When to do itBC-04
When to Fertilize Bonsai: Months for 12 Species, Why Stop in Midsummer and Winter, Solid vs Liquid, and Fertilizer Burn
The time to fertilize bonsai is the spring and autumn growing season. Stop in midsummer and winter, and do not feed right after repotting or when the tree is weak.
In this article (16 sections)
- In short: when should you fertilize bonsai?
- Why do you fertilize bonsai in spring and autumn?
- Why do you stop fertilizing bonsai in midsummer and winter?
- How should you fertilize bonsai during the rainy season?
- Why don't you fertilize a bonsai right after repotting?
- How does fertilizer differ for flowering and fruiting bonsai?
- How are fruit and a weakening tree linked to fertilizer in chojubai and crabapple?
- How does fertilizer differ between conifer and deciduous bonsai?
- How do solid fertilizer cakes and liquid fertilizer differ?
- What are the signs of too little or too much fertilizer on a bonsai?
- How do you spot and treat fertilizer burn on a bonsai?
- Why do sources give different months for fertilizing bonsai?
- What terms come up when fertilizing bonsai?
- What else goes with fertilizing bonsai?
What are common questions about fertilizing bonsai?6
- Sources
In short: when should you fertilize bonsai?
The time to fertilize bonsai is the spring and autumn growing season. Stop in midsummer and winter, and in the rainy season (tsuyu, Japan's early-summer rains) either stop or switch to diluted liquid fertilizer, depending on the species.
Bonsai guides generally say to fertilize in spring and autumn. The soil in a small pot alone does not hold enough nutrients for the tree to grow.
The trouble is that when "spring" and "autumn" start and end differs by species. This site turned the care data for each species into a table of fertilizing months.
What this article covers:
- Fertilizing months for each species, and why to stop in midsummer and winter
- What to do in the rainy season and right after repotting
- How flowering and fruiting trees, and conifers and deciduous trees, differ
- How solid fertilizer cakes and liquid fertilizer differ
- How to recognize and treat fertilizer burn
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese black pine | ||||||||||||
| Japanese white pine | ||||||||||||
| Shimpaku juniper | ||||||||||||
| Needle juniper | ||||||||||||
| Japanese maple | ||||||||||||
| Trident maple | ||||||||||||
| Japanese zelkova | ||||||||||||
| Japanese apricot (ume) | ||||||||||||
| Flowering cherry (e.g. Asahiyama) | ||||||||||||
| Satsuki azalea | ||||||||||||
| Chojubai (dwarf flowering quince) | ||||||||||||
| Crabapple (hime-ringo) |
Source (12)
- Omiya Bonsai Art Museum newsletter Vol.55 (candle cutting Jun–Jul), Kimi's Mini Bonsai Days, Komeri, e-Bonsai
- Kimi's Mini Bonsai Days, Komeri, e-Bonsai, Omiya Bonsai Art Museum newsletter Vol.50
- Kimi's Mini Bonsai Days: Shimpaku juniper
- Kimi's Mini Bonsai Days (needle juniper), e-Bonsai (repotting)
- Kimi's Mini Bonsai Days (Japanese maple), e-Bonsai (repotting), Saitama City reports on the museum collection
- Kimi's Mini Bonsai Days (trident maple), e-Bonsai (repotting)
- Kimi's Mini Bonsai Days (zelkova), e-Bonsai (repotting)
- Kimi's Mini Bonsai Days (ume), All About (Kaori Yamada, Seikoen), e-Bonsai (repotting)
- Kimi's Mini Bonsai Days (cherry), e-Bonsai (repotting)
- Kimi's Mini Bonsai Days: Satsuki azalea
- Kimi's Mini Bonsai Days (chojubai), e-Bonsai (repotting)
- Kimi's Mini Bonsai Days (crabapple), e-Bonsai (repotting)
The months in the table are a guide for lowland Kanto (the Tokyo area). In colder areas shift them later, and in warmer areas shift them earlier.
For banyan fig, the source says only "spring to autumn" and gives no months. For that reason it is not shown in this table.
