A few months ago I started a number of shimpaku cuttings. Several different soils were scattered around the workshop so I tried some of each to see if it made much of a difference. I did a similar experiment several years back and found a huge difference between soils (see “Shimpaku cuttings” for details). This […]
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.
Effect of soil mix on bulb production for Habaneria radiata
In previous posts about growing media for the terrestrial orchid, Habaneria radiata, I set up an experiment and shared some preliminary results based on observed foliar growth. It turns out that the most important measure of success was under the soil. Here are the orchids at the end of the growing season last December. Orchids in December […]
An extra long dormancy for a Korean hornbeam
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 […]
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 […]