A common first step in creating redwood bonsai is to remove most (or all) of the branches. Removing the branches makes it possible to develop new branches with short internodes, and with short internodes, we have much more flexibility with how dense the resulting tree can become. For the tree to respond well to initial […]
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Thinning a Japanese maple forest planting
Last year I repotted a Japanese maple forest that was created by Gene Lynch. As a result, the tree is far more vigorous this year than it was last year. I pinched it for a few weeks as the new shoots emerged but quickly fell behind as more new shoots appeared. Japanese maple in April, […]
Highlights from the ABAS’s 62nd annual exhibit
The American Bonsai Association Sacramento held their 62nd annual show last weekend at the Shepard Garden & Art Center in Sacramento’s McKinley Park. You’ll find photos of the event below. For those interested in learning more, event headliner Andrew Robson and I recorded a critique of these trees on the Bonsai Wire podcast. Hinoki/Sawara Cypress […]
Gearing up for the Pacific Bonsai Expo
It’s been awhile since the last update about the Pacific Bonsai Expo, so I thought I’d share some notes about where things stand. For those who haven’t heard about the event, the Pacific Bonsai Expo is a juried exhibit that will feature outstanding bonsai from across the United States. The event will be held this […]
Pinching candles on small exposed root pines
While repotting a batch of two-year old pines this past winter, John Eads and I paused to create a handful of miniature exposed root bonsai. We hadn’t intended to make small trees, but when we found that the roots we were working with weren’t as good as we had hoped, we decided to make exposed […]