Here is the table above, grouped by type of tree.
| Group | Species | How to think about fertilizer |
|---|---|---|
| Conifers | Japanese black pine, Japanese white pine, shimpaku juniper, needle juniper | Spring and autumn. Needle juniper skips the rainy season and summer |
| Deciduous | Japanese maple, trident maple, Japanese zelkova | Spring and autumn. Do not overfeed in spring |
| Flowering | Ume, flowering cherry, satsuki azalea, chojubai | Spring and autumn, plus a thank-you feeding after flowering |
| Fruiting | Crabapple | After the fruit sets. Let it run out at the end of summer |
| Indoor | Banyan fig | Spring to autumn (no months given) |
The key point: think of the time to fertilize bonsai as "only while the tree is growing and building leaves," and you will not go wrong.
Why do you fertilize bonsai in spring and autumn?
Bonsai are fertilized in spring and autumn because those are the times when the tree grows and uses nutrients. In spring it raises new shoots, and in autumn it stores strength for winter and for next spring's buds.
All About (Seikoen) gives these two periods for fertilizing.
| Period | Start | End |
|---|---|---|
| Spring growing season | When the new shoots have opened and hardened | Until the rainy season begins |
| Autumn ripening season | Around the autumn equinox week (higan) | Until before the leaves fall |
It is common not to feed in spring before the buds open. The trident maple guide says that too much fertilizer in spring makes new branches leggy.
Some guides say autumn fertilizer matters more than spring. Kimi's Mini Bonsai Days says autumn fertilizer for ume gives the tree strength for winter and for budding in spring.
Start spring fertilizer once the leaves on the new shoots have opened and hardened. If you add fertilizer to the rush of budding, the branches stretch too far.
Start gently in spring and feed well in autumn to prepare for winter. That is the basic shape of fertilizing bonsai.
Why do you stop fertilizing bonsai in midsummer and winter?
You stop in midsummer and winter because the tree stops growing and the fertilizer is hard for it to use. For ume, midsummer fertilizer also affects the flower buds.
| Season | What the tree is doing | Why to stop fertilizer | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Midsummer | Growth stops in the heat | The fertilizer is hard for it to use | Hyponex |
| Midsummer (ume) | Flower buds are forming | It affects how the flower buds form | Kimi's Mini Bonsai Days |
| Midsummer (satsuki azalea) | Flower buds are forming | Do not feed in summer | Kimi's Mini Bonsai Days |
| Winter | Dormant | It hardly works even if given | Kimi's Mini Bonsai Days |
Garden trees are sometimes given winter feeding (kangoe) during winter dormancy. Winter feeding is fertilizer meant to work slowly toward budding in spring.
Only some bonsai sources mention fertilizer in winter. Examples are putting winter feeding on early-flowering ume varieties, and a small thank-you feeding after picking the fruit from a crabapple.
Hyponex also says that winter is the dormant period, so fertilizer is generally not given. It writes that winter fertilizer can cause fertilizer burn.
Midsummer and winter are the seasons to rest the fertilizer along with the tree.
Species marked in August start their autumn feeding in late August, once the heat eases. The June marks are feeding before the rainy season, thank-you feeding after flowering, or continued weak liquid fertilizer.
How should you fertilize bonsai during the rainy season?
In the rainy season, depending on the species, either stop fertilizing or switch to diluted liquid fertilizer. This is where the sources differ.
| Species | Rainy season | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese black pine | Except in the rainy season, replace the solid cakes about once a month | Kimi's Mini Bonsai Days |
| Needle juniper | Feed, except in the rainy season and summer | Kimi's Mini Bonsai Days |
| Trident maple | Stop, or give diluted liquid fertilizer to trees that will be defoliated | Kimi's Mini Bonsai Days |
| Chojubai | Keeping up diluted liquid fertilizer once a week helps keep its vigor | Kimi's Mini Bonsai Days |
| Bonsai in general | Spring fertilizer goes until the rainy season begins | All About (Seikoen) |
Vigor means the strength and health of the tree. Defoliation (leaf cutting) is cutting off the leaves so the tree puts out new, smaller leaves.
For species not in the table above, follow All About (Seikoen). Think of spring fertilizer as lasting until the rainy season begins, and you will not be unsure.
The rainy season is a time to "stop or dilute," not a time to add more solid cakes.
Why don't you fertilize a bonsai right after repotting?
