Micropositioning bonsai in the garden; it matters.

[Clicio]

You are unique man! ALWAYS a minority

That's a healthy way of facing the world.
Yes, I like it. Good thinking.

 

[Gustavo Martins]

And I guess the Açores is windy, no?

Can be but it is highly inconsistent. Not as the canaries which are in the trade winds zone.

 

[Clicio]

As for watering conifers, of course we can't generalize about it.
On the same bench, side by side, full sun and the same fertilizing schedule, I keep a JBP, a Shimpaku and a Hinoki.
JBP like it dry.
Shimpaku like it dryish.
Hinoki likes it wet.
So if one has many tress, sometimes it's better positioning them on the benches to facilitate the watering, so one side of the bench gets more water more often, while the opposite side gets less water.

 

[Clicio]

@Clicio, genuinely curious if people in the southern hemisphere feel like the minority ...

@kale , sorry.
If you are talking about me being a minority for trying to grow temperate bonsai in the tropics, or you trying to grow tropicals in Colorado, then yes, we are the stubborn minority.

 

[Clicio]

I think everyone interested in this topic should download and use a very comprehensive @bonhe resource (a PDF file) he has just posted HERE.
Thread 'Evaluation of Stress on Bonsai' https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/evaluation-of-stress-on-bonsai.47457/

 

[kale]

Kale, I don't think I grasped the meaning of your question. What do you mean by minority? If you mean a minority of bonsai lovers, minority of protestants versus Catholics, minority of blond blue eyed people, then the answer is yes.
On the other hand an American WASP will feel like being a minority down here, so it depends.
As I have lived in the USA and in Europe, and never ever encountered any prejudices against me being from the southern hemisphere, I guess I never felt like being a minority.

I wonder if the maple and azalea would do best with partial shade all day?

Yes, I think so, at least in my climate that is hot and humid in the summer

Sorry @Clicio I poorly phrased my question! By ‘minority’ I simply mean a smaller group of people. Maybe I should’ve used the word outlier? Like do you feel like you are always needing to disclose that youre in the southern hemishpere? When doing research did you have to do mental gymnastics to figure out what months for repotting, etc?

 

[Clicio]

Sorry @Clicio

Hey, no need to be sorry!

Like do you feel like you are always needing to disclose that youre in the southern hemishpere? When doing research did you have to do mental gymnastics to figure out what months for repotting, etc?

Well, I have a converted calendar for deciduous, conifers and tropical care where December (winter there) becomes June (winter here) and so on, and it works.
People around here already know who is down under, so no stress at all!

 

[Clicio]

@kale take a look at this Resource, it's about Prunus Mume (Umê) and it works both hemispheres:

@Brian Van Fleet kindly provided a comprehensive calendar for Prunus Mume care:

Tutorial - Prunus Mume care Calendar

@Brian Van Fleet kindly provided a comprehensive calendar for Prunus Mume care, as follows: NORTHERN HEMISPHERE Winter: DECEMBER - Prune lightly to a good shape for the flowers. - Carefully wire it if needed. Don’t wire if there is a chance...

www.bonsainut.com

 

[AZbonsai]

I micro position my boxwood underneath the benches in the summer time.

Great thread.

 

[Clicio]

It is a very good idea to get to know the preferences of the trees we grow and what conditions they prefer. Some species, like Chinese elm, seem to have a wider range of tolerance and some a little less.

Yes, Chinese Elms go well from a windowsill to full outdoors sun here.
My Wisteria struggled indoors; my maples don't like our heat, and so on.

 

[leatherback]

My Wisteria struggled indoors

Why do you try to keep wisteria indoors?

 

[AZbonsai]

I did not see this in other posts but one factor we deal with on benches here is radiant heat. Radiant heat can have a huge impact on trees and should be taken into account when placing trees. Specifically, heat from block fences, windows, the side of your house. These objects can absorb and reflect tremendous amounts of heat onto your trees. Just another thing to consider when placing benches and trees.

 

[Clicio]

Why do you try to keep wisteria indoors?

Because that was the space I had at the time; a big windowsill in a big apartment.
It doesn't work.

 

[Clicio]

Radiant heat can have a huge impact on trees and should be taken into account when placing trees. Specifically, heat from block fences, windows, the side of your house.

Exactly.
That's the main reason to be taking all my plants from a relatively small area surrounded by walls to my much bigger outdoor garden, with no walls around.
It surely makes an enormous difference.
Thanks for remembering this, can be a big problem!

 

[leatherback]

It doesn't work.

surprise, surprise

 

[AZbonsai]

with no walls around.

I use an oleander hedge to block radiant heat from my walls. I let it grow all it wants in the summer and whack it back in winter.

 

[leatherback]

radiant heat. Radiant heat can have a huge impact on trees

Yeah, I concluded my hornbeam got damaged because of the radiant heat of the wall!

 

[Paradox]

Yes, I guess so.
But the topic is, moving them left or right, up and down, even by a few feet makes a huge difference.

Kind of depends on what the difference is ie what is going on in that few feet doesnt it.
In some areas of my yard, a "few feet" doesn't make much difference because they are still in full sun.
However if I move them from the lower yard to my deck, they go from full sun to partial shade or further under the trees, it goes to more shade.
Yes that makes a difference.

 

[leatherback]

sunny side:


Shade & afternoon shade:


double-crisp!

 

[Clicio]

sunny side:

It lacks one element on your picture.
Go figure!