For as important as roots are to healthy bonsai, we don’t often get a good look at how they grow in the pot. Few containers offer a view at what’s going on inside and we often disturb the roots with sickles or chop sticks when removing trees from their containers. I got a particularly good […]
Soil
Where lava rock comes from
On a recent vacation, I had the opportunity to visit a mine that produces scoria. Scoria is the proper name for lava rock. The locals, however, refer to it as “cinder” – an older name for the substrate. Unsurprisingly, the mine itself is a big hole in the ground. Scoria mine The scoria is scooped […]
All about akadama
What is Akadama? Akadama is a fundamental component of bonsai soil. It is used throughout Japan as a potting medium for both bonsai and general gardening purposes. More and more, it is used around the world in the cultivation of bonsai. The term akadama is Japanese for the words “red” – the color of the […]
Spring watering for recently repotted trees
Last week, Michael Hagedorn offered some great advice about watering recently repotted trees in spring: To sum up, only read the moisture level where there are roots to determine when to water. – from Spring Watering Tip I’ve found Michael’s suggestion useful for many of the trees in my garden this year. Cryptomeria Looking at […]
Finding the right soil mix
Finding the right soil mixes for my trees has proved surprisingly tricky – and not for lack of trying. I’ve experimented broadly over the years, and have benefitted from the advice of both American and Japanese bonsai professionals. Still, I find room for improvement. In the past few years, I’ve moved to mixes that retain […]