Right after repotting, the roots of the bonsai have been cut and are damaged. Wait about 2 to 3 weeks, then start fertilizer with a small amount.
| Source | Fertilizer after repotting |
|---|---|
| Kimi's Mini Bonsai Days (Japanese black pine) | Wait about 2 to 3 weeks and start with a small amount |
| Kimi's Mini Bonsai Days (crabapple) | For a repotted tree, give only base fertilizer in spring |
| Hyponex | Let the plant rest about 2 weeks after repotting, then top up with liquid fertilizer and the like |
Base fertilizer (motogoe) is fertilizer mixed into the soil at repotting. The chojubai and ume guides say to add base fertilizer at repotting.
When strong fertilizer touches damaged roots, water is drawn out of the roots toward the soil. This is how fertilizer burn works, described later.
In a repotting year, do not rush fertilizer; give it little by little once the roots start to grow. The time to repot is covered in when to repot bonsai.
How does fertilizer differ for flowering and fruiting bonsai?
For flowering and fruiting bonsai, choose fertilizer rich in phosphorus and add a thank-you feeding after flowering. These trees use nutrients for flowers and fruit.
Here is what the three main nutrients do, as explained by All About (Seikoen).
| Nutrient | Main role | Suited to |
|---|---|---|
| Nitrogen | Grows leaves and stems | Conifers (fertilizer high in nitrogen) |
| Phosphorus | Sets flowers and fruit | Flowering and fruiting trees |
| Potassium | Grows roots | Conifers in autumn (the black pine guide adds phosphorus and potassium) |
Here is what is special about fertilizer for each flowering and fruiting species.
| Species | Fertilizer notes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Ume | Loves fertilizer. Running out leads to branch die-back and fewer flower buds | Kimi's Mini Bonsai Days |
| Ume | Tends to run short of phosphorus. Fertilizer for flowering plants is also used | Kimi's Mini Bonsai Days |
| Satsuki azalea | The thank-you feeding after flowering matters. Do not feed in summer | Kimi's Mini Bonsai Days |
| Chojubai | Too much nitrogen makes it leggy and it flowers less | Kimi's Mini Bonsai Days |
| Crabapple | Feed after the fruit sets, and let it run out at the end of summer | Kimi's Mini Bonsai Days |
A thank-you feeding (oreigoe) is fertilizer that replaces the nutrients used up after flowering. Hyponex says not to give it to a weakened plant.
Leggy growth means branches stretch out long and thin with wide gaps between leaves.
Ume is a tree that loves fertilizer. Do not let its autumn fertilizer run out.
For flowering and fruiting trees, allow fertilizer for the flowers and fruit too, and give more phosphorus.
How are fruit and a weakening tree linked to fertilizer in chojubai and crabapple?
Chojubai and crabapple weaken if you leave the fruit on. Manage not only the fertilizer but also the number of fruit and when you pick them.
| Species | Fruit and weakening | How fertilizer is handled |
|---|---|---|
| Chojubai | Setting fruit lowers its vigor. Pick off spent flowers early | Avoid fertilizer high in nitrogen, and include phosphorus and potassium too |
| Crabapple | Fruiting every year weakens it, and branches may even die | Let fertilizer run out at the end of summer for fruit color, and give more phosphorus in autumn |
If a crabapple is overfed, it grows too vigorously and sets fruit poorly. Kimi's Mini Bonsai Days recommends picking the fruit once you have enjoyed it, before the end of the year or early in the new year.
Chojubai sets fruit as it is unless you pick off the spent flowers. On mini bonsai, hold back on enjoying the fruit, and if you leave some, keep it to a few.
Think of fertilizer for fruiting trees together with reducing the number of fruit, and the tree is less likely to weaken.
How does fertilizer differ between conifer and deciduous bonsai?
Conifer bonsai suit fertilizer high in nitrogen, and deciduous trees get less fertilizer in spring. Both are fed in spring and autumn.
| Species and stage | Fertilizer notes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Conifers in general | Suit fertilizer high in nitrogen | All About (Seikoen) |
| Japanese black pine | Oil cake (aburakasu) alone is enough. Add phosphorus and potassium in autumn | Kimi's Mini Bonsai Days |
| Finished Japanese black pine | Less than for a tree still in training | Kimi's Mini Bonsai Days |
| Needle juniper | Plenty from spring to autumn. Skip the rainy season and summer | Kimi's Mini Bonsai Days |
| Trident maple | Very little and weak in spring. Keep giving small amounts | Kimi's Mini Bonsai Days |
In bonsai, the amount of fertilizer changes between a tree still in training and a finished tree. A tree you want to thicken gets more, and a tree whose shape you want to keep gets less.
