Watering for Survival

Summer water as needed but, during the windy hottest and longest days of summer, this will usually mean at least once each day. I have preached for years that summertime dessication kills more trees than all other reasons combined. If your tree wilts from lack of wa-ter, DO NOT plunge it into a bucket of cold water. Instead, water it sparingly with room temperature water, wait 30 minutes or so then water it again. If it is not too far gone, it should begin to regain its turgidity within an hour then it may be watered normally. If it does not revive within a couple of hours, place it in shade and water periodically over the next day. As soon as it begins to revive, move it back to your bench and treat normally. If root damage has been too extensive from dryness, the tree may only partly survive. After the dead material becomes evident, prune it away and you may have the beginning of a new tree. -Lee

© Fort Walton Beach Bonsai Society (FWBBS) ELF 2020