Saturday 17 July 2010

Wind Damage

The strong winds here in Leicestershire over the last two days has caused some damage in my Bonsai garden. Two of the taller trees were blown over, leaving the roots exposed for at least a day and my little Spirea was blown clean of the shelves and two of the major branches have snapped off.



Winds have now died down and I will have to check all of the trees to make sure no other damage has occured.

2 comments:

  1. O wow sorry to hear that. Hope there wasn't much more damage.

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  2. It's a really nice tree, sorry to see that.

    Extra Precautions to take in Windy Weather

    * The wind causes increased moisture loss from the foliage of plants, be aware that bonsai will require more water during warm, dry winds in the Summer.
    * As the moisture level in a pot is reduced, there is a tendency for the plant and pot to become top heavy and more liable to being blown over. Watering before or during strong winds will increase the weight of the pot and reduce the chances of the tree and pot toppling over.
    * If very strong winds are forecast, group your bonsai closely together so they protect each other from the wind and from falling over.
    * Give plants with thin leaves such as Japanese Maples, extra protection as they are at greater risk of leaf damage from the wind.
    * Don't place bonsai on the floor where the wind speed is greater than higher up on a bonsai bench. Do make sure to keep bonsai placed in the middle and not the edge of their benches so that if blown over, they do not then fall onto the ground below.
    * Always tie your bonsai into its pot when repotting to stop the tree being blown out of the pot during strong winds. Trees that are not secure in their pots are at greatest risk of damage.

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