Here’s a brief update on an ume I’ve been working on since losing the top branches. After letting the tree grow freely through the growing season, now’s a good time for some cutback. Before cutback – side A Before cutback – side B The goal at this point is to develop the basic branch structure. […]
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 young Japanese plum bonsai
One of the first bonsai under my care was a Japanese plum. As I really like the way it grows, I decided to make some cuttings a few years ago. Young Japanese plums grown from cuttings The work is simple at this point – remove or wire anything that lacks movement. Young plum with two […]
Finding the center – moving a Western juniper to the middle of the pot
One of the challenges I faced with the Western juniper below was that it had no roots on one side of the trunk. This was natural as the tree got its start when it was separated from its larger sibling. Here it is after a few years of training. Western juniper, 2009 – note how […]
How to measure bonsai wire
There’s not much worse than cutting a piece of wire, applying it perfectly and then realizing, on the final turn, that the wire is too short. I picked up my favorite approach to measuring wire from Daisaku Nomoto. I noticed he didn’t seem to look when he cut wire but the size was often perfect. […]
Bonsai Development Series #1: How to treat wire scars mid-way along the trunk
When trees are growing quickly, it’s not uncommon to find wire marks along the trunk. Wire marks above the first branch For young trees early in the development phase, it’s not much of a problem when the wire cuts in at the base of the trunk. Cut marks cause swelling and swelling near the base […]