I recently cut back a root over rock trident maple during a live Q&A for Bonsai Empire. Here’s the tree before I got started. Before cutback And here it is after removing the leaves and cutting back the branches. Front Right side Back Left side The goals of the cutback were simple: Replace large branches […]
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.
Exposing the roots on a young black pine
A few years after planting a seedling with the intention of exposing the roots is a good time to take a peek and see what’s happening beneath the soil. The black pine below was planted in its current container about three years ago. Black pine Based on how much the tree has grown, my guess […]
Creating exposed root pines – follow-up techniques
In the last post we looked at a technique for starting exposed root pine bonsai. When all goes according to plan, the tree will grow into its new container and look something like the photo below a year later. Exposed root pine one year after planting in a deep container The next step is easy […]
How to create exposed root pine bonsai
Creating exposed root pine bonsai is simple – plant a seedling in a deep container with large soil particles that can give the roots an interesting shape. Here’s what the process looks like in detail. Start with young pines and a deep container. Deep container Young pines As for soil, use what works best for […]
Repotting an old San Jose juniper
I began work on an old San Jose juniper bonsai this week. The tree had been trained as bonsai years ago but never reached a refined state. For the past several years, the tree was watered and fed but not pruned or repotted. San Jose juniper Before making any decisions about how to style the […]