Early last September, I was helping a number of bonsai into the 5th US National Bonsai Exhibition in Rochester, New York. After taking care of several other trees, I picked up my entry, a Korean hornbeam, and brought it to a staging table just outside the door of the exhibit. I’d planned to show the […]
Bonsai Care
The bonsai care category includes topics like Watering, Fertilizing, Repotting and Bonsai Soil. You can also find information about the Pests commonly found on bonsai, and read Interviews with bonsai professionals.
Improving drainage in a compacted rootball
Midway through repotting a procumbens juniper, I found that the center of the rootball was dry. This is common when a tree has gone too long without repotting. Even heavy and frequent waterings – or incessant rain – may not be enough for the water to soak the entire rootball. Rootball with dry center Finding […]
How to fertilize black pine bonsai
Fertilizing black pine bonsai is pretty straight forward. For any given black or red pine, I first determine the tree’s stage of development. If a tree is young and I’m focusing on increasing the size of the trunk, I follow one path. If the trunk has reached the desired size and I’m focusing on increasing branch […]
Review of Bonsai Fundamentals Course by Michael Hagedorn and Bonsai Empire
The Bonsai Fundamentals Course is the latest installment from Bonsai Empire’s series of online courses. This course is hosted by instructor Michael Hagedorn and is filmed at Shinji Suzuki’s garden in Obuse, Japan. For those who have yet to visit Suzuki’s garden, the course is a good opportunity to see what it looks like in […]
Finding a go-to resource when you need to learn more
So – my trees are pest free, properly watered, and well situated in my garden. I can tell the difference between merely healthy and vigorously growing bonsai. My trees are secure in their containers and I’ve started practicing wiring. I take a tree off the bench, sit down, and ask myself, what do I do […]