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Three years ago I started working on a small coast redwood (see “Creating redwood bonsai: step 1” for details). Since then I’ve grown out some sacrifice branches and removed them when they reached the desired thickness. From here on out the goal is to create a silhouette that complements the trunk.

If you see needles that look like this: 
Your first thought might be, needlecast! And you might be right. 

Years ago this azalea was much taller. Then the top died back. Then it was gifted to our garden, where we puzzled over what to do with it.

When you have a good trunk to work with and the goal is to improve the branches, you’re working with a tree in the middle stages of development. For pines with large trunks, this stage can last five to ten years or more, depending on your goals for the silhouette.

The post Back budding trick for Yew bonsai first appeared on Kisetsu-en Shohin Bonsai Europe.

And, what do we do with them?
This photo essay offers several answers.

In the Kisetsu-en bonsai collection, there are several pieces of the beloved Japanese maple, Acer palmatum.

Years ago, I remember pulling trees off the bench for their final prep ahead of a Bay Island Bonsai exhibit when I started thinking about what trees I’d show the following year. We had a rule in the club that we couldn’t show the same tree two years in a row so the planning typically spanned years, not months.

This is a common worry, so if you’ve worried about it, you’re not alone.