I picked up a few new tools during my visit to Japan last fall. Among others, I purchased a large root scissors, a wire cutter, basic bonsai scissors and a water wand. Can you guess which has become my favorite? Root scissors, wire cutter, scissors Water wand – “ki ra ra – GNS” The root scissors […]
Search Results for: pine
Decandling season arrives
If you have a number of red or black pine bonsai, you may have noticed that there are new candles everywhere – a sign that decandling time is near. Pine candles It’s still a bit early for people who live in warmer areas, but people in cooler climates may have already begun decandling. The time’s just […]
Bonsai pests!
If you had asked me, two weeks ago, if my bonsai were healthy and insect free, I would have said yes. At a glance, they all looked great. Looking closer, however, I discovered that one of my pines looked dirty. Some dirt on the needles – this must mean… Aphids! Aphids are most commonly found […]
Bonsai fertilizer – follow-up
Last month I began using tea bags filled with fertilizer to feed my bonsai. Unfortunately, it only took a few days for me to realize that this technique didn’t work well as implemented. The bags started disappearing immediately. Critters tore through some of the bags and carried others away completely, leaving behind the toothpicks that […]
From landscape tree to bonsai – part 2
There are only so many ways to make a bonsai smaller – and cutting and bending seem to do most of the work. As my newest pine was almost two meters tall, some cutting was in order. Although I have yet to decide on the future of the tree, it’s clear that I don’t need […]




