In my ongoing effort to develop interior buds on two of my black pines, I tried decandling them in fall almost two years ago. I decandled them again last year, and to really push these trees, I cut them back heavily after decandling. The result has been very vigorous growth and a number of new […]
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.
Decandling a shohin black pine
The last of my pines to be decandled this year are the smallest of the bunch. Giving these trees less time to recover helps keep summer growth in check and needles short. I removed all but the smallest spring shoots, and then removed extra needles, leaving around 5 pairs on each branch. Shohin black pine […]
Treating a successful approach graft on black pine
Here’s how to treat a successful approach graft on black pine. The first step is removing any tape holding the graft in place. Tape holding graft in place After removing tape Next, remove the stub with concave cutters. Removing the stub A chisel can be used to further gouge out the stub to ensure that […]
Refining a yaupon holly
I brought my yaupon holly to a recent Bay Island Bonsai workshop for a trim. Even in the cool Northern California weather, I have to thin or trim the branches every two to three months. And now, after several years of this treatment, some of the primary branches are beginning to take shape. I started […]
Decandling season isn’t just for decandling
Decandling season, typically late spring through early summer, can entail a lot more than removing spring growth from pine bonsai. It’s also a great time for removing extra needles, light cutback, and even wiring. Because the timing of the decandling is of some importance, I usually decandle my trees at the appointed times and then […]