The Japanese maple below is another beautiful tree from Gene Lynch’s collection. The basics are all in place which means the next step is to continue increasing branch density through pinching and pruning. Japanese maple In fall, this means making small cuts to improve the branch structure and overall silhouette. In places where one branch […]
Bonsai Development
Bonsai Development posts form the heart of Bonsai Tonight. Learn about varieties like Black Pine, Shimpaku and Japanese Maple, techniques like Decandling and Grafting and Air Layering, and bonsai features like Deadwood.
Fall cutback on an informal upright hornbeam
Thoughts on future development for a mature hornbeam bonsai.
Big branches and little branches on Chinese quince
Over the past few years I’ve wrestled with a question about developing Chinese quince: how do you encourage branches to bifurcate after pruning? I haven’t come up with an answer, but I did notice something heartening when I cleaned up an older specimen last week. Instead of keeping the summer growth in check, I let […]
Options for addressing dieback low on the trunk
As many of you have noticed, there is a large scar at the base of the trunk on my large stewartia. Stewartia with dieback on the trunk Trunk detail There a number of options for addressing the dieback, each with their pros and cons. The simplest option is to simply ignore the wound and show […]
Fall cutback and wiring on stewartia
Refining an old tree and repositioning the branches with guy wires.