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Early branch work on large cork oak bonsai
Creating branches on cork oak bonsai can be a fun process. I wire the shoots that will form the primary branches and remove all other shoots. Instead of wiring the branches all the way out to the...
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Viewing stones at the Bay Area Suiseki and Shohin Show
Last weekend wrapped up the first Bay Area Suiseki and Shohin Show. Held at the Lake Merritt Garden Center in Oakland, California, the event was sponsored by the San Francisco Suiseki Kai, California...
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Highlights from the Bay Area Suiseki and Shohin Show
I’ve always enjoyed visiting bonsai exhibits as they’re both fun and educational. I study the trees I like to see what makes them work. Later, when I’m back in the garden, I try to make use of what...
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Bonsai displays at the Bay Area Suiseki and Shohin Show
Shohin bonsai are often displayed vertically to make use of limited exhibit space and to bring small trees closer to eye level. This can lead to interesting arrangements of trees that are often far...
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Coast live oak – initial styling
Back in March I posted photos of several coast live oaks after cutting off all major branches (see “Reducing branches on coast live oak – follow-up“). The trees have grown vigorously since then. So...
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Directional pruning – a tip from Andrew Robson
Andrew Robson was in town last week to deliver a presentation for the Bonsai Society of San Francisco. For those who don’t know Andrew, he recently wrapped up a three-year apprenticeship with Michael...
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Developing field-grown trident maple – taking the next step
Not all field-grown bonsai are ready for refinement work when they come out of the ground. One of my trident maples is a good example of this. Although the trunk has reached the desired thickness,...
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Balancing vigor on pines with sacrifice branches
Decandling time is a good opportunity to balance vigor between sacrifice branches and the rest of the tree. This is especially true for pines nearing the end of the development phase. Last year I let...
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Another look at balancing vigor on a black pine with a sacrifice branch
The pine below is getting close to its final shape. Japanese black pine – 15 years old from seed As you can see from the photo, there is a large gap in vigor between the sacrifice branch and the lower...
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Sometimes you only decandle the sacrifice branch
The last two posts featured shohin black pines that were strong enough to decandle (see post one and post two for details). Here’s what to do when the lower branches are weak. The new growth on the...
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The benefits of reducing sacrifice branches incrementally
One of the top goals of developing black pine bonsai is to encourage balanced growth. Because pines are apically dominant, they naturally produce strong growth near the apex and at the tips of...
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Bonsai Development Series #16: Developing the trunk with multiple sacrifice...
A sacrifice branch is any branch that assists in the development of a tree, but will not be part of the final design. Sacrifice branches are most commonly used to thicken the trunk. When the trunk...
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Why are my pines yellow?
I’m used to the pines in my garden looking a certain way. They usually yellow a little in fall and green up again in spring – only this spring, many remained yellow. I figured part of that was a...
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The effect of fertilizer on water pH
A hidden benefit of many fertilizers is their ability to lower the pH of the water. Had I kept this in mind this past spring, my trees would be a lot greener today. Looking back on my fertilizing...
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How to lower the pH of your water to keep bonsai healthy
I found out that the pH of my water can get pretty high a long time ago. It’s not too bad when it’s in the lower ranges, but it definitely needs attention when it creeps into the higher ranges – which...
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Top 5 tips for keeping azalea bonsai healthy
Azalea care can seem puzzling at first, especially if you’re familiar with junipers or other hardy species. But with the right approach, keeping these flowering bonsai healthy is within reach. Here...
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Cutback and leaf pruning on Chinese Wisteria
My usual routine for new trees in the garden is simple – keep the trees as healthy as possible until repotting season. When I repot a tree, I can get an idea of what the roots look like and better...
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Redwood Empire Bonsai Society’s 36th annual show
The Redwood Empire Bonsai Society hosted their 36th annual show last weekend in Santa Rosa, California. Looking over the photos from this and past events reminded me of how much some trees have...
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Initial styling on a Rocky Mountain juniper
I’ve been looking at a Rocky Mountain juniper in my garden for the last three years. The trunk is fairly straight, but there is interesting deadwood on one side. Rocky Mountain juniper – side A Side B...
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Restoring health to an old Jeffrey pine – update and fall work
A year-and-a-half ago I started working on an old Jeffrey pine. The first step was to help the tree regain vigor (see “Repotting a Jeffrey Pine” for details). Here’s what the tree looked like after...
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