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.
Stimulating back buds on Japanese black pine
Earlier this week, we looked at the three basic types of buds found on black pine bonsai. Here’s what we can do to stimulate each. As terminal buds develop without prompting, we don’t need to do anything to encourage…
Bud types on pine bonsai
Pines commonly produce three types of buds: terminal buds, needle buds and adventitious buds. Terminal buds, often referred to as apical buds when they appear at the top of the tree, are the buds located at the tips of…
Summer fertilizing
There are a number of good reasons to fertilize bonsai in summer: The tree is young and the goal is to thicken the trunk The tree requires nutrition to recover from – or prepare for – defoliation and decandling The…
Carving tips for beginners
A member of the Bonsai Society of San Francisco , Samuel Tan, has taken an interest in juniper bonsai – especially deadwood work. Although relatively new to bonsai, Sam has picked up good tips from books like François…
43rdPark Ave Art Festival & Gudmund Jos Olsson
This is the 24 th year I have been selected to display and sell bonsai in the Park Ave Art Festival. My Monday Senior Crew and I create indoor bonsai for the public to introduce them to the art. Easy to maintain sub…
Signs of overwatering black pine bonsai
About a month ago, I noticed some of my pines turning yellow near the base of the needles. Yellowing pine needles I rarely see this in my older pines, but it sometimes shows up in the younger trees in my garden. It’s a…
When to graft and when to bend: evaluating branch structure
Since repotting a neglected San Jose juniper last fall, I’ve been thinking about the tree’s options for future development. The main question is whether to work with the existing branches or graft new branches. San Jose…
Defoliation follow-up: refining a Korean hornbeam
Two months ago I partially defoliated a mature Korean hornbeam (see “ Focus on defoliation ” for details). After defoliation – May 2018 I’d been curious about the effect of removing more leaves than normal so I cut…
A Few Bonsai for the US National Bonsai Exhibition Benefit Auction
A Benefit Auction will be held at the 2018 6 th US National Bonsai Exhibition to support the event. It will take place on Saturday, September 8, 2018 at 4pm, immediately after the last demonstration at the US National…
The Jerry & Karen Kral Garden
Each summer our Bonsai Society of Upstate New York Inc gathers and has tours to interesting gardens or nurseries in the greater Rochester, New York area. This evening we had the privilege to visit the garden of Jerry &…
Bonsai Development Series #9: Evaluating sacrifice branches mid-season
For my young trees in development, I tend to focus on a single question during the growing season: do I prune now or wait until fall? Chinese quince – four years old from seed The goal at this stage is to develop the…
The Passing Of Hatsuji Kato
I’m sad to report the passing of Hatsuji Kato, fourth generation proprietor of Mansei-en Bonsai Garden in Omiya Bonsai Village, Japan this morning, July 23, 2018. Hatsuji Kato, 76, was the first son of bonsai pioneer…
Experience Japanese Culture, Gardens & Bonsai In A Small Group
Have you ever considered to visit the Japan bonsai community and to experience Japanese culture? Here is your opportunity to experience the Taikan Bonsai Exhibition, visit private bonsai collections, Kyoto gardens and…
Bjorn’s Advanced Bonsai Course
Recently Bjorn Bjorholm and Empire Bonsai (Oscar Jonker) released their latest online Advance Bonsai Course. Bjorn is an American bonsai artist who has been studying and practicing bonsai since he was 13 years old from…
Can you see the signs? Identifying weak roots by checking the foliage
I acquired a number of field-grown shimpaku junipers earlier this year. Most are growing well. Healthy juniper The best signs of health, in this case, are the green color and the handful of elongating shoots at the ends…
Removing wire from an old grafted Shimpaku
If you haven’t checked the wired trees in your garden to see if any wire is cutting in, now’s a good time to do so. I often wire a lot of trees over winter or in early spring and by this time of year a lot of the wires…
Bringing new trees into the garden: coast redwood
One thing I like to do when I bring new trees into the garden is to give them a close look. I don’t always stop to appreciate all of a tree’s good or bad points when I’m shopping so I try to take the time once the trees…
Summer show prep: repotting black pine in July
With the fall bonsai exhibits still two months away, now’s a great time for some last minute show prep. The owner of the pine below plans to exhibit the tree in the U.S. National Bonsai Exhibition in Rochester, New…
FIRE SALE!
Join us on July 28-29, 2018 for a Fire Sale! to reduce plant material to allow me time to teach, train bonsai, publish International BONSAI and organize the US National Bonsai Exhibition. FIRE SALE
Enjoying potentilla in bloom
I’ve enjoyed growing a small potentilla for the last two years. As a deciduous shrub, I can appreciate the structure of the branches in winter and enjoy the flowers in summer. Potentilla in bloom Potentilla flower In my…