Eric Schrader and I are happy to announce that we’ve launched a website for next year’s Pacific Bonsai Expo! We’ve outlined event basics like how and when to submit trees, how the judging process works, and who our jurors will be. On that note, we’re thrilled that Bjorn Bjorholm, Ryan Neil, and William N. Valavanis […]
Search Results for: oak
A visit to John Thompson’s garden
If you’re a fan of oak bonsai, you’ve likely heard of John “JT” Thompson. For those who don’t know JT, he’s one of the most generous bonsai teachers in the San Francisco Bay Area. I’d seen JT’s trees in exhibits for years but I hadn’t seen his collection until last week when I visited to […]
What kind of soil should I use for my bonsai?
I hear the question a lot, and it’s a good one. In my garden, I use mixes based on the species I’m growing and my development goals for the tree. I make adjustments for the health of the tree, my budget, and the availability of the ingredients I’d like to use. If I’m working with […]
Aligning containers with development goals
I use a variety of containers in my garden, but over the years I’ve narrowed the types of containers I use at different stages of development. Here are some common options for our trees and some of the reasons why we might want to use them at a given stage of their development. Plastic containers […]
How to host a virtual bonsai presentation
Before heading out for a brief winter break (new posts will resume January 5th), I wanted to share some tips on hosting virtual bonsai presentations. If your club is familiar with the format, you know the good and bad of it. On the plus side, online presentations: Give all participants “front row seats” for demonstrations […]