August is Here!

Diana Davis
Jul 31
6 min read

Now is when Southern California temperatures can soar to triple digits. This is not the time for pruning, repotting, or doing major styling work. This would make it seem like there's little to do with your trees, and indeed; some tasks slow down. Late summer, your tree's growth may even slow as it expends energy keeping alive through heat waves.Yet there are several major tasks one should endeavor to keep atop in caring for your tree and helping it prepare for the coming autumn:

1: Fertilizing: For most species of trees, we continue fertilizing to help them grow strong for the late fall and winter dormancy. If you've used solid fertilizer in plastic baskets, empty out the old and refill them with fresh fertilizer. If you use or add liquid fertilizer once or twice a month, continue doing so. For tips on fertilizers see our past newsletters.

2: Watering: In general, trees will need to be watered daily; trees in shallow pots, or tree shohin and smaller often twice a day. Check the soil at least twice a day. It's also a good idea to cool off your trees by spraying the benches, outside of pots, fences or plants behind and around once or twice a day in between watering. Keep an eye out for wilting leaves. Some trees will brown; maples especially. This isn't unexpected and won't be a problem unless your tree isn't being watered properly. See our June newsletter for a full run down on watering.

3: Pest and Fungus Control: keep an eye out for aphids, worms, fungus, thripps and spider mites, and deal with them appropriately should they make an appearance. See past newsletters for advice on pest control.

4: Check that wire! Especially on elms and other fast growing trees. Growth has been at it's fastest for the past few months. Be sure to check your trees to see if the wire is cutting into the bark, and if so, remove it.

5: Look over your tools, look for your first set of tools, and take some time to clean and sharpen your tools.

A good task for late summer is to check over your tools, and see if they need any sort of maintenance. Cleaning, rust removal, oiling, sharpening.Before we get to that, let's go over basic tools every practitioner should have!

"What Tools Do I Absolutely Need?"

Bonsai Shears come in many shapes and sizes, carbon steel or stainless. For a first pair, it's best to buy something that has a good length and is comfortable in your hands. Never cut thick branches with your shears! You can end up with bent handles or damaged blades. — **Bonsai Shears** come in many shapes and sizes, carbon steel or stainless. For a first pair, it's best to buy something that has a good length and is comfortable in your hands. Never cut thick branches with your shears! You can end up with bent handles or damaged blades.

Branch Cutters are shaped to cut cleanly through thick branches, allowing proper healing and less damage to the tree that could lead to scarring. Again, they come in many shapes or sizes, but a good "beginner" or "intermediate" pair will handle most branches those starting out will need to prune. — **Branch Cutters** are shaped to cut cleanly through thick branches, allowing proper healing and less damage to the tree that could lead to scarring. Again, they come in many shapes or sizes, but a good "beginner" or "intermediate" pair will handle most branches those starting out will need to prune.

Wire Cutters are something many beginning students don't buy, as most people have basic home repair wire cutters in their toolbox. However, the wire cutters used for bonsai are shaped with a rounded tip, which allows one to cut wire from the tree without scarring and slicing the tree's bark, which could leave scars or worse--break a necessary branch. It's best to invest in a good pair! — **Wire Cutters** are something many beginning students don't buy, as most people have basic home repair wire cutters in their toolbox. However, the wire cutters used for bonsai are shaped with a rounded tip, which allows one to cut wire from the tree without scarring and slicing the tree's bark, which could leave scars or worse--break a necessary branch. It's best to invest in a good pair!

Pliers are used for wiring, removing wire, peeling bark from jin and shari (deadwood features), allowing a grip on wire near a crotch for proper branch bending and securing trees into a new pot.. There are two types: pliers and jin pliers. Jin pliers have a different head, with a narrower, angled tip and gripping sides that don't meet flush all the way. Regular pliers will often meet flush, have a straight head, and wider tip. One can use both types of pliers for making jin and wiring, but be aware jin pliers break a little more easily if misused. — **Pliers** are used for wiring, removing wire, peeling bark from jin and shari (deadwood features), allowing a grip on wire near a crotch for proper branch bending and securing trees into a new pot.. There are two types: pliers and jin pliers. Jin pliers have a different head, with a narrower, angled tip and gripping sides that don't meet flush all the way. Regular pliers will often meet flush, have a straight head, and wider tip. One can use both types of pliers for making jin and wiring, but be aware jin pliers break a little more easily if misused.

