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 […]
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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 […]
Seeking style guidance for an old procumbens juniper
I enjoyed last week’s discussion of an old procumbens juniper displayed at Yamato Bonsai Kai’s 42nd annual exhibit. Procumbens juniper Some commenters suggested a few improvements for the tree. In response, I’d like to invite you to share your ideas graphically by indicating where the primary branches belong and providing an outline of the silhouette. […]
Encouraging grafted foliage
The grafts I made to some young black pines have now been in place for 10 months. If I continue to let the original foliage grow unchecked, the trees will have little reason to invest in the grafted branches. As I want to replace the original growth with these scions from a cork bark pine, […]
An old procumbens juniper
One of the trees that caught my attention at Yamato’s 42nd annual exhibit was an old procumbens juniper. Procumbens juniper I haven’t seen a lot of other trees like it. The trunk is mostly straight and the branches are long. The apex is rounded, and the density of foliage is very even. It’s a striking […]