Welcome to our next installment of  "Tips Of The Week"

 This feature is for the benefit of visitors to this site, I would be happy to hear from you if there is something you would like to see covered here in future weeks. Please direct your E-mail to Paul@bonsaiofbrooklyn.comPlease let me know if I can include your first name and city If your topic is chosen.

Interested in past articles? There's a list at the bottom of the page.

It's been a while since a new article has been added to this section.  Regular visitors may have figured out by now that the "Week" part of the "Tip of The Week" is about as accurate as the "Honest" in "Honest Politician" but let's not get into that, because after all in many (but not all) cases, a majority of the electorate put them into office. There are two main reason for the lack of new articles.   First, I had a potentially serious health issue to deal with.  Thankfully, everything went my way, and I'm fine now.  The second reason is that I have not been getting questions that would make good additions to this section.  If you look in this "Tip of The Week" section for answers to a specific question, and don't find an article that covers it, send an e-mail with your question to Paul@bonsaiofbrooklyn.com and you'll get a personal reply.  If your question is selected for this section, we'll send you one of our 15 ounce Bonsai of Brooklyn Coffee Mugs with your next order as a "Thank You" for the question. Mike from California sent a question about plant food today.  Here's the answer we sent him: For general good health, I strongly recommend Super Thrive, which is vitamins & hormones, (but not plant food) as an integral part of any feeding program.  I have been using this product for over 30 years, and would not consider repotting a bonsai without it.  I believe the good health of our bonsai & pre-bonsai is closely related to our regular use of this terrific product.  As for plant food, you can go any route from the general plant foods (Miracle-Gro, Schultz, Peter's etc.) which are good, to the organic types (liquid seaweed, fish emulsion etc.) or if you want to "spoil" your bonsai collection, a premium food such as Maxi-Grow and/or Maxi-Bloom, both of which are terrific foods containing all the basics, plus an impressive collection of trace elements.  You can vary these foods from month to month, and if any of your trees are "Acid-Lovers" a good acid-based plant food should be included a couple of times a year.  All the above products are available in our "Supplies" section under "Plant Food" and "Super Thrive." The important thing is to be regular, but not over feed.   How you do it depends on how you water your trees.  If you bottom-water your trees, you can add Super Thrive at 1 to 2 drops per gallon of water and plant food at about 5% of the recommended dosage to every watering.  This will give a steady but mild dose of the essential nutrients, which will come out to about one time the recommended dose per month.  If you use a garden hose or sprinkler, there's a gadget in our Supplies section, under "Misting & Watering Supplies" called a Hozon Brass Siphon Mixer which will add the nutrients to all waterings automatically.  If all the above is too complicated, just add plant food at the recommended dose once monthly, or 1/4 strength once a week.   It will not be as good as the "every watering" approach, but it's a lot better than giving them nothing.

Interested in past articles? Click for your choice below.

#1-Things to do in the spring

#2-Forest Plantings

#3-Planning a trimming schedule

#4-Trimming Japanese Maples (And other trees with opposing Buds)

#5-Trimming Chinese Elms (And other trees with alternating Buds)

#6-Trimming Conifers (Such as Pine, Juniper and Cypress)

#7-Improving Your Bonsai Skills

#8-Things to Remember During the Winter Months

#9-Some Thoughts About Tree Roots. Their Strengths & Weaknesses

#10-Potting Medium: The Foundation of a Bonsai

#11-Growing Bonsai Under Artificial Light.

#12-The Importance of Moss, How To Get It & Put It On a Bonsai.

#13-The Right Tool For The Job.

#14-Root Over Rock Planting.

#15-Wiring - Copper or Aluminum?

#16-Wiring - Basic Techniques

#17-Using A Cold Frame, Garage, or Tool Shed For Wintering

#18-Making A Cold Frame For Wintering Temperate Bonsai.

#19-Wintering Temperate Bonsai Indoors.

#20-Sunlight.

#21-Sunlight - Some Further Thoughts.

#22-Is It Really A Tree?

#23-Repotting a "Department Store" Bonsai

#24-Seeds

#25-Getting Started: Too Much Too Soon?

#26-Wintering Temperate & Sub-Tropical Bonsai.  What Needs What?