Lay out a year of Japanese black pine and you can see how the times for fertilizer and candle cutting line up.
| Month | Repotting | Pruning | Bud work | Feeding | Wiring |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | |||||
| Feb | ● | ||||
| Mar | ● | ● | ● | ||
| Apr | ● | ● | ● | ||
| May | ● | ||||
| Jun | ● | ||||
| Jul | ● | ||||
| Aug | ● | ||||
| Sep | |||||
| Oct | ● | ● | ● | ||
| Nov | ● | ● | |||
| Dec | ● | ● |
Even within one species, the amount of fertilizer changes with the stage of the tree.
How do solid fertilizer cakes and liquid fertilizer differ?
Solid fertilizer cakes placed on the soil work slowly over a long time, while liquid fertilizer works fast but does not last. The basis for bonsai is solid cakes, with liquid fertilizer used to top up.
| Point of comparison | Solid cakes (solid fertilizer) | Liquid fertilizer |
|---|---|---|
| Main contents | Often organic fertilizers such as oil cake and bone meal | Often chemically made fertilizers |
| How it works | Dissolves a little at each watering and works slowly | Works fast but does not last long |
| When to replace | The effect fades in about a month, so replace them | Give it at the interval in the instructions |
| Watch out for | Place them so they do not touch the base of the trunk | Too strong a mix damages the roots |
| Suited to | The basic fertilizer in spring and autumn | Topping up in the rainy season or for small pots, after repotting |
All About (Seikoen) gives a guide for how much to place. For a pot about 9 cm across (a size 3 pot in Japanese sizing), place pieces about the size of a thumbnail.
The number of pieces is about 2 for conifers and about 3 for flowering and fruiting trees.
In a small pot, placing many cakes at once can cause root rot. Place a little at a time over several rounds, and top up with diluted liquid fertilizer.
How to dilute liquid fertilizer and how often to give it differ by product. For liquid fertilizer, follow the dilution and interval in the product instructions.
Solid cakes on a small bonsai roll off the pot easily. Fertilizer holders keep them from shifting where you put them.
What are the signs of too little or too much fertilizer on a bonsai?
With too little fertilizer the leaves turn pale, and with too much the branches get leggy and soft. Either way, you tell by how the tree looks.
| What to look at | Too little | Too much |
|---|---|---|
| Leaves and stems | Pale color, small plant | Branches get leggy and soft |
| Flowers and fruit | Few flowers or fruit. Fruit drops early | Fruit ripens late |
| Disease and pests | Not stated | More likely to increase |
| For ume | Branch die-back, fewer flower buds | Not stated |
When there is too much, the remedy is to give less and switch to a slow-acting fertilizer. Hyponex writes to be especially careful about giving too much nitrogen.
Getting into the habit of checking leaf color and how the branches grow each time you replace the fertilizer gives you the quickest warning.
How do you spot and treat fertilizer burn on a bonsai?
Fertilizer burn is when fertilizer is too strong, damages the roots, and makes the tree wilt or die. When you notice it, remove the fertilizer and flush it out of the soil with plenty of water.
Hyponex explains fertilizer burn by osmotic pressure (the force that moves water because of a difference in concentration). When the fertilizer in the soil is stronger than the inside of the roots, water leaves the roots for the soil and they shrivel.
To tell, look at it together with the work you did just before.
| What you see | Clues that point to fertilizer burn | Other things to consider |
|---|---|---|
| Leaves wilt | You just added fertilizer or gave strong liquid fertilizer | Drying out, a rootbound tree |
| Tips of leaves or new shoots are damaged | Solid cakes are touching the base of the trunk | Strong summer sun |
| The tree weakens after repotting | You fertilized right after repotting | Roots cut too hard |
Here is the order of treatment.
