Summer is one of the trickier seasons for Bonsai. So many people blame the excessive heat for the loss of their plants at this time of year. Yet what actually kills the plants is a lack of water, not the heat. If you know how much water certain Bonsai in your collection require and are also organised to get the required amounts of water to them, then you should have not loss any of your Bonsai but leaf damage to some such as the maples is difficult to avoid. On those excessive days of hot temperatures most of your Bonsai will have to be watered twice a day. Some compositions such as rock plantings can be almost impossible to keep moist on days of excessive heat and should be moved to a shady position until the excesses of summer diminish. The same also goes for minis. It's impossible to keep something with so little soil moist on days of high 30 degrees to 40 degree days. To also aid in keeping the humidity up to these little wonders, you can place them in a tray and fill it up with sand and bury the pots in the sand up to the rim. When you water them, water will be retained in the sand and therefore keep them moist for longer periods of time. You can also place sphagnum moss over the top of the pots which will also help to keep the soil surface cooler and retain moisture longer. Other plants to give extra attention to in the summer include Australian Natives, pot bound trees, forest settings and root over rock compositions. Why root over rock compositions? Well, they are generally planted in shallow trays for one, and secondly the heat that builds up on the rock during a summer’s day can be tremendous, and this radiating heat can scorch the roots on the rock. So it's a good idea to wrap a cloth around the rock to provide a cooling buffer for these exposed roots.

Enhancing Summer Bonsai Care with Mulching and Watering Wisdom