Once or twice a year, my Yaupon holly gets a haircut. I cut back to the silhouette, remove branches that are growing up down and thin branches in crowded areas. The work is fun and the result is pleasing. Yaupon holly – before cutback After cutback Depending on the weather, I can expect a new flush of […]
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.
Japanese flowering quince – chojubai
One of the relatively new trees in my garden is a Japanese flowering quince ‘chojubai.’ As I purchased the tree from Boon bare-root, I’ve mainly focused on letting the tree gain vigor. Toward this end, I’ve been watering, feeding and removing flowers and flower buds when I can. Japanese flowering quince ‘chojubai’ Like many chojubai, […]
New varieties in the garden
This past winter I started a number of trees from seed. I planted the usual varieties – black and red pine – but also added some new varieties. I have yet to develop these varieties from seed to mature trees so am looking forward to seeing what comes next. Chinese quince seedlings A Chinese quince seedling […]
Exposed root pines in progress
Last year I made reference to a process for developing exposed root pines (see “Repotting 1 year old black pine seedlings“). I started two last year, one black, one red. Here’s the black pine at 1 year. 1-year-old black pine The tree has done well – here it is a year and a half later. […]
Wiring an olive
After repotting a new olive this past spring, some long shoots are starting to develop. Olive As the tree is growing strongly, I wired some of the primary future branches and removed extraneous shoots. After cutback and wiring These branches will have to thicken considerably to ease the transition from the large trunk so I’ll let […]