The official date of Spring is March 21 - the date when we start to take our bonsai out of winter storage, and to gradually introduce them to our display areas. But, you have to be very careful if your bonsai start to leaf out in February or early March. Sometimes your bonsai are in full leaf in early spring, and then we have a sudden cold snap. The cold will kill not only the new leaf growth, but also the tender new root growth. Many bonsai are lost by such a sudden change in temperature.

If your bonsai are in leaf and we have a sudden cold snap, make sure your trees are protected. If the forecast is for just a light frost, a tarp or plastic sheeting should provide adequate protection. But, if the temperature is expected to plunge into the teens, you should be prepared to bring your trees inside for the evening. Remember, that once a tree breaks dormancy there is no way to reverse the process.

March is a great time to style and wire your evergreens. Think about repotting your trees, perhaps at another angle. Remove bar branches, branches on the inside of a curve, and branches that are too thick especially near the top of the tree. Remove downward growth, growth in the crotches of branches, small yellow foliage, and on pines all needles more than one year old. Start wiring your tree at the lower limbs and gradually work towards the apex..

Wait until next month before rewiring your deciduous trees. However, there are two times a year when you can make major cuts in your deciduous trees without having major problems with bleeding. One time is the day of repotting when root pruning reduces the flow of fluids from the roots. The other time is while trees are still dormant.

Are you ready from spring? Do you have your repotting soils ready? Spring is icumen in.

Saint Patrick’s Day is on Saturday March 17^th. In honor of that great day let’s consider the following blessing:

May those who love us, love us.

And those who don’t love us,

May God turn their hearts?

And if He doesn’t turn their hearts,

May He turn their ankles?

So we may know them by their limping!