Sep
Bonsai Tree Care - Preventing Disease
Good bonsai tree care is essential for the prevention of disease. Most bonsai trees that have been well cared for will not succumb to disease as good growing conditions have allowed them to develop vigor & resilience. On the other hand, those that have been exposed to poor growing conditions like over-watering, poor soil or not enough light are under some degree of stress & are therefore more susceptible to disease & infection from bugs.
Systemic insecticides can be often used as a precaution against disease. These are sprayed onto the foliage & absorbed into the sap stream, which distributes the treatment throughout the entire plant. These insecticides should not actually be used regularly though as they’re environmentally unsound, expensive & build up resistance within the plant so that when the insecticide is really needed to treat a problem, it may be ineffective.
If you suspect that a disease or pest has affected your bonsai, make certain you closely inspect your tree. Look for discoloration of the leaves, holes in the leaves, lost foliage, the evidence of pests & anything else unusual which will often help you identify the problem.
Treatment will depend entirely on the cause of the problem. If you’re unsure of how to treat your bonsai, speak to some one at your local nursery for advice or search for bonsai enthusiasts on line that may be easily able to answer your questions.
Once you have treated the problem successfully attempt to identify ways in which you can stop it from happening again.
Jennifer Gormly loves to share her interest in & experiences of looking after bonsai with others. Visit her Bonsai Blog for lots of great information & tips on bonsai tree care.
