After growing a trunk to the desired size, the next step is creating primary branches. And the bigger the trunk, the bigger we can expect these branches to be. The main challenge is that most trees want to invest resources in the upper branches as they receive the most light. If we let upper branches […]
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Highlights from the Bay Area Satsuki Aikokai’s 25th annual show
On May 21-22, 2022, the Bay Area Satsuki Aikokai hosted their 25th annual exhibition at the Lake Merritt Garden Center in Oakland, California. The event featured some fantastic satsuki azaleas in full bloom along with some non-azalea bonsai provided by the Yamato Bonsai Kai. It was great to see a mix of blooming and non-blooming […]
Defoliating a Japanese maple
My shohin Japanese maple grew well this spring which makes it a good candidate for defoliating. I removed the leaves, pruned a few long shoots, and covered the surface of the soil with moss. Before defoliating After defoliating – 7″ tall When the new shoots begin to emerge, I’ll pinch them the same way I […]
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 […]
How your club can support the Pacific Bonsai Expo
I’ve received questions from clubs in recent weeks about what they can do to support the Pacific Bonsai Expo this fall. They’re excited about the event and they want to help! As part of documenting the process of how the event is coming together, I thought I’d share suggestions for how bonsai clubs can support […]