Rather than make long term goals for trees, I’ll often make short to medium-term plans based on the current condition of the tree. This is true for many of the black pines I’ve been growing from seed, especially the ones for which I can’t see obvious futures. The pine below is one of these trees. […]
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Selected highlights from the 2011 Taikan ten
For the Thanksgiving weekend I thought I’d share a few of the highlights from the 2011 Takian ten. The event is held annually in Kyoto at this time of year. For those who missed previous posts from the event, see more from the 2011 Taikan Ten. Enjoy! Shimpaku Trident maple Black pine Needle juniper Shimpaku […]
Refining young pines
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 […]
How to remove leaves from deciduous bonsai
There are a number of ways to remove old leaves from deciduous bonsai. Depending on the variety, branch age or density and how dry the leaves are, I’ll use a combination of fingers, tweezers and my whole hand. The first two examples below are from a Japanese beech. Beech leaves don’t always fall off on […]
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 […]