Giant Sequoia Bonsai Questions
- How do I fertilize my giant sequoia bonsai?
- It is important to keep the soil fertile for the giant sequoia. The largest tree on earth is also the heaviest feeder. It is best to use a type of fertilizer that can be accurately measured for application. Soluble fertilizers are the most idiot proof. Simply follow the instructions that the manufacturer provides. On the giant sequoia bonsai we use our own giant sequoia plant food full strength (1 tablespoon / gallon). During the growing season we fertilize the bonsais every two weeks. The more root bound bonsais require a lot of water when the temperatures are warm. Those may require watering up to four times a day. All that watering will leach the soluble fertilizer from the soil rapidly. Weekly fertilizing may be in order for those that require a lot of water in the summer.
- How do I keep my giant sequoia bonsai over winter?
- During the winters in cold climates the danger is not cold it is
dehydration. The sequoias can dehydrate even though the temperatures
are below freezing. The best thing to do is to construct a well-drained
pit and place the shallow potted trees into it. Water the trees well
before a freeze and then bury the trees in snow if possible. They will
remain in perfect condition, just as they do in nature, buried in snow
for the entire winter. That will insulate them from the drying cold
winds and preserve them perfectly. If there is no snow you may need to
take them into a garage or cellar occasionally to thaw them out and
water them good. It’s not a good idea to keep them long in a heated
house in the wintertime. They will harden themselves in preparation for
winter but sudden extreme changes in temperature are shocking to them.
- How do I shallow pot the seedling giant sequoias?
- Remove the seedling from the container. Use a sharp knife to split the
root ball beginning at about the halfway point and slicing downward.
Spread the slices apart and place the tree green side up into the
shallow pot. The root ball will be in the shape of an inverted T when
placed in the pot. Do not remove any of the roots at this time. Cover
the roots with good potting mix. Do not bare the roots of the giant
sequoia. Keep the soil intact on at least 75% of the root ball. That
will protect the tender little white roots that nourish the tree. If
the white feeder roots are lost the tree will slowly die of dehydration.
- How is root pruning performed on the giant sequoia?
- Root pruning on a giant sequoia bonsai is performed successfully by
slicing off a portion of the root ball with a sharp knife much like one
would slice a block of cheese. Take only a conservative portion of
about 20% or less. Never completely bare the roots of the giant
sequoia. Do not be overly concerned with a root bound condition. Giant
sequoias in the wild are naturally root bound for their entire
existence. Do your root pruning when the tree is dormant in the
winter. Place the tree back in the shallow pot after root pruning and
replace the missing portion of the root ball with good potting soil.
Remove an equal or slightly larger portion of the tree’s branches at
the same time. Avoid slicing roots solely from the bottom of the root
ball. A portion of the bottom of the root ball can be successfully
removed. The feeder roots tend to be most prevalent on the bottom of
the root ball. Removing all of those can be harmful to the tree. If the
root ball needs to be reduced in height remove soil and roots from the
top of the root ball instead.
- How do I shallow pot the one gallon giant sequoias for bonsai?
- Remove the tree from the container. Use a
sharp knife to slice up to 2 inches from the bottom of the root ball.
Place the tree in the shallow pot green side up. Fill the shallow pot
with good potting mix. The top of the root ball should extend above the
brim of the shallow pot by an inch or two. Use a garden hose with a
pressure nozzle to carefully spray the top of the root ball removing
some of the soil and exposing some of the upper roots. Do not trim the
upper roots at this time. Allow the tree to root into the new mix
before pruning the upper roots. Carefully prune some of the branches
and foliage from the tree. A good rule is to remove an equal amount of
foliage with each root pruning. That keeps the tree in a relative state
of equilibrium. Do not bare the roots of the giant sequoia. Keep the
soil intact on at least 75% of the root ball. That will protect the
tender little white roots that nourish the tree. If the white feeder
roots are lost the tree will slowly die of dehydration.
- Can I keep a giant sequoia indoors for the winter?
- A heated indoors is not a beneficial environment for long-term
maintenance of giant sequoias. They will most likely survive the winter
inside a house but will have lost their bearings somewhat concerning
their dormancy period and climate adaptation. It is helpful for them to
spend some time outside in the cold of winter basically resting and
getting used to their environment. Ideally the container kept sequoias
will be watered well and then placed outside to be buried deep by
winter snow. Once they are buried deep in snow there will be no
maintenance needed until the snow melts in the spring. The trees will
be insulated from cold drying winds and be unable to dehydrate under
the snow. If you have freezing weather but no snow then the container
kept sequoias will have to be taken into a garage or cellar
occasionally to be thawed and watered. After a few days of above
freezing temperatures and wet roots the trees can be set back out. They
should not be set back out into sub zero temperatures. They will keep
in the garage or cellar until the temperatures moderate some. The shock
of rapidly changing temperatures should be avoided. The cold of winter
does not harm the sequoias. Wintertime damage is done by wintertime
dehydration from cold dry winds.