- Remove the solid cakes and stop liquid fertilizer too
- Water thoroughly until it runs out of the bottom of the pot, to flush the fertilizer out
- Move the tree into the shade and wait for the roots to recover
- If it does not recover, wait for the right time and repot it into fresh soil
Giving more than the stated amount because the tree looks weak does the opposite of what you want. Hyponex warns that it can instead kill the plant.
Adding fertilizer to a weak tree backfires. The basic rule is not to fertilize a weakened tree.
For fertilizer burn, the best treatment is to remove the fertilizer the day you notice it.
Why do sources give different months for fertilizing bonsai?
Fertilizing months vary with the stage of tree a source assumes, and whether it is written for garden trees or for bonsai. This site uses the months where bonsai sources overlap.
| Difference | What the sources say |
|---|---|
| Japanese black pine | Bonsai guides and a garden store guide differ slightly in how long spring and autumn last |
| Calendars for garden and potted trees | In NHK's gardening encyclopedia, potted pines get extra fertilizer only once, in early spring |
| Crabapple | A small thank-you feeding in winter is treated as "optional," so it is not in the table |
| Banyan fig | The source says only "spring to autumn" with no months, so it is not shown in the table |
Bonsai are grown in small pots while their roots are cut. The thinking about fertilizer differs from that for garden trees or large potted plants.
How the months are chosen is explained in how this site sets its timings. In colder areas shift them later, and in warmer areas shift them earlier.
The months in the table are the starting point. In the end, decide by how the buds and leaves on your own tree look.
What terms come up when fertilizing bonsai?
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Solid fertilizer cakes | Solid fertilizer placed on the soil. It dissolves a little at each watering |
| Liquid fertilizer | Fertilizer diluted with water and given as a liquid. It works fast but does not last long |
| Base fertilizer | Fertilizer mixed into the soil at repotting |
| Top-dressing | Fertilizer added while the tree is growing. It can be solid cakes or liquid fertilizer |
| Thank-you feeding | Fertilizer that replaces nutrients used up after flowering or after picking fruit |
| Winter feeding | Fertilizer given in winter dormancy to work slowly toward spring. Mainly for garden trees |
| Fertilizer burn | When fertilizer is too strong, damages the roots, and makes the tree wilt or die |
| Three main nutrients | Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. The main ingredients of fertilizer |
| Leggy growth | Branches stretching out long and thin with wide gaps |
| Vigor | The strength and health of a tree |
What else goes with fertilizing bonsai?
Fertilizing bonsai is tied to the timing of repotting, pruning and watering. Go on to the next article for whichever job you want to know more about.
- What to do right after repotting: when to repot bonsai
- Bud work that overlaps with fertilizer: when to prune bonsai
- The water that dissolves fertilizer: watering bonsai
- All the jobs for 13 species in one place: bonsai year calendar
Year calendarHow to Care for Bonsai: A Yearly Calendar for 13 Species, Seasonal Care, and 3 Basics for BeginnersHow to care for bonsai with a yearly calendar for 13 species, from black pine to maple and satsuki. Repotting, pruning and feeding by group, and fixes.
When to do itWhen to Repot Bonsai: Months for 13 Species, How Often, Rootbound Signs and AftercareWhen to repot bonsai, by month for 13 species. Spring before bud break is the rule. Exceptions, how often, rootbound signs, steps and aftercare, with sources.
When to do itWhen to Prune Bonsai: Months for 13 Species, Pinching vs Candle Cutting vs Defoliation, When Not to Cut, and WiringWhen to prune bonsai, by month for 13 species from black pine to satsuki. Pinching, candle cutting and defoliation, when not to cut, wiring and fixing mistakes.Watering and seasonsHow Often to Water Bonsai: Seasonal Guide for 13 Species, plus Summer Evenings, Winter, Trips and Drying OutHow often to water bonsai, by season for 13 species. Pot size and spot, how much and when, summer evenings, winter, trips, and drying out vs root rot.What are common questions about fertilizing bonsai?
From when to when do you fertilize bonsai?
In spring, from when the new shoots have opened and hardened until the rainy season begins. In autumn, from around the equinox week until before the leaves fall. The months for each species are in the table.
These are guides for lowland Kanto (the Tokyo area), so shift them to suit your region.
Can you fertilize bonsai in summer?
Stop in midsummer. Growth stops, and the fertilizer is hard for the tree to use.
