Hemlock Bonsai Care Guide

Hemlocks like full sun but be mindful of overheating if temperatures are on the rise. For summer’s hottest days, it’s best to keep them in semi-shade. Hemlocks tolerate frost but a substantial period of freezing will mean moving to a frost-free greenhouse or shed. 

Throughout the growing season regularly water. Water more so during the summer. Don’t let the rootball dry out completely, and make sure the soil stays moist during winter.  

Fertilise Hemlock once a month using solid organic fertiliser or every week with liquid feed, during the growing season. 

Hemlock Bonsai are slow-growing species. Refinement pruning such as pinching out tips of new shoots and cutting back branches above a needle tuft should take place in spring or autumn. Robust pruning for structural setting and big branch reduction should take place outside of the active growing period in late winter. 

Wiring can take place anytime throughout the year. Be careful not to make the delicate bark of your Hemlock. We recommend using wires with a thickness that matches the thickness of the branch: if the wire you choose is too thick you will damage the bark. If it is too thin, it won’t be effective.

Repotting your tree is an important way to provide a fresh and suitable soil mix and ensure appropriate root health. Repotting should take place in Spring when the new growths appear. Older Hemlocks can be repotted every 3-5 years in the spring. 

Trees that are ready for repotting will require root pruning, a suitable new pot and appropriate soil mix.

When repotting, do not cut back the root mass by a large amount, and choose a well-draining soil mix that has a neutral or slightly higher PH value of 5-6 but not over 7. We tend to use a mixture of different speciality bonsai soils on our trees. Every species is different so please contact us for free soil-mix advice or to take advantage of our repotting service.