New Bonsai Blog & Two More Events

This magnificent Sumac belongs to Hiroshi Takeyama. You can read about it and other bonsai wonders on Bill Valavanis new bonsai blog. First the new blog… It’s Bill Valavanis’ latest bonsai venture and already (after five posts) I’m a fan. It’s aptly called Valavanis Bonsai Blog, Welcome To My Bonsai World. As you might expect the photos are great (there’s lots of them too) and the writing is good. But then, I’ve long appreciated Bill’s passion for and devotion to bonsai, so I’m not at all surprised by yet another effort to share that passion with the rest of us. … Continue reading New Bonsai Blog & Two More Events

Energy Balancing #5: Defoliation

This Japanese maple (Acer palmatum) has been partially defoliated. The first branch is too small relative to the rest of the tree, so the purpose of the defoliation is to speed up the development of the first branch while slowing down the development of the rest of the tree. This works because energy flow decreases in areas that have been defoliated. Conversely, because the energy from the roots has to go somewhere, energy flow increases where leaves are left on. The photos in this post are from Bonsai Today issue 103 (out of print). The article that the photos are … Continue reading Energy Balancing #5: Defoliation