some mild Florida temps. A few of my trees got confused and just started to wake up early. Keep an eye on your trees to prevent new growth being damaged during cold nights.
Tropical Trees – We shouldn’t be doing any work on tropical trees. Our primary goal is protecting trees as temperatures drop. A frozen tropical tree will sustain serious damage.
Deciduous Trees – You may have noticed some pollen on your car and flowers on the red maples which indicates spring is close. Your bonsai trees may start showing signs of “waking up” from winter. You will soon see buds beginning to swell and open for spring. That is your sign that the trees balance of energy has moved out of the roots and back into the core of the tree. Once this happens it’s a great time to repot most deciduous trees.
Conifers and Broadleaf Evergreen Trees – These trees can now be safely repotted, trimmed and wired. If you do any real aggressive bending it is a good idea to protect the trees if temperatures drop below freezing. However, protection should