There has been a lot of enthusiasm lately for the scientific side of bonsai. I’ve been a part of this, sharing stories, for example, of testing and acidifying water in an attempt to green up my garden. I started pursuing the topic when I noticed how much harder it had become to keep my pines […]
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Watering deciduous bonsai – part 2
One of the easiest ways to slow down the rate at which deciduous bonsai dry out is to apply a top dressing to the surface of the soil. A top dressing is a thin layer of soil or related material that is applied with the aim of retaining moisture and/or improving the look of the […]
Watering conifers
I’ve seen signs, recently, that some of trees in my garden are staying too wet. What does this look like? On pines I might see yellow at the base of the needles. On junipers, new shoots may extend too far or mature growth may turn juvenile. In a few cases, I’ve spotted signs of damage […]
Review: Kimura Masterclass from Bonsai Empire
Bonsai Empire’s newest online course features the best known name in bonsai: Masahiko Kimura. The course was filmed last fall at Kimura’s garden about one hour outside of Tokyo. Here’s what you need to know. Format The course features a pine demo, a rock planting, an interview, and footage of Kimura’s public (front) and private […]
Guest post: The story behind Michael Hagedorn’s Bonsai Heresy
By Michael Hagedorn Galileo had more in common with witches than you’d think. He narrowly avoided being tortured and executed by denying thinking thoughts that he really shouldn’t have been thinking in the 17th century, such as the earth revolving around the sun. Those early heretical scientists were a brave lot. I’ve known a few […]