One of the most critical aspects of creating beautiful bonsai is reducing the size of the leaves. It is quite easy to see that the illusion of a miniature tree is enhanced by the presence of smaller, more numerous leaves rather than a few large leaves. Also, it is more beneficial to the tree to…
You would think that I would have found plenty of spare time during Covid 19 lockdown to work on my plants, but as things work out, I have been busier than ever. As a consequence some of my bonsai have suffered from a bit of neglect. The commiphora harveyi forest you see in the photos…
Water shoots are small shoots that emerge at the base of the trunk of a tree. This is a tendency that is often referred to as “shooting on old wood”. Not all tree species produce shoots on old wood, many only develop shoots on new young growth which is mostly at the ends of branches….
Identifying and removing bad branches is fundamental to developing well-styled and impressive bonsai. However, novices are often reluctant to prune anything for fear of harming or damaging the plant. As a consequence their trees quickly grow out of shape. The novice grower then looses interest, and eventually the plant dies from neglect. Identifying bad branches…
Re-potting an informal upright Commiphora Harveyi bonsai In this tutorial I am re-potting a Commiphora Harveyi bonsai that I dug out of the bush almost twenty years ago. It has been sitting in the same pot for all that time just waiting for today. Why has it taken me so long to get around to…
Also known as cloning, the taking of cuttings is a practice that most bonsai growers partake in. In its simplest form, taking a cutting from a plant is as simple as taking a small branch that one has cut from a bonsai tree and planting it in soil. In time, and if treated kindly, the…
Re-potting bonsai should be a quick process. Re-potting bonsai trees is normally a very quick process. The less time the roots spend out of soil the better. Most of the effort in re-potting bonsai is in the preparation. Good soil is one of the fundamentals of growing healthy bonsai. Bonsai soil, and all potting soil…
Work on the structure of the branches of bonsai trees during winter. The leaves of deciduous trees fall off during autumn. We can see the branch structure more clearly in winter than at any other time. We can easily distinguish the good branches from the bad ones and remove the bad ones. However, if you…
About a month after I joined the Durban Bonsai Society, about 150 years ago, we went on our first outdoor excursion to a nursery in the Natal midlands. After a few hours of wandering through endless rows of young plants in black bags I finally chose one plant that I thought would possibly grow into…
Hi Everybody. I have been writing about bonsai for more than twenty years. As I travel around my local area, Durban, South Africa, I see many people have bonsai trees, but they have limited knowledge and prefer not to become members of a local bonsai club. There are also lots of people who would like…