Begin Work on the Nebari the First Time You Transplant

This Trident maple (Acer buergerianum) is sporting a rather impressive nebari. Does it look a bit like a clown’s oversized shoe? Or does it suit you just as it is? The original appears in Bonsai Today issue 70 in an article titled “Transplanting to increase the feeling of age,” by Kazunori Kamiya. Continuing our series on nebari. This one is originally from April 2009 (with a few changes today). It was titled, In Search of the Perfect Nebari 3. For some more good how-to nebari tips, take a look at our last post. No matter how you view the nebari … Continue reading Begin Work on the Nebari the First Time You Transplant

Don’t Starve Your Bonsai

Lush summer foliage and impressive deadwood on an old Shimpaku juniper.The lush foliage is the result of timely feeding. The photo is from our Masters Series Juniper book (due back in print in December). I know the tree is from Japan, but don’t know who the artist is. Many, if not most people underfeed their bonsai. There are many reasons why ample fertilizing is critical to developing healthy and beautiful bonsai. I’ll list a few (if I missed something important, please let us know in the comments). 1. It’s up to you. Most bonsai soils don’t contain nutrients. This means … Continue reading Don’t Starve Your Bonsai

A Remarkable Bonsai, Two Questions & the Boreal Forest

The inspiration for this post arouse when I stumbled upon this remarkable tree on facebook. It belongs to Colin Lewis. Here’s his caption: “Colorado blue spruce, acquired 2008 from Harold Sasaki. Styled 2011-2012. Pot custom made by my old friend Dan Barton, 2013. I’m letting it grow this year to refresh some old congested areas. Maybe I’ll show it in 2016…” I’m going digging for Tamarack (Larch – Larix laricina) tomorrow, so thought I’d resurrect this post from last November that shows some trees that were collected here in the U.S., including the Tamarack forest you see below. Le raison … Continue reading A Remarkable Bonsai, Two Questions & the Boreal Forest

A Remarkable Bonsai, Two Questions & the Boreal Forest

The inspiration for this post arouse when I stumbled upon this remarkable tree on facebook. It belongs to Colin Lewis. Here’s his caption: “Colorado blue spruce, acquired 2008 from Harold Sasaki. Styled 2011-2012. Pot custom made by my old friend Dan Barton, 2013. I’m letting it grow this year to refresh some old congested areas. Maybe I’ll show it in 2016…” Le raison d’ĂȘtre for this post is the tree above. More accurately, the tree and the pot. Both are delightful and together, even more delightful. However, and in spite of the magic of the bonsai above, two questions arise. … Continue reading A Remarkable Bonsai, Two Questions & the Boreal Forest

Gifts for Bonsai Lovers part 2

Masters Sword Shears. This incomparable tool with its long powerful blades and fluid cutting capabilities is one of the reasons that Japanese professionals get so much work done. You can use yours for routine spring and summer trimming, especially if you have lots of larger bonsai and not so much time. You can also use them in the garden for any number of tasks. I use mine more than any other tool on my field grown bonsai. Made in Japan by Koyo quality tools. List price 145.00. Our special price 119.00. You save 26.00 (actually you save 31.95 when you … Continue reading Gifts for Bonsai Lovers part 2

Making a Point with Deadwood

Going down? There’s a lot to love about this old tree: that little piece of wood that hangs over the edge of the pot, the remarkable texture and color of the bark and the way the powerful old trunk seems to cling to the pot. There’s also the fact that the tree is a Southwestern White Pine (Pinus strobiformis), not your everyday bonsai species. And then there’s that remarkable jin that seems to be unconcerned if it fits or doesn’t fit with the rest of the tree. The tree belong to Greg Brenden. The photo is from the 2010 2nd … Continue reading Making a Point with Deadwood