Heatwave
Bonsai care

When temperatures are high, some of our Bonsai need extra care. We provide as much shadow as possible and water carefully, but there is more you can do to protect your trees during heatwaves.

Before we discuss short term and long term measures to protect your trees, first let's look at what happens to trees when temperatures exceed 90 °F (32 °C). At these high temperatures, some tree species slow down growth or even shed branches to prevent critical moisture loss. Optimizing the watering of your trees is therefore crucial. Tropical trees as well as Pines for example can take far higher temperatures than say a Maple, so make sure to check our tree species guides for specific information. Apart from high temperatures, low humidity is another risk during heatwaves as well as intense sunlight.

“High temperatures of the soil poses the greatest risk to your Bonsai.”

The roots of trees growing in nature are carefully protected from high temperatures, buried deep down in soil. Our Bonsai however are kept in shallow pots, and therefore the temperature of the soil (and rootsystem) can rise to dangerous levels. Dying and burned leaves, or branchtip dieback from intense sunlight can be a problem during heatwaves, but high temperatures of the soil poses the greatest risk to your Bonsai. Some signs of stress from a Bonsai during a heatwave include a pale color of the leaves, dieback of branchtips on conifers, and dying leaves.

Short term measures

What follows is some advice for immediate care during a heatwave. Most importantly, water thoroughly and often, and make sure to provide as much shade as possible.

Long term measures

Here are some tips that need a bit of planning and building.

Conclusion

With these short-term and long-term tips, your trees should be able to withstand heat waves well. Did we miss any tips? Please let us know on the forum!