The tree from Tuesday’s Case study was shown this past January at Bay Island Bonsai’s 11th annual exhibit. Japanese black pine as shown at BIB’s 11th annual exhibit I hope Boon will share the tree’s story some day – it’s a good one. The tree has been in development for a long time from nursery […]
Black Pine
Case study: balance
Balance is one of my favorite topics for bonsai discussions. The term can be used broadly – I recently mentioned a few of the possibilities in relation to trees exhibited this year by the Bay Area Bonsai Associates. One of the more primary considerations is whether a tree points left or right. Getting direction right […]
Pine seed prep
Seeds, we know, are best planted in Spring. But when is Spring? In northern climes, it’s the season in which snow is replaced by rain. In the San Francisco Bay Area, it means highs of 64 degrees farenheit versus winter highs of 58 F. As is often the case in bonsai, specific dates for seasonal […]
Trunk grafting – black pine
Grafting is one of the most useful techniques for developing bonsai from rough stock. A pine I have been working on for the past few years needs a few more branches before I can reduce it to its final height. To do this, I need to graft into the trunk. Grafting requires a bit of […]
Developing black pine
I really like working with Japanese Black Pine. Although they keep needles year round, their appearance changes with the seasons. The pine below is flush with last year’s growth – a mix of spring and summer foliage. Spring growth above – Summer growth below As you might imagine, the future silhouette of this tree will […]