My usual routine for new trees in the garden is simple – keep the trees as healthy as possible until repotting season. When I repot a tree, I can get an idea of what the roots look like and better understand how the tree might respond to bonsai work. A few weeks ago, I brought […]
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.
Bonsai Development Series #16: Developing the trunk with multiple sacrifice branches
A sacrifice branch is any branch that assists in the development of a tree, but will not be part of the final design. Sacrifice branches are most commonly used to thicken the trunk. When the trunk reaches the desired size, the branch is removed. Some bonsai are developed with one sacrifice branch at a time. […]
The benefits of reducing sacrifice branches incrementally
One of the top goals of developing black pine bonsai is to encourage balanced growth. Because pines are apically dominant, they naturally produce strong growth near the apex and at the tips of branches. We expect to see smaller shoots on the lower branches and in the tree’s interior. Refined pine bonsai can produce shoots […]
Sometimes you only decandle the sacrifice branch
The last two posts featured shohin black pines that were strong enough to decandle (see post one and post two for details). Here’s what to do when the lower branches are weak. The new growth on the lower branches looks good on the tree below, but the shoots are short and the buds are small […]
Another look at balancing vigor on a black pine with a sacrifice branch
The pine below is getting close to its final shape. Japanese black pine – 15 years old from seed As you can see from the photo, there is a large gap in vigor between the sacrifice branch and the lower branches. After decandling and thinning needles on the lower branches – standard work for pines […]