Chaenomeles japonica 1-12

Growing Tips

Location: Outdoors all year round, it should be exposed, preferably, in a sunny spot and preferably in the summer with partial shade.

Watering: The Japanese quince tree needs a substrate that is always moist. Water it regularly while allowing the root ball to dry out slightly between waterings to avoid excess water. In spring/summer, watering will be done regularly, when it's hot, it's every day ! On the other hand, in winter, water according to the supervision of the soil. Thanks to the rain and cold, you won't necessarily need to water regularly since the substrate will remain moist.

Important: Don't hesitate to water the entire root ball up to the roots, the water will drain away through the holes under the pot or bathe the bonsai in water (drenching) for a few minutes, to make sure you water it well. We do not recommend putting a cup/container under the pot as the water will stagnate and can cause root rot. (Too much water = asphyxiation).

Repotting/substrate : Every 2/3 years in the fall. In the nursery, we use agricultural soil composed of black peat, blond peat, eco-aged, topsoil, horse manure, pozzolana. The next time you repot, you can mix more draining substrate such as: akadama, pumice, kiryu... Just be careful not to disturb the root ball, don't destroy the whole root ball!

Many bonsai react noticeably when repotted at the wrong time or too drastically.

Waist: Pruning is done in the spring, just after flowering (in June), in order to remove dead branches and give it the desired structure. Its rapid growth requires regular pruning but never during flowering.

Fertilization: In the nursery, we use tomato/flower fertilizer NPK 12 12 17. It is a perfect fertilizer as a supplement to nutrients. Place a handful of fertilizer on the substrate (larger or smaller depending on the size of the pot). Fertilize from May to October, apply every 2 months.