Bonsai tree:Before/After Chuuhin Shimpaku

The following pics are a before/after series of a chuuhin shimpaku juniper I recently styled at the nursery.   If you look closely, this bonsai is actually root-over-rock and relatively old.  It doesn’t appear that much was done to the tree, other than cleaning and a few adjustments; however, in reality it took nearly 7 hours from beginning to end (including cleaning, de-wiring, re-wiring every branch, and placement).  Please enjoy.

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Bonsai tree: Coming Soon: Field Grown Bonsai Stock

One little man made hill that serves as landscaping and as a growing bed for future bonsai.
I’ve started digging some of my field grown stuff and putting them in plastic containers. Soon we’ll start photographing and putting some up for sale.
More than half of what I’ve been growing are larches that have been collected here in northern Vermont. All have been pruned some. Some has been wired and a few have even been carved. Most are not bonsai pot ready, but all have good potential.
When they are ready, I’ll be putting them up here and on Stone Lantern.

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Bonsai tree: Wire Sale

A close up of wired branches on a Japanese black pine.
Not all types of trees are typically wired at the same time of year. And all climates aren’t the same anyway; spring in San Diego comes at least three months before spring here in Vermont (not to mention the bottom half of the planet where everything is backwards) and so forth. It probably goes without saying that all people aren’t the same either. Some ignore the advice of others and just wire when they want. Others strictly adhere to the old masters’ ways, but even the old masters’ ways vary some anyway. The upshot is, at any given time, someone, somewhere is wiring a bonsai. Why not you?
We are expecting a large shipment of wire from Japan sometime in April.
By the way, our wire is copper colored aluminum. It’s much easier to use than copper and less expensive too.

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Bonsai tree: Second Entry inBonsai Art Contest

Here’s Ken To’s entry. And here is what Ken has to say about it: “Here is my entry for the art contest. This is a wire bonsai sculpture made entirely from 24 gauge wire. It is planted in a high quality Japanese mame bonsai pot. I made this as a surprise present for my wife on Valentine’s day. Just in time for the contest! “
Back in mid-February we started yet another contest. This one has generous prizes; generous enough to maybe motivate you to enter.
Because the first one is Frank Kelly’s drawing that we used to kick off the contest.
We’ve already received several more entries that we will feature over the next few days. We’ll wrap it up when we get our quota; so don’t wait!

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Azalea - Developing New Branches

An advanced stage in the development of a Satsuki azalea. There are at least three flower variations in this photo: white, pink and pink and white striped. Satsuki azaleas are renowned for their vast and varied range of flowers. The bonsai artist’s name is not mentioned.
Azaleas respond extremely well to pruning during most of the growing season. You can cut off all the branches and new shoots will appear from the stubs. You can even whack the trunk down to almost nothing and new shoots will spring forth from whatever is left. This and other features like small leaves, small and beautiful flowers and easy adaptability to container culture, make azaleas a favorite for bonsai enthusiasts.
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Bonsai contest

This is a Cape honeysuckle (Tecomaria capensis), by Ken T. I like the knob on the right that makes the tree unique and tells a little story. I can still see a few things that might improve it.

1. The soil line could be just a little higher so the base of the tree would have more anchored feel. Generally saying this is just to lower the tree in the pot.

2. Perhaps letting the crown grow up higher in the center and then rounding it off some would balance the tree a little better.

3. The roots from the surface should be more covered with soil.

4. If turning the tree counterclockwise, it the view could be better.

This is a flowering serissa by Brian and Jill. It is healthy, the flowers are great and the strong little trunk is a good start. A too large pot can work for growing on and encouraing development, so maybe that is their intention.

This is a little ficus by Susan Richards. I like the way the trunk is wired. It promises a good future for this sparse little tree. Right now the sparse leaves are way too big for the tree, as is the pot; at least for show purposes Read more!

Fantastic Junipers

This is a Shore Juniper (J. procumbens) by master bonsai innovator, Masahiko Kimura. It combinse the sculptural look that has been favored by some Japanese bonsai artists with a more wild, ruged natural look that is in favour in much for the world bonsai community. If bonsai is an art, then the categories are continually being broken down as artist play, explore and inovate. And no bonsai artist that has played, explored and inovated more successfuly thanMaster Kimura.
Junipers are tough, durable and flexible and pruneable. They don’t mind having their roots hacked and they take to container culture. Their needles tend to be small and dense and both their needles and bark come in a range of attractive colours and textures. Perhaps best of all, junipers take to carving like few other plants and their deadwood is both attractive and long lasting especially if you keep it clean and apply lime sulfur.



Dwarf Japanese garden juniper. One thing I do know is that it is unmistakably a Procumbens nana; a dwarf cultivar of the Procumbnes. Procumbens nana is by far the most popular juniper for beginners, at least here in the States. However, you seldom see a masterpiece, as the trunks tend to stay too thin. The trunk on this one is about a thick as they ever get. Read more!

Do you have to soak bonsai tree seeds?

From emails:

I recently got my new bonsai tree seed, and I’ve heard you need to soak the seeds before you plant them. Is that true? I also will take any other advice anyone can give me, or websites with helpful information.

A bonsai tree is any type of tree pruned or manipulated to keep it small. I have never heard of such a thing as a bonsai tree seed? Sounds like someone trying to make a buck, suckered you in. You can buy a small bare root evergreen seedling from any good nursery and have a better head start on a bonsai tree. They will probably have a wide variety to offer too. Then go to the local library and get information on how to wire, prune and shape your little tree.

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