A number of my young black pines are now 10 – almost 11 – years old. Depending on what they look like, I’m making cuts, repotting or letting them grow. The pine below has a number of exposed roots. As the main trunk growing up and to the right will not be part of the […]
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.
Removing leaves from deciduous bonsai
As the end of the year approaches, deciduous bonsai don’t typically look their best. No matter – once the majority of leaves on these trees turn color or fall off, I pluck the remaining leaves. Removing old leaves exposes interior buds to sunlight and reduces hiding places for insects. It also forces me to look […]
Wiring a tree into the pot
Some of the final steps when repotting bonsai are among the most important – especially when it comes to wiring trees into the pot. I typically wire trees into the pot after setting the tree, but when repotting partially or completely bare-rooted trees, I first work some soil into the exposed roots. If no soil […]
And if I don’t make a square cut?
I’ve written on a number of occasions, and you’ve doubtless read here and elsewhere, that when decandling black or red pine bonsai it is important to make a square cut (see “Decandling black pine – making the cut”). Square cut Until recently, however, I’d seen little evidence that the long end of a slanted cut […]
Wiring a procumbens juniper
At this past weekend’s Bay Island Bonsai workshop, I wired my procumbens juniper. I didn’t use any heavy wire or make severe bends – for the most part I used fairly small gauge wire (mostly 14-18 with some 12) to tighten up the silhouette. No big changes for now while the tree fills in after […]