Spotted in the Wild
Historical Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and RSS posts previously curated by the club (2017–present). Not authored by the club — preserved here since the original source feeds no longer carry this history.
Developing chojubai – tips from Left Coast Bonsai
Last week John Eads of Left Coast Bonsai was in the garden to help get my young trees into shape ahead of repotting season. As John studied with Michael Hagedorn, he’s a great resource for developing the dwarf Japanese…
Highlights from the 40th Anniversary BABA Exhibition
Last weekend the Bay Area Bonsai Associates, affectionately known as BABA, held their 40th Anniversary exhibition at the Lakeside Garden Center in Oakland, California. Below are some of the trees on display with brief…
Bald Cypress Collecting Trip #1 For 2022
Conifers vs. deciduous bonsai: evaluating different species
For this fall’s Pacific Bonsai Expo , we have some judging categories for narrow groups of trees (Best Large Conifer is an example) and other categories that include a broad diversity of species (like Best Medium Bonsai…
What to do when akadama is in short supply
Akadama, particularly when mixed with other media, is a great medium for growing bonsai (see “ All about akadama ” for details). Over the course of the last year, akadama has become harder to come by for several…
How to determine the direction or flow of a bonsai
Some trees point left, others point right. White pine that points to the left (This and subsequent photos are from the 2020 Kokufu exhibition) Korean hornbeam that slants to the right There are a number of ways to…
Fall cutback on Japanese plum
When the leaves of my Japanese plums ( Prunus salicina ) change color and fall off, it’s time for fall pruning. The goal is to remove branches that have reached the desired thickness and wire branches that are soft…
9TH Winter Silhouette Bonsai Expo 2021
Well, Steve Zeisel, sponsor of the exhibition did it again! Every displayed bonsai was of much better quality than in the first eight expos featuring naked trees. He holds the event to promote bonsai and allows…
Season’s End – Apple & Oak
Cutback and wiring a root over rock black pine
Even though it’s January, I’m just now starting my pine fall work. This entails pruning and thinning extra needles. When time allows, I wire the branches too! Here’s what this looks like with a young root over rock…
Coast redwood cutback and repotting
I’ve been working on a large coast redwood for the past few years in fits and starts. After an initial pruning and repotting (see “ Coast redwood ” for details) I’ve worked on the tree in earnest several times only to…
Judging categories at the Pacific Bonsai Expo
The award categories for next year’s Pacific Bonsai Expo are set: Best in Show Best Large Broadleaf Evergreen Bonsai Best Large Conifer Bonsai Best Large Deciduous Bonsai Best Medium Bonsai Display Best Shohin Bonsai…
Selecting trees for exhibit one year out
It’s been fun to start planning for next year’s Pacific Bonsai Expo . Setting the date, selecting the space, and figuring out how everything will work has been the main focus so far. Now it’s time to start thinking…
2021 Winter Silhouette Bonsai Expo
ery soon people will travel to North Carolina for Steve Zeisel’s annual Winter Silhouette Bonsai Expo on December 4-5, 2021. Kindly wear a mask. The beautiful North Carolina Research Center in Kannapolis is the venue…
Autumn 2021 at the International Bonsai Arboretum
The bright autumn colors of my maple bonsai arrived about two weeks late this season. But I think the short delay was worth the wait. The colors are not always as vibrant, note few damaged leaves. The bonsai have been…
Bonsai Odds & Ends – Hawthorn, Cypress, Spekboom
Twelve month countdown to the Pacific Bonsai Expo
Twelve months from today, the doors will open for the Pacific Bonsai Expo . This makes today a great day to look at your garden and see what your trees look like at this time of year. Preparing bonsai for exhibits often…
Wiring a Ponderosa pine
For the past three years, I’ve been working on a Ponderosa pine with large branches on the upper half of the trunk. I spent the first two years getting the tree healthy enough to work on and I lightly pruned and…
Fall cutback on a root over rock trident maple
When most of the leaves on deciduous trees have turned color or fallen away, it’s time for fall cutback. Trident maple ready for cutback I start by removing the leaves so I can see the branch structure clearly. After…
Yamato Bonsai Kai’s 50th exhibition
Last weekend the Yamato Bonsai Kai hosted their 50th annual exhibition in Union City, California. The event featured demonstrations both days by club sensei Johnny Uchida, vendors, club sales, and a fun mix of show…
Bonsai Odds & Ends – American Elm, Lantana
New Guide – Troubleshooting yellow foliage on black pine
Over the years I’ve written about various causes of yellow foliage on black pines. In an effort to record all of this information in one place, I’ve created a new guide that provides info on the following categories of…
The bonsai pottery of Nao Tokutake
One of the highlights of attending the U.S. National Bonsai Exhibition, held every other year in Rochester, New York, is meeting and catching up with people from across the bonsai community. As luck would have it,…
Short interviews at the 7th US National Bonsai Exhibition
During a stroll through the 7th National Bonsai Exhibition last month in Rochester, New York, Andrew Robson and I took the opportunity to talk record conversations with a number of friends for a new episode of the…