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This January we had Daisaku Nomoto with Jonas Dupuich and Andrew Robson in Portland, Oregon for the Shohin School. I’ve enjoyed watching this event take shape the last two years, matched by the enthusiasm of its 50+ students.

As I go into repotting season, I think about how my plants grew the previous year and whether I want to change the soil mix I use for the upcoming growing season.

January’s trip to Spain held many jewels. Visiting the UBE convention and show. Seeing David Benevente’s bonsai garden. Meeting Bjorn Bjorholm, after all this time for the first time (and a good lunch, that). Visiting (and another lunch) with long-time collaborator Oscar Jonker.

As spring all of a sudden jumps on us, we have to act fast. The temperatures this season (again) show how rapid growth can appear after a mild winter. With the risk of cold periods coming back. In these early days, it’s important to have an eye on the bonsai that begins to react and repot before the new buds on the deciduous open too much.

During the past 60 plus years I’ve seen and used a multitude of watering wands, nozzles and watering cans. These have ranged from expensive copper Japanese watering cans to very inexpensive Chinese green plastic watering nozzles once imported and distributed by Brussel Martin.

The February meeting of the Bonsai Society of Upstate New York, based in Rochester, had an interesting and full meeting last evening. About 35-40 members from Rochester, Buffalo, Syracuse, Ithaca, as well as a couple of new visitors gathered to learn all about cascade style bonsai.

Arranging the trunks in a bonsai forest after it is planted and established can be tricky without simultaneously repotting the group.

The post Spring bonsai and Live Q&A Thursday first appeared on Kisetsu-en Shohin Bonsai Europe.

If you’re thinking about submitting to the 2024 Pacific Bonsai Expo, now’s the time!

The 2024 98th Kokufu Bonsai Exhibition is being held in two parts this year (Part 1 February 9-12, 2024 and Part 2 February 14-17, 2024.) Again, (like most years) the exhibition was held in the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum in Ueno Park, Tokyo, Japan.