Newcomers may shudder at the way we attack figs in October, cutting back hard and defoliating. The process actually traumatised one visitor some years ago but it is the way figs are treated. I was visiting a friend and saw a fig in a pot growing into the ground. It was about 1.5 metres high […]
Defoliation techniques for Ficus bonsai help refine the tree, improve its structure, and encourage balanced growth. An added benefit is that defoliation allows you to better see branch and trunk lines, enabling improved design assessment of what requires wiring, adjusting, or removal. Wiring is also easier to perform on a defoliated tree. To defoliate a
Jarryd has practised bonsai from 12 years old, completed an apprenticeship with Michael Hagedorn (Crataegus Bonsai) and now operates Montane Bonsai Garden (http://www.montanebonsai.com) on the northern slopes of Mt Wellington in Hobart. Whether refining advanced nursery stock, yamadori or unusual or difficult stock, Jarryd brings the best out of all material.
September had quite a few windy days, which have continued into October, so hopefully you’ve all been able to manage the demands of your trees to keep them healthy and thriving. I repotted several junipers last month, and it’s been challenging regularly spraying the foliage to increase humidity and prevent the trees drying out or
So, after some time nurturing and styling your bonsai, the time has come when you think it has reached a stage where you would like to put it on display for others to appreciate what you have achieved. At this stage, presentation is very important to make your bonsai look its best regardless of whether
We are very pleased to announce that Marija Hajdic will be visiting Sydney in early October and will conduct two workshops and a demonstration for BSA (a full day workshop on Monday 6/10 and a shorter workshop on Tuesday 7/10 before our demonstration that night). It is very exciting to have such an accomplished bonsai
Jason Pomfret (known online as Backyard Bonsai Australia) has been involved with bonsai since his early teens, returning to the art more seriously in his late 20s and early 30s. Now 46, bonsai has become a central part of his life. For the past three years Jason has been fully immersed at Unryu-en Bonsai, working
I have had several distractions this last month, including minor surgery, so I haven’t given my trees as much attention as I normally do at this time of year. It’s okay to sometimes have a break from repotting if you normally keep everything up to date, although it’s important to never let your trees get
Repotting is not just the time to remove excess roots and refresh the soil. That’s a huge part of it but repotting also gives the bonsai artist an opportunity to dig around the nebari and see if the tree has developed more interesting roots that can be revealed by lowering the soil level. I have
The first weekend in June saw about 50 enthusiasts get together for Bonsai by the Harbour, an annual event held by the Bonsai Federation of Australia in Gladesville, Sydney, at the SHORE Rowing Facility. It’s a very relaxed event with excellent demonstrators and workshops going on over the weekend. There were also vendors on site
