Autumn a magic season for bonsai

With the arrival of autumn, bonsai trees are preparing to go into dormancy. In many gardens the leaves start to take on autumn colours. Some trees such as Ginkgo biloba, Pomegranate and Prunus turn they leaves into yellow. The maples, on the other hand, are turning their leaves from golden to reddish-orange, depending on the species.

During the last few autumns, in areas close to the sea, it is very difficult to see these beautiful autumn tones on the leaves. These changes in tone are caused by the fact that it is cold at night and still warm during the day. The climate along the coast is too warm at night for the leaves to turn into autumn colours.

But whatever the climate we have, we all can enjoy the colour of the fruits. The Pyracantha fill their branches with thousands of bright orange fruits, which from a distance look as fire (this is why they are called fire thorns). The Apple trees still have their green leaves, it is not cold this year, but their fruits are beginning to fill their branches with colour. The Crataegus surprise us with their red berries. The Orange trees are still waiting for the season when their fruits will change from their current green colour to the intense orange that bears their name.

Autumn a magic season for bonsai

It is obvious that for many bonsai enthusiasts autumn is the most popular season of the year. Maybe because of the beauty of its colours, but especially for the feeling of calm that pervades all the trees.

This serene season is the beginning of the working cycle of the deciduous trees, which we are going to prune when the leaves have fallen. It is still warm and if we prune, we run the risk of making the trees sprout. The best job is to do nothing and wait, just enjoying the beauty of the trees in autumn, although we can fertilise, water them and readjust some of the branches that are wired.

Enjoy the autumn, a magic season for bonsai!

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