Fall Transplanting: Pros & Cons

Time to repot. Morten Albek intentionally broke the pot to show this Cork bark Japanese black pine’s dense root mass. From Morten’s book, Shohin Bonsai (Stone Lantern Publishing). This post originally appeared in August 2009 (Bonsai Bark’s first year, which means we are now in year 4 going on year 5). I’m still in the midst of mid-summer semi vacation time, so we’ll continue to dig through some old posts to see if we can find anything useful. In this case, fall is just around the corner for some of us (sadly), so why not discuss fall transplanting? BTW: I’ve … Continue reading Fall Transplanting: Pros & Cons

Transplanting Tips: An Uncommon Technique

Mystified? If you are not familiar with the technique shown here, you just might be. All the photos in this post are from Bonsai Today issue 39. Keeping some roots undisturbed The technique shown here is particularly good if you want to replenish the soil while leaving some of the roots undisturbed. Doing this lessens stress and hastens recovery. Pot sizes and shapes The technique is useful when you want move a tree from a larger to a smaller pot, or into a pot that has a different shape. It also works when you want to replenish some of the … Continue reading Transplanting Tips: An Uncommon Technique

Green Workshop: Fall Transplanting Pros & Cons

Time to repot. Morten Albek intentionally broke the pot to show this Cork bark Japanese black pine’s dense root mass. From Morten’s book, Shohin Bonsai (Stone Lantern Publishing). Why transplant in the fall? If you transplant in the fall your trees can take full advantage of the next growing season. If you transplant in the spring (that’s when most people do it), by the time the tree recovers, you’ve lost part of the growing season. Why not transplant in the fall? If you have an early winter and your bonsai haven’t fully recovered from transplanting, then you risk serious damage … Continue reading Green Workshop: Fall Transplanting Pros & Cons

Dealing with Stress: A Minor Miracle – part 1

Uh oh. Looks like a goner. This photo is from an article in Bonsai Today issue 9 (long out of print). The artist and author is K. Onishi. The tree is a Japanese Black pine (Pinus thunbergii). The cause of the stress is a late freeze, though dessication (drying out) might produce the same effect.

Field Growing 4: Native Soil

This Satsuki azalea (Rhododendron indicum) was originally field grown (it’s from Bonsai Today issue 40). Field growing is common for azaleas; some start as landscape plants and are later dug up for bonsai, while others are grown as bonsai stock from the beginning. In our last field growing post we mention planting directly into native soil without digging in amendments when you plant. A friend of my points out that she has no native soil; her house and yard were built on fill. In our usage of native soil, we mean whatever soil is already there; in other words, my … Continue reading Field Growing 4: Native Soil