Plant Growing Zones

Tree and Plant Growing Zones for USDA hardiness zones 2 through 9

For the past 60 years, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has collected environmental data about plant hardiness throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico. This information from the USDA National Arboretum was then made into a tree and plant growing zone map.

The US national arboretum gathered this information and made an easy to follow color coded map. They divided North America into 11 zones, based on the lowest temperatures recorded in those areas over the past few decades. These areas can help you and other gardeners determine how likely a certain species of plant is to survive in your areas general climate.

The following environmental factors that can change from year to year will affect how your plants grow. Acid rain, gaseous and particulate pollution, security lighting, and toxic wastes, among many other stress factors, have significantly increased the potential for unsatisfactory performance of landscape plants and trees.

New techniques of planting, transplanting, watering, fertilizing, and providing pest control measures have done much to increase the healthy growth of landscape plants.

• For more information go to USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map

House plant watering cans

It is that time of the summer when plants get very hot especially juniper Bonsai. If you have a fairly new bonsai then you need to keep very close attention on your watering habits.

If your tree seemed to be healthy until recently and the leaves or needles are turning yellow or brown, it is most likely a water problem.

Normally you only need to mist the tree from the tips to roots everyday and then water once a week. But in the hot summer this is not enough.

Yellow leaves are from over watering, then if it gets direct hot sun the yellow leaves dry and then turn brown. Not giving a bonsai tree enough water will also turn the leaves brown. Many bonsai trees like to dry out inbetween waterings but but not for days at a time.
This is a common problem for many house plants as well. Sometimes we water the roots and forget to mist the leaves or the opposite happens – misting and then forgeting to water the roots. Read more

Basic bonsai tree care

Brief explanation of basic care and does not cover training – Training deals with the art of bonsai and should be thoroughly understood before undertaking — or left to a professional. However, most of the true bonsai trees you find have already been through their training period, thus requiring only periodic trimming and pinching to remain miniature. To keep your bonsai miniature, pinch and trim back the new growth to the farthest safe point. Never should all of the new growth be removed. A little should be left to sustain the health of the tree. Tropical and sub-tropical trees used for bonsai will require periodic pinching and trimming throughout the year. Since different trees grow at different rates, it is necessary to evaluate each tree’s rate of growth and adjust your trimming and pinching to accommodate it.

Repotting must be performed periodically on all bonsai when their root system has filled the pot

The reasons for repotting are to supply your tree with fresh soil, and to encourage a more compact root system. As a rule, most deciduous trees require repotting every two or three years, while evergreens only need to be repotted every four or five years. Since trees grow at different rates, this schedule will not always hold true, therefore, you should examine your tree’s root system each year to determine if it has become pot-bound.

In most cases, the potting process is easy and safe if performed properly and at the right time of the year. Repotting should be done in mid-summer. The tree, along with all of its soil, should be removed from the pot. The outer and bottom most fourth of the tree’s root mass should be removed. This is done by raking the soil away, then pruning back the roots. In most cases, it is not good to prune back more than one fourth of the tree’s root mass.

After this, the tree can be placed back in its original pot or into another. The pot should have screen placed over the drainage holes. Then a thin layer of small gravel is placed in the bottom of the pot for drainage purposes. On top of this gravel is placed the new fresh soil.

Place a layer of well-draining soil which is sufficient enough to elevate the tree to its previous height in the pot. After placing the tree back in the pot, the area left vacant by the pruned root mass should be filled in with fresh soil.

This fresh soil should be worked in around and under the root mass in such a manner as to avoid leaving any air pockets. After repotting, your bonsai should be thoroughly watered. This can be achieved by submerging the entire pot in a tub of water. Moss or other ground covers can be used to cover the surface of the pot to help prevent soil erosion when watering.
 

Decorating ideas using plants

Buying bonsai trees as a home accent

If you are going to buy a bonsai tree as a home accent there are a few points that you should consider first.

The area that it is going to be placed in kind of sounds like a no brainer. Any place that gets a little light should be good enough. It is not! For instance if you place a bonsai tree near a doorway that leads outside or by a window that you like to keep open all the time the tree could be kept in a cool draft which wouldn’t be the best growing situation. The same goes for placing a tree near a heater or heat register. This cause an uneven growing enviroment as far as keeping your plant in a controlled climate for optimum growth.

Look at you furnishings and wall accents to get an idea of the colors you are using in the room and then pick a bonsai tree that matches this.

If you are placing your tree on a display stand or accent table will the plant stick out an inch or two too far and be knocked over. Worse yet will someone at your next party accidentally break a branch off that got stuck in there clothing, sweaters are bad for this.

If you are buying a flowering bonsai tree is it going to drop leaves or petals with residue on them onto your expensive wood floors or carpeting. You can bet this would only happen when you are away for a week or two.

These are just a few bonsai plant care tips we have more information  on our main site about plant care, some is for bonsai trees and other information is for general house plants.

Indoor Plant Care

Below are links to our section on how to properly care for and maintain house plants. Everything you need to tell if a plant is sick and how to care for it.

House Plant Care Information

• Plants and Pests
• Plant grow lights
• About Potting Soils
• Plant Pruning Tips
• Proper Containers
• Indoor plant pots
• The importance of humidity
• Propagation
• Indoor gardening
• Plant buying tips
• Potted Plants    
• Watering Instructions   
• Light sources