When decandling season comes around, I start with the biggest pines in the garden and work my way down to the smallest ones over a period of four-to-six weeks. This gives the larger trees enough time to develop needles over summer that are just the right size (see “Decandling overview” for details). Two of my […]
Search Results for: sacrifice branch
Spring cutback on ume
Last year I tried a variation on my normal spring cutback for ume. Instead of reducing mid-sized branches to 2-3 leaves, I left them long but defoliated them (see “Cutback” for details). I found that the defoliated branches leafed out but they didn’t regain their vigor. As you can see from the photo below, the […]
Aligning containers with development goals
I use a variety of containers in my garden, but over the years I’ve narrowed the types of containers I use at different stages of development. Here are some common options for our trees and some of the reasons why we might want to use them at a given stage of their development. Plastic containers […]
Bonsai Development Series #22: cutback-decandling techniques for young pines
Tips for balancing vigor when using the cutback-decandling technique.
How to grow bonsai from seed or cutting
It would be nice if we could create beautiful bonsai by starting trees from seed or cutting and simply waiting for them to mature. If you’ve tried this approach, you might have found that things don’t always go smoothly. Some care along the way, it turns out, is required to ensure young trees take the […]