A Chopstick is an invaluable and versatile tool for bonsai, I kid you not. Chopsticks can be used to test soil for water needs, rake out roots during repotting, secure root balls into pots, stake up small prebonsai, point to things to cut or prune (bonsai teachers prefer to avoid losing fingertips to eager students) and more. One can buy special bonsai chopsticks, metal bonsai chopsticks, fancy engraved bonsai chopsticks, OR one can go to a local Asian market and find metal and bamboo chopsticks for a much lower price. Or, save the most and get some tasty take out and use those! — **A Chopstick** is an invaluable and versatile tool for bonsai, I kid you not. Chopsticks can be used to test soil for water needs, rake out roots during repotting, secure root balls into pots, stake up small prebonsai, point to things to cut or prune (bonsai teachers prefer to avoid losing fingertips to eager students) and more. One can buy special bonsai chopsticks, metal bonsai chopsticks, fancy engraved bonsai chopsticks, OR one can go to a local Asian market and find metal and bamboo chopsticks for a much lower price. Or, save the most and get some tasty take out and use those!

These five basic tools will be your go-tos for much of your work, but there are many, many more bonsai tools and equipment you can add to your collection as you grow and learn as a practitioner!

"Which brand of tools should I buy?"

Always buy the best you can afford. The reality is, inexpensive sets and tools found on Amazon tend to be worth what you pay. Investing more money ahead of time sounds strange, until you think about the economy of better quality; cheap tools may cost less, but will either be shoddy to begin with, or need to be replaced within a short period of time; often multiple times. Higher quality tools cost more at the beginning, yet properly cared for can last a lifetime. One ends up spending less in the end.

Not everyone can afford imported top-quality high-price Masakuni tools, but Joshua Roth or American Bonsai work with most budgets. Even Kaneshin tools are within reach, if you want Japanese imports.

Many good tools can be purchased from places like Bonsai Tonight, Eastern Leaf, Stone Lantern.

"How do I maintain my tools?"

Good bonsai tools are an investment, and taking proper care of them is good for you, good for your tools, and good for your trees.

Crean Mate, and other cleaning blocks, are used to clean sap and rust off of your tools. They work best a little wet — **Crean Mate**, and other cleaning blocks, are used to clean sap and rust off of your tools. They work best a little wet

Rub the dampened Crean Mate like and eraser over your shears and cutters to "erase" spots of rust and collected sap.If dried sap proves stubborn, a little gel hand sanitizer and a cloth can help shift it.

Some people will sharpen their tools using a stone, but I find Eze-Lap diamond sharpener convenient and easy to carry in a tool bag or roll. For bonsai tools, you only need the red "fine" and the blue "super fine" sharpeners. — Some people will sharpen their tools using a stone, but I find **Eze-Lap** diamond sharpener convenient and easy to carry in a tool bag or roll. For bonsai tools, you only need the red "fine" and the blue "super fine" sharpeners.

Sharpening shears: use the diamond sharpener in a figure-8 motion to hone the beveled edge of the blade, ensuring you match the blade angle and apply consistent pressure. Start the red for any nicks or dullness, then switch to a blue for a polished edge. Clean the blade thoroughly after sharpening to remove any metal debris. Sharpening branch cutters: branch cutters only need to be sharpened on the outside of the undercutting blade, as this blade cuts in a scissor action against the inside face of the outside blade. Use the same figure 8 motion. — Sharpening shears: **use the diamond sharpener in a figure-8 motion to hone the beveled edge of the blade, ensuring you match the blade angle and apply consistent pressure**. Start the red for any nicks or dullness, then switch to a blue for a polished edge. Clean the blade thoroughly after sharpening to remove any metal debris. Sharpening branch cutters: branch cutters only need to be sharpened on the outside of the undercutting blade, as this blade cuts in a scissor action against the inside face of the outside blade. Use the same figure 8 motion.

Once clean, wipe your tools down with a touch of Camilla oil to protect them from future rust. — Once clean, wipe your tools down with a touch of **Camilla oil** to protect them from future rust.

Tools should always be disinfected after working on one tree and before another. This guards against spreading diseases among your bonsai. 70% isopropyl alcohol in a spray bottle or on a cloth or alcohol wipe works well. — Tools should always be disinfected after working on one tree and before another. This guards against spreading diseases among your bonsai. **70% isopropyl alcohol** in a spray bottle or on a cloth or alcohol wipe works well.

"Where do I store my tools?"

Bags, rolls, bucket bosses, backpacks, toolboxes; there's many different ways to store and carry your tools. It really can be up to you. Three things to always keep in mind:

Cutting and carving tools should be stored such that the blades are safe from possible nicks or damage from other tools in the set. Bags and rolls with individual pockets deep enough for the tool to stay put are best.
Any tool storage you need should keep your tools away from water and humidity to limit rust. Waxed canvas or leather are best.

You should be easily able to find the tool you need with little effort.4. Make sure you're tool rolls and bags are easy to carry to workshops, classes and club meetings!