The first batch of cascade black pines I started are now five years old. After decandling the trees last spring, it’s time for cutback and wiring. Five year-old cascade black pine Right side There are a number of spots along the trunk where too many branches emerge. Ideally, no more than a single branch would […]
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.
Cutback on young quince
I’ve been pruning and wiring my young quince twice a year – once in spring and once in fall or winter. I’ve been doing this work to set the shape of the trunk before I let the trees grow on and thicken up. Five year-old Chinese quince Reducing sacrifice branches early keeps wounds small so […]
Reducing internodes on Japanese maple
The small Japanese maple below has proved to be quite vigorous. In an effort to slow the tree down and produce shorter internodes, this past year I pinched spring growth, applied very little fertilizer, and fully defoliated the leaves and cut back the branches in spring. Here’s the result. Japanese maple Overall there are lots […]
Teach Yourself Bonsai #1: When do I repot my bonsai?
Common wisdom holds that the best time to repot bonsai is in early spring. This is good advice, but it’s not very specific. If I were to refine the statement, I’d suggest that a good time to repot bonsai is when they begin to wake from dormancy. The idea is that different species respond to […]
A dwarf wisteria bonsai
About ten years ago, I picked up a young dwarf wisteria made from air layer by Boon Manakitivipart. Boon had grown the parent tree for some time before it bloomed, and when it did, he started several layers. The tree below is one of those layers. Dwarf wisteria – 2009 To offer an idea of […]