Trees

If the rough wood is in its natural state with no staining or varnish, buy sandpaper in various sizes for the grain. You will need large grain, which takes off the worst areas. But large grain can gouge wood that is already mostly smooth (be careful - when you purchase the sandpaper, bring the piece of wood or a picture with you and ask the hardware store's staff). You will then use a medium grain sandpaper to smooth out any remaining rough areas. You should be able to wipe your hand across the wood without feeling jagged spots. Lastly, the fine sandpaper will further smooth the wood and bring out more of the wood's character.

If the wood is stained or stained and varnished, your task will be more complicated. You would need to sand off all layers of varnish and stain, including at corners and joints, removing any hardware. If there are curves or decorative flourishes, it becomes very detailed work. Depending on the size of the object, and how complicated it is, the project could take you many months to complete.

Remember that sanded wood will need stained with 1 to 3 coats (wood soaks up stain), then varnished with 1 to 3 coats. Pick your stain wisely; it is better to start with a lighter stain (the color of Pine), than to go dark immediately (the color of oak or mahogany). Each coat needs 12-24 hours or longer of drying time. If you live in a humid area, the products might remain tacky for many days. Always check with professional before investing in a project. It might be cheaper to hire a woodworker or carpenter to make your project beautiful the first time.

Baobab trees are fairly simple to care for, but writing this answer I'll assume you are going to bonsai them.

Baobab trees like a semi loamy soil. Use 1/3 builder sand, 1/3 crushed clay, 1/3 Canadian peat moss.

I like a special mixture of 1/2 Turface and 1/2 Perlite for my "clay" mixture.

When you water it should appear out the bottom holes between 10 and 17 seconds. 13 or 14 seconds is best.

If the water never comes out the bottom, you need to repot. Check your drain holes for blockages. Also check the roots to see if they need to be trimmed.

If the water comes out in less than 9 seconds, your soil is too sandy/rocky.
Remix the soil with more peat moss. Over 17 seconds, remove some peat moss.

Keep the tree from getting too tall by 'pinching' new upward growth.

Keep the tree in a pot that is equal in width as the longest branch. Do not let the branch grow more than 1/2 of an inch beyond the edge of the pot. If you let it grow larger you will need a bigger pot.

I like the pots which are more like a tray for this tree. A tray like this should be no more than 2 inches in height. If you are going to shape the tree differently, then the pot height will vary.

Repot the tree every 2-3 years to prevent the roots from getting too thick. Cut the large thick woody roots but keep the small fine roots. These roots are needed for water and nutrients. Do not trim too many of the fine roots off. Keep as many fine roots as possible.

Do not allow this tree in temperatures less than 50 degrees. Take it inside if the weather is too cold.

During the winter months keep it indoor near a window with plenty of sun. If you are up north, remove it from the window at night. Some windows will allow too much cold air reach the tree.

I've seen people use heating pads at the lowest setting to warm the air around it. No need to put the tree directly on the pad.

DO NOT WATER FOR FOUR MONTHS. Let the soil dry out. The tree will not die.
When winter is over, water the heck out of the tree. Water it three times a day until the first new growth arrives, then water every day. Keep the soil moist.

There are some grasshoppers that eat the leaves. Pick them off and dispose of them. You can use some pesticides but the "locus" which eat the leaves are virtually immune to the pesticides I've tried. You basically need to squash them.

I've not seen root rot before, but if you have the proper mixture of soil and the water is properly draining then you won't have a problem.

You can fertilize twice a year in the spring with a tomato fertilizer. Once in April and once in May. I use a organic 8-8-8 version. Do not use too much nitrogen because it will cause extra leaf growth. If you want extra leaves, then go with a 24-8-16 or anything close to this.

• N -- nitrogen: promotes the growth of leaves and vegetation
• P -- phosphorus: promotes root and shoot growth
• K -- potassium: promotes flowering, fruiting and general hardiness

Bacillus thuringiensis as an organic control and a pesticide such as Sevin with the active ingredient of carbaryl as an inorganic control are ways of treating bagworm attacks on weeping cherry trees (Prunus pendula).

Specifically, treatment needs to begin before the bags reach 1/2 inch (0.5 millimeter) in size. It is most effective when applied between late May and mid-June and least effective as of midsummer. The foliage has to be given no more than a light misting. The silk string by which the bags attach to branch twigs can and should be removed to prevent limb girdling and dieback. Bags can be picked off when the tree suffers from a light infestation.

As tree grows, it creates growth rings as new wood is laid down concentrically over the old wood.

Shelterwood

Shelterbelt

Scientific name: Machilus odoratissima,

French name: Machilus odorant ,

English name: Scented machilus