One of my fourteen-year-old pines is a lot bigger than the others. Beyond some selective pruning the last few years, I’ve mostly let the tree grow freely. This year, it’s time to select a branch to continue the trunk line. Why this year? After looking at the options for the future front of the tree […]
Search Results for: sacrifice branch
Reducing the trunk to improve a cork oak bonsai
One of the first cork oaks I started working on has developed quickly. I let a couple of sacrifice branches grow freely and they have now adequately thickened the branch that will become the new leader. It’s time to make a big cut. Field grown cork oak The decision to cut has also been influenced […]
Bonsai Development Series #3: Evaluating field grown material
There’s a lot to try to keep in mind when shopping for field grown material. It can be easy to focus on the lower part of the trunk and think, “This looks nice, I can fix the rest later.” The fix may not, however, always come easily. At a glance, the pine below has a […]
Fall cutback on young Chinese quince
Several years ago, I started some Chinese quince from seed. They grow rapidly and have proved to be a fun variety to grow. Young Chinese quince I’m cutting them back this fall to remove branches that lack curves. This will encourage the remaining branches to thicken. Here’s a close-up of the tree above. Straight branches […]
Fall cutback on young Japanese plum bonsai
One of the first bonsai under my care was a Japanese plum. As I really like the way it grows, I decided to make some cuttings a few years ago. Young Japanese plums grown from cuttings The work is simple at this point – remove or wire anything that lacks movement. Young plum with two […]