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Eric Schrader and I are happy to announce that we’ve launched a website for next year’s Pacific Bonsai Expo!

Thank you for your interest in the 2021 7th US National Bonsai Exhibition. Unfortunately, due to facility limitations and covid protocals, all weekend passes and daily tickets are sold out. We would like to accommodate everyone, but cannot. During the past few days, an overwhelming multitude of entrance tickets and banquet tickets requests came in and we have now reached the limit. People should have purchased tickets earlier, before making hotel and plane reservations. We have and will continue to observe all NYS and County COVID regulations. Tickets will NOT be sold at the door (none available!) if you did not purchase an admission ticket you will not be allowed in the building and sales area. We must carefully monitor the number of people in the facility which includes the sales area.

When everything goes well, there isn’t a lot of bonsai work this time of year. Deciduous trees are recovering from their last pruning of the season, decandled pines are filling in, and tropical bonsai are getting their final cutback of the season.

I’ve been waiting three years to start shaping one of the junipers in my garden. Since I decided to graft it in winter, 2018, I’ve been allowing it to grow freely until there was enough new foliage to support the tree on its own (see “Grafting follow-up” for the previous post about this tree).

I recently acquired a California juniper with two approach grafts. The grafts were struck to change the foliage from California juniper to shimpaku juniper.

One of my favorite oaks in the garden has been growing freely for the past few years. Now that it’s showing signs of vigor, it’s time for pruning!

If you’re a fan of oak bonsai, you’ve likely heard of John “JT” Thompson. For those who don’t know JT, he’s one of the most generous bonsai teachers in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Earlier this year, I picked up a zelkova in need of repotting. I cleared out the old soil and let the tree grow freely. Now that it’s showing signs of great health, I thought I’d start working on the branches.