Ume and satsuki azalea in particular should not be fed, because their flower buds are forming then.
Do bonsai need fertilizer in winter?
Most species do not. They are dormant, and fertilizer hardly works even if you give it.
The exceptions are few, such as early-flowering ume varieties.
Can you grow bonsai on liquid fertilizer alone?
Most bonsai sources use solid cakes as the basis and liquid fertilizer to top up. If you use liquid fertilizer, keep to the dilution and interval in the instructions.
Too strong a mix damages the roots.
Can you fertilize a weakened bonsai?
No. Fertilizer is too harsh for weakened roots.
First sort out the tree's place and watering, and fertilize once it has recovered.
When do you fertilize banyan fig?
The source says "spring to autumn" and gives no months. For that reason it is not shown in this site's table.
In winter, keep it indoors at 5°C or above.
Sources
- All About: How to fertilize bonsai, by Kaori Yamada of Seikoen (in Japanese. Spring growing season and autumn ripening season, solid cakes and liquid fertilizer, the three main nutrients, conifers and flowering or fruiting trees, how much to give, do not feed weakened trees, fertilizer holders)
- Hyponex Plantia: More about fertilizer vol4, What is fertilizer burn? (in Japanese. How fertilizer burn works, flushing with water, repotting, stated amounts)
- Hyponex Plantia: More about fertilizer vol2, What are base fertilizer and top-dressing? (in Japanese. Base fertilizer and top-dressing, keep solid fertilizer off the plant, growth stalls in summer, signs of too little and too much)
- Hyponex Plantia: Recommended fertilizers for houseplants and how to use them (in Japanese. Let plants rest about 2 weeks after repotting, how solid and liquid fertilizers work, generally no fertilizer in winter)
- Hyponex Plantia: What is a thank-you feeding? (in Japanese. The difference between thank-you feeding and winter feeding, do not give it to weakened plants)
- Hyponex FAQ: Tell me about fertilizer burn (in Japanese. Damage to roots, leaves and flowers)
- Hyponex Plantia: How to grow gajumaru (in Japanese. Fertilizer from spring to autumn, indoors at 5°C or above in winter)
- Kimi's Mini Bonsai Days: How to grow Japanese black pine (in Japanese. About once a month except in the rainy season, oil cake, phosphorus and potassium in autumn, 2 to 3 weeks after repotting, less for finished trees)
- Kimi's Mini Bonsai Days: How to grow needle juniper (in Japanese. Plenty, except in the rainy season and summer)
- Kimi's Mini Bonsai Days: How to grow maples (in Japanese. Little and weak in spring, stop or use diluted liquid fertilizer from the rainy season to midsummer)
- Kimi's Mini Bonsai Days: How to grow ume (in Japanese. Loves fertilizer, stop in midsummer, autumn fertilizer, phosphorus, winter feeding for early-flowering varieties)
- Kimi's Mini Bonsai Days: How to grow satsuki azalea (in Japanese. Thank-you feeding after flowering, no fertilizer in summer)
- Kimi's Mini Bonsai Days: How to grow chojubai (in Japanese. Diluted liquid fertilizer in the rainy season, small amounts more often in small pots, nitrogen and leggy growth, fruit and vigor)
- Kimi's Mini Bonsai Days: How to grow crabapple (in Japanese. Feed after the fruit sets, let it run out at the end of summer, when to pick the fruit, only base fertilizer for repotted trees)
- Komeri HowTo: Bonsai, care (in Japanese. When to fertilize pine bonsai)
- NHK Publishing, Minna no Shumi no Engei plant encyclopedia: Pines (in Japanese. A calendar for garden and potted trees. Used only for cross-checking)
Read next
When to do itBC-02When to Repot Bonsai: Months for 13 Species, How Often, Rootbound Signs and AftercareWhen to repot bonsai, by month for 13 species. Spring before bud break is the rule. Exceptions, how often, rootbound signs, steps and aftercare, with sources.When to do itBC-03When to Prune Bonsai: Months for 13 Species, Pinching vs Candle Cutting vs Defoliation, When Not to Cut, and WiringWhen to prune bonsai, by month for 13 species from black pine to satsuki. Pinching, candle cutting and defoliation, when not to cut, wiring and fixing mistakes.