Bonsai Stuff

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I am a reflection/continuous improvement sort of person. I like to consider how could I do that better? Or what do I need to focus on? What do I need to change or stop? Always taking steps forward along with my bonsai. So as decandling season starts to wrap up for me I like to look back at my list of grievances I have with myself and the different areas I look to improve as I work on any bonsai. And w...

Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu

Summer is a time for a well earned rest but for your bonsai it can be a very stressful time. Whatever the system is you plan on using for while you are having a break, make sure you test it early. Friends, family, neighbours, watering system, no matter what your plan is, start the testing and 'training' now. If you have Japanese Black Pines this time of year is one of the most important and ...

Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu

Sometimes you can just get caught by surprise. You style a bonsai and it looks great, then a year or two goes by and all of a sudden you look at a part of a pad and it's weaker than it should be. Almost always it is a result of shading either from another part of the tree or the environment the bonsai is kept in. This needs to be rectified asap. Some of the tasks for our bonsai are extremely time...

Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu

Doing something which may not be perfect is far better than doing nothing. But more important than that is the health of your bonsai. So sometimes it is best to do nothing, but at times you have to do something. Taking your bonsai to the next level in the ramification stage takes serious focus on branch selection. I'll discuss my approach on how to move from flat structure to a full volume pad th...

Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu

Spruce and Cedar both make excellent bonsai and about now is a vital time to do some maintenance to improve their future structure. There are a few techniques I use that will help you understand and develop them into beautiful bonsai. Spring is a turbulent time for our bonsai as well, with weather extremes still impacting them. From excessive heat on fresh spring growth to overnight frost, hail and da...

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With all this talk about pruning and managing the Spring growth, is there ever a time where you should just let them grow? Yes there definitely is. And if you do let them run when should you prune them? To improve the strength of your bonsai we can use selective pruning (or not) and help build resilience and improve vigour. Sacrifice branches are a tool we use when we talk about trunk development or p...

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The candle cutting process is a technique we can use to successfully develop certain pine species. It is not decandling, rather candle cutting into the new spring candle to help build structure and ramification. I chat about the process, timing, what to expect, what to do next as well as the finer details to ensure you have a complete understanding of the process. This is an episode for every pine lov...

Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu

What a month of bonsai! Travelling around different areas of Australia, meeting loads of bonsai lovers and getting to create new bonsai. What could be better? When I do a demonstration I need to find the bonsai within the 'bush' and I have a process that I will share with you. From finding the trunk line, forcing taper and integrating flow and movement. I get to meet a lot of people and I lo...

Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu

There's lots to do now around the yard, including deciduous pruning, defoliation, repotting Australian natives and Ficus as well as working on cedars. You need to be careful (very careful) with watering both over and under watering and we need to prepare for Summer. The last round of fertilising needs to happen and there's almost too much to talk about in one podcast! Let's chat about y...

Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu

Trees have a fantastic approach to damage and the greater good of the tree. They can lock away 'issues' and move on. It's not a bad approach we could use too when things go wrong. Deadwood on bonsai is beautiful and I discuss my approach to working on it and when. As we hit the midway point in Spring there are lots of jobs to be undertaken with our bonsai and I run through my current ch...

Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu

Early Spring is a magnificent time especially for bonsai however things don't always go to plan and about now you might find there are issues or concerns with the new fresh foliage on your bonsai. What should you do? What's causing the problem? I run through some practical steps I use to help work through these issues. What do you do if you are seeing problems or a lack of vigour for a bonsa...

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This episode of the podcast is the final in the 4 part series for Deciduous Bonsai Development and it will focus on styling and shaping strategies. When to wire, when not to, clip and grow methods, branch angles and so much more. Plus an approach to have you avoid losing time with structural improvement. 

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Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu

Your repotting strategy for Deciduous Bonsai development is extremely important and this will vary based on your objectives and the stage of development the tree is in. I discuss field or ground growing, grow pots, transition pots and also bonsai pots. Each correlates to a different objective and the frequency of the repotting that is undertaken. 

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Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu

Successfully developing your deciduous bonsai requires strategy and an understanding of exactly where in the stages of development your bonsai is. Fertilising is a key tool we can use (or hold back) to allow your bonsai to achieve a higher level. I chat about my approach for various stages and my thoughts as to why, how much and when I fertilise. Wound management is extremely important for deciduous (...

Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu

Deciduous bonsai are just beautiful and it requires a mindset and certain process to develop them accordingly. It is easy to apply techniques we all hear about but is it the right thing to do? I consider the health and stage of development then build a plan before applying any process to the bonsai. When should you pinch? When is it Grow/Cut? What about sacrifices? If you want to develop your deciduou...

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Welcome to Spring and with that comes the close of the repotting season for me (well nearly the close) so I like to look back and reflect on what I've learnt and discovered of the repotting season. From tested tie ins due to late winter storms to hand cleaner. Doing it right now for future benefit is the name of the game. Plus now Spring has arrived we need to get moving on our early Spring tasks...

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Sometimes when tragedy occurs it is an opportunity for improvement and that was the case with my large European Beech. A few years ago the bonsai was hit by a falling branch in the garden. Part of the apex was ripped off and the upper section of the trunk was bruised. Have a listen to the tale of heartbreak that lead to the chance to build a better bonsai the was two years in the making. Yet another f...

Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu

Will changing your soil mix fix the problems and issues your bonsai is experiencing? No, it won't. Soil is a massive piece of the bonsai puzzle but it is only one part of the equation. There are other factors to consider. And I have been flat out lately repotting so there are some tales to tell, including a cascade Pine that was stuck in the pot!

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Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu

Are expensive tools the best? Will they last forever? Tool fatigue is a real thing and something to expect when you work on your bonsai. But you can avoid unnecessary early tool retirement by using them correctly and maintaining them. The right tool for the right purpose. Around this time of the year during the repotting process avoiding making decisions or making the wrong decision is common. Buy you...