Bonsai Basics
Bonsai Soil
We recommend the soil mix given to us by Boon Manakitivipart. It contains:
1 part lava rock
1 part pumice (which is lighter and holds less water than lava)
1 part akadama (which will break down in about 2 years)
1/2 cup horticultural charcoal (per 5 [...]
Pruning
Pruning determines the basic design of the tree.
Bonsai must always have a natural shape. The tree should remind the viewer of the growth habits of trees that might be found in nature.
Many years ago when cultivation of bonsai became established in Japan, the classic styles of bonsai evolved. These styles are not [...]
Repotting techniques
Here I am, holding up a trident maple that has just been removed from its pot and root-pruned in preparation for repotting. The rootball is becoming flatter through the years, with feeder roots being removed from the center. Feeder roots at the outside encourage the nebari to spread. The grey areas are cut paste [...]
Repotting your bonsai
In order for the repotting to go as smoothly as possible, be certain to have all your materials prepared and close at hand. Possibly the most important of these is to have more than enough soil mixed and sieved to repot every tree you wish to work on in a session. [...]
The Great Cut Paste Debate
There has been a great deal of heat and not much light shed in recent years on the interwebs about so-called bonsai “myths.” One of these “myths” is the age old question, “to seal or not to seal?”
Brent Walston doesn’t use wound sealant, and gives a great deal of good information about them. For [...]
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