I just got my Brazilian Rain Tree yesterday, and it is most likely going to be an indoor tree, so I am wondering how often it should be fertilized during fall and winter. I typically use bonsai pro fertilizer from dyna grow, and typically didn't feed any of the trees I brought indoors for winter like my Fukien tea, Ficus, or Chinese elm, just watered them usually once a week from like November until late April early may when they went outdoors for the summer. Now that winter is approaching soon, maybe theres a better way of doing things with fertilizing trees over winter that are inside.

My BRTs get fertilized every 4-6 weeks in winter. But a light one. Most of the winter growth is too lanky for good use as I do not provide additional light. So my aim is not really to get a lot of growth, but rather just keep them happy. Hoping for another 4-6 weeks before they need to move inside here.

I'm in Chicago, so hopefully have until sometime in November before they have to come in, The rain tree hasn't gone outside yet, figured let it recover from being in a box for 4 days first. Wigert's has awesome trees and really a pleasant company to order from.

Wondering when I should start fertilizing it, just got it Thursday evening, he had his second watering this morning since the soil looked a little dry and pot was lightweight. Figure I should wait awhile to fertilize him since he spent 4 days in a box in shipping from Florida to the Chicago area, but don't want to overlook feeding him since he is a cool tree.

Hey!
Look, I see no reason why you would start to fert. it right at autumn entrance, if still warm enough for it to grow, wait until it's naturally growing to fertilize it...

Maybe You should find someone in your area that has Brazilian Rain Trees. Because they are deciduous, or semi-deciduous depending on the climate. In my climate they can drops 100% of it's leaves, sometimes burn some tips, and it barely drops to 0ºC.

So in Chicago the care is surely different, as winter could reach what... -6ºC?

Winters in Chicago make the Brazilian rain tree an indoor type of tree, since it is considered a tropical. We can get some days that reach -15f, fortunately not too often... that is too cold. plus like last winter we can get 20 plus inches of snow overnight....

chicagobonsaiboy wrote:

Winters in Chicago make the Brazilian rain tree an indoor type of tree, since it is considered a tropical. We can get some days that reach -15f, fortunately not too often... that is too cold. plus like last winter we can get 20 plus inches of snow overnight....

1976 I as in Chicago for a week. The low was -36F, about -35C. When the high one day got up to +26F/-3 or -4C, we thought it was hot.

Most tropicals should come inside at 50F/10C. Check each species to see. Some can take cooler, some need warmer.

My BRTs are still outside, although I brought them into the greenhouse last week.
THey will move indoors when temps outside get near frost.

Fertilizing.. every 6 weeks a weak fertilizer as I do not want them to grow too much when indoors. In summer they get fertilized wheneverything else does. As plants struggle with changes, I would not change the location to outside if you are within 4 weeks of getting it inside.

Here in Chicago, you never know when the temperature is actually going to act like the season it is in until it kinda does, this spring was a perfect example.... we were all wondering when spring was gonna get here and within 3 days of the last gripe about it being cold in may it was in the 80's. I think I will let the rain tree get used to its new home and location and take him outside next spring. I think too that maybe the beginning of October, I will bring my ficus and Fukien tea inside to join the rain tree... never know have had snow on halloween here before.