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Just landed after a magnificent Australia visit as part of the Bonsai Reshaped event titled “Big & Small”.  The video and photo gallery from the Australian bonsai collection is now ready. The photo gallery can be watched at the photo gallery, and the video is part of the member’s content.

Trees grow big roots that spread wide and deep. Shrubs—no surprise—have smaller root systems, but they differ in other ways as well.

I’ve been training this Japanese larch, Larix kaempferi, from a two- year bare root seedling for about six years. It has been trained in the two-line cascade style in a small square white glazed container. This preferred front is shown here but the back view of this bonsai is acceptable and might be used in a shohin bonsai composition if a different direction is required for eve movement Generally, I do not prefer tall cascade containers, primarily because I can’t figure out how to effectively display them…

I follow a similar approach when I acquire coast redwood pre-bonsai. First I repot, then I let the tree grow for a year, then I can get to work.

The days in Canberra at the Bonsai Reshaped 2024 are busy. Next week a members video from the Arboretum will be posted, but until then a few more posts from the event.

Stunning location in Canberra where the event Bonsai reshaped takes place these days.

My Monday Senior Crew and I organized a special celebration to commemorate the total solar eclipse on Monday, April 8, 2024. Rochester, New York, was in the direct path of totality for the solar eclipse as it stretched across 15 states. Schools closed as well as many businesses, including Wegmans for about an hour.

Our bonsai break bud at different times. When is best to repot? Do we repot them all at once?

Tomorrow I leave for Australia to join up with Marija Hajdic when we arrive down under. This year the Bonsai Reshaped event is held over 4 days April 11-14. Demonstrations workshops and lots of social connections are part of this big Australian event.

There are many techniques involved in creating bonsai. Wiring is one of those essentials. Wiring is used to redirect branches and shape these to recreate the image of an old tree. Big or small, wiring is not to be avoided and especially at a young stage wiring branches helps develop the tree. Older trees need more care and less wiring but when needed it must be done carefully to avoid an old branch being harmed.