Extremely hot season has an influence on human beings and bonsai. We interviewed Hiroyoshi Yamaji, Chairman of JA Kokubunji bonsai section in Takamatsu’s Kokubunji town, about the key to caring trees in this season.

Watering and shade

Yamaji takes care of Ichii (Japanese yew) from Hokkaido in his Sanshoen bonsai garden. The tree is about 200 years old whose trunk is hollow. The Shari (decayed trunks) and Jin (perished branches) are also great. He smiled and said, “This tree must be from the Edo period.”

It is difficult to grow trees from cold area like Ichii in warm area, and vice versa. Especially the trees from clod area are very weak in the heat so the cares in the summer is difficult. It is necessary to water twice in a day and protect from the heat with cheesecloth.

The dew in the morning and evening is important for bonsai. But it is a few in the summer so it requires careful watering. In addition, transplanting is also important for good water drainage after watering in hot season.

Hard season even for bonsai artists

In JA Kagawa Kokubunji Bonsai center, there are bonsai shelves with cheesecloth and automatic sprinkler for cultivation in hot season. Each bonsai garden also has each cares for protection from the heat.

The temperature is sometimes over 30 degrees in summer in Shikoku and Hokkaido. But in Hokkaido, the temperature difference is extreme between morning and evening, and it helps the roots of trees from cold area to grow.

“The growth of trees from the cold area is influenced by water, soil, and atmosphere beyond the human control. Even in Shikoku area, Kagawa’s atmosphere is different with Ehime’s and Tokushima’s which has high mountains,” Yamaji said.

For trees, it is hard to survive the hot season. It is said someone killed the old masterpiece. Once the old trees lose the energy, it is difficult to recover it. So the hot season’s care is hard even for the bonsai artists.

(By Shigeo Hano)