Rotating trees

[baldone]

Do you guys turn your trees, so they get sun differently for fuller growth? If so, how often. Mine get filter light on and off early to around noon. But the other side gets direct hot sun after that until it gets behind trees.

 

[Zac]

Yes I rotate mine every once in awhile. Probably once or twice a month. I'm growing my trees out so if I see the new growth curling in direction of sun I rotate. If my trees were more refined I'd rotate them more often

 

[PA_Penjing]

Definitely rotate your trees, its a great habit to get into. I rotate mine once a week because I'm a psycho, but you probably don't have to do it that often. It's an easy way to balance growth, move the thick areas away from sun and expose the thinner bare spots. Once you do that for a year or so you won't have bare spots

 

[Tieball]

I rotate trees weekly. Sometimes just whenever iI feel like making a turn. Only because I want to see all the views. I don't believe in just one front. I work a tree so it looks presentable all around. Although, there always seems to be one view that just does not cooperate very well but I keep coaxing it along. Sometimes the worst side ends up the best.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Not nearly enough…I do have benches facing in 4 different directions so I can move them around, still see the front while exposing them to different angles of sun.

 

[MrFancyPlants]

I rotate trees occasionally, on an as needed basis rather than on a schedule. Some of my trees aren’t dense enough to need rotating, but pines and juniper I would guess I rotate every couple months and/or when performing other maintenance like trimming, decandling or cleaning the soil surface.

 

[99 Mile Creek]

No schedule here, though I do turn them (every month or so) or move some from the back toward the front.

Typically, though, I take care of this by making room for a new tree, which makes for the most interesting game of Tetris.

 

[Shibui]

Rotating to give all round light is important. I aim to rotate weekly but probably only manage monthly
Do what you can.

 

[BrianBay9]

Unless, of course, you're using directional sunlight as a styling tool - slant style, etc.

 

[baldone]

I do it about twice a month so 2 weeks per side.

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

Stating Michael Hagedorn, in his book Bonsai Heresy, points out rotating trees that aren’t big doesn’t give any benefit.

(imho there is always an exception, trees against a wall - especially deciduous trees. These must be rotated frequently)

Our bench’s are also on four sides. Despite this study we do rotate trees. Larger ones every couple weeks during the growing season. Pre bonsai - depends upon the tree. Of course my better half also moves around the trees to give a sense of style to the yard….

Cheers
DSD sends

 

[cheap_walmart_art]

I do when it occurs to me lol Maybe 5 times a year.

 

[PA_Penjing]

@Deep Sea Diver I suppose that is a caveat. My bench is next to a fence, but I suppose if you had stands in full sun with nothing near them, rotating wouldn't be mandatory or as important

 

[shohin_branches]

I have every intention of rotating them a quarter turn a week. That doesn't always happen

 

[badatusernames]

Not as much as I should on my deciduous bench. Usually when I see one area growing stronger than others. My setup is such that I’d end up seeing mostly the sides or backs of my trees more than the front.

My full sun bench is easier and I do it much more frequently but again often based on growth vs a schedule.

 

[Wulfskaar]

I used a live Monterey pine for my Christmas tree and am saving it to use again this Christmas.

I should have rotated more. All the new growth is facing one direction. I think I'll rotate it tonight.

 

[99 Mile Creek]

Just rotated my trident maple forest. All is well, but one side is severely greener than the other.

Great topic.

 

[PA_Penjing]

Just rotated my trident maple forest. All is well, but one side is severely greener than the other.

Great topic.

Now that you mention it, I forgot that it also affects fall color. Shaded areas will stay green while the exposed areas color up nicely. Yet another reason to rotate continuously. I actually see it happen most in forest plantings

 

[Desert O'Piñon]

Now that you mention it, I forgot that it also affects fall color. Shaded areas will stay green while the exposed areas color up nicely. Yet another reason to rotate continuously. I actually see it happen most in forest plantings

This makes a lot of sense. I remember seeing trees growing up into bright streetlights. The parts of the trees around and against the lights were vivid oranges and yellows in Kansas in early September. The lower parts were still deep green and not even a hint of color. What struck me then, thinking back, was how the early colorful leaves didn't start falling until the lower leaves had their bright colors, so all the leaves fell within a week of first noticing any leaf drop, which was about mid-October. Very good point.

 

[stewarjm192]

I rotate trees every week or so, maybe two? whenever I think "well, I should see that from a new angle" or when I can tell things have started to grow toward the light