Bonsai Art

No Life From Oak Halfway Through May

Posted by Adam No Commented Saturday, May 16th, 2009

Under: Misc.
One of my favorite trees - my Oak has not come into leaf yet this year. It’s getting very late now halfway through May so I decided to try and take some action today. I fear it might be a result of the screw I found going through the tap root a year ago when I repotted it. Repotting of Oak
I thought back then that it may cause problems but it’s taken more than a year for them to appear. I dug it up today and took a look at the hole in the root, it seemed to have mostly healed over and there was good fibrous root growth too. As a precaution I filled the hole up with cut paste.
I can tell the tree is alive because the branches are green and bendable. However, the buds just don’t seem to be opening this season or even swelling.
I planted it in the ground, deeper than I’ve had it in the pot to hopefully get some energy back into it. I will keep it in the ground for the whole of this season and perhaps next season as well to allow it to recover from the screw hole. That is IF it comes back to life! Fingers crossed.

Popularity: 55% [?]
Getting Fully Tooled Up With Bonsai Tools

Posted by Adam No Commented Friday, May 15th, 2009

Under: Buying + Selling
There are a mass of bonsai tools out there to choose from. I myself have found it quite a struggle looking through the good the bad and the ugly to search out what you need and what is pointless. Here are my findings.

When you decide it’s time to get serious and buy the proper tools don’t buy Chinese. They will wear quickly and require sharpening quite often. The tools to buy are Japanese who seem to put a lot more effort into their tool making. As with most Japanese things, they see it as an artform and therefore produce great items. You will see that Japanese tools are more expensive but these are definitely the ones to go for.

Click Title for the list
Read more »

Popularity: 59% [?]
Update On Yamadori Hawthorn Stump

Posted by Adam No Commented Saturday, May 9th, 2009

Under: Styling + Pruning
About 16 months ago now I collected this very large Yamadori Hawthorn which I chopped back quite dramatically to allow it to grow branches which were more in fitting with the size of the trunk. It has now grown back branches just where I want them and this is the current result (photo taken from back):

The tree is turned around this way at present to allow it to grow branches on this side as well as the other.
Realistically, we are looking at a 5 year plan for this tree. I plan to continue growing the branches and sub branches and in a few years we might have something special.
Problems I can see -
1. Big chop marks. Might be best to get some cut paste on them asap.
2. Lack of nebari on one side. Going to get some rooting hormone on the parts where there are a lack of roots.

Popularity: 69% [?]
New Japanese Maple Styling

Posted by Adam No Commented Friday, April 24th, 2009

Under: Styling + Pruning
Today I bought a new Japanese Maple Atropurpeum from the garden centre. It was very cheap and very big for the price, plus as far as I can see it isn’t a graft which most maples at the garden centre these days are. I got it home and immediately got on with the initial chop so that it can get on with growing new branches in the positions that I want. It looked great as it was but the problem was the branches were far too leggy and the leaves way to far up the trunk.

In the first two pictures you can see the initial tree look with my cat helpfully giving a size comparison. After analyzing the branches a bit I decided to go with this line which only included two cuts on the trunk.

The sec0nd two pictures show the aftermath of my chop! I have left one long branch at the top to help the tree recover after losing so many branches. At the end of the year I will be chopping this one off too so that it will look like the close up picture. I am hoping more branches will develop low down in this year and next year also so we can go on to the next stage.

Popularity: 88% [?]
Turning A Negative Dieback Into A Positive

Posted by Adam No Commented Friday, April 24th, 2009

Under: Diseases + Pests
I mentioned yesterday that my willows have all died back through the Winter leaving me quite distressed about the situation! The following one was perfectly shaped and was practically a completed bonsai on collection. Most of the tree had died but one side was still alive leaving growth to carry on as normal right up the length of the tree to the top.

I cut off all the dead bark to reveal the deadwood underneath. I then left the wood to dry out before applying lime sulphur to preserve it.

before the dieback - click pic for previous post.

front after carving and lime sulphur

back after carving and lime sulphur

Popularity: 97% [?]
Hinoki Cypress Repotting

Posted by Adam No Commented Friday, April 24th, 2009

Under: Styling + Pruning
I left the repotting of my Hinoki Cypress a bit late this year but It had to be done because It’s going to be a showpiece at my wedding in July. It was in a round plastic training pot and has now been moved to a light blue china pot. I think it’s a good fit and shows off the tree well.

Popularity: 97% [?]
Joined A Bonsai Club

Posted by Adam No Commented Thursday, April 23rd, 2009

Under: Misc.
I went last weekend to check out Dragon Bonsai which are based in Ammanford in Bonllwyn Aquatic Centre. It was really good as I got to talk with some other link minded people from the area. I will definitely be going back soon and taking a tree next time to show around. My girlfriend went with me and I think she was a little bored so I couldn’t stay that long but I did learn a few small things in my short time there.

Some of my willows have died back during the winter so I asked about them and was told that they need to be kept very wet as they like to live near lakes and rivers. I’ll be taking more care of them in future to make sure they have nice wet roots. One of my willows that has died back I gave a complete redesign of the other day, carving a lot of the dead branches back. I will get some photos online of it tommorow with a short description.

Popularity: 90% [?]
Apologies For The Downtime!

Posted by Adam No Commented Tuesday, April 21st, 2009

Under: Announcements
You may have noticed that Bonsai Art disappeared for a week due to a few complications moving to a new host. I’m glad to say that it’s all back up and running now although right this moment it doesn’t look too pretty! I’ll be working on it this week to get it all back to it’s best. Hopefully I can use this opportunity to completely redesign the site and get it looking even better than before. Stay tuned!

Updates:

All the old posts are online to view. (21/04/09 18:14)

Pictures in posts now back online. (21/04/09 18:25)

Sorting out new appearance of the site (23/04/09 11:17)

Now fully up and running - thanks for your patience. (23/04/09 14:59)

Finished tweaking the look of the site (05/05/09 12:42)

Popularity: 89% [?]
More Yamadori Finds (part 1)

Posted by Adam 2 Commented Tuesday, March 24th, 2009

Under: Interesting Websites, Yamadori
A few days ago I found a lovely looking tree which I wrote about at “Naturally Formed Hazel Bonsai“. I went for a search around the same area again today and found other nice looking specimens. I brought home two oaks and two birches which I’ve yet to do anything with yet. All of them need a bit of growing on to look good as they are a bit bare at the moment.

One interesting yamadori specimen I spotted today looks very interesting. It is another hazel tree but is larger than the other one I collected. It’s going to need a good shovel to get it out.
The problem Is I don’t know what to do with it once I retrieve it as it’s a bit of a strange shape. It looks to have had a tortured life so far! I think it’s going to need to be a lot shorter than it is at the moment, but I don’t want to lose the character that it has.

Any suggestions?

Part 2

Part 3

Popularity: 99% [?]
5 Top Indoor Bonsai Care Tips by Samuel Phillipson

Posted by Adam 5 Commented Monday, March 23rd, 2009

Under: Tips
Indoor bonsai care can be quite a difficult process to say the least. Without proper care and attention bonsai trees are prone to dying which is a rather unfortunate for the grower and the tree itself. Many people have different views on the proper way to care for bonsai trees and today I am going to tell you the five top indoor bonsai care tips around. By using the advice provided you will be able to grow great looking bonsai trees and prevent yourself from becoming a “bonsai gardening statistic”. The tips I am about to share with you are of course reasonably basic, however, they are extremely effective at encouraging the growth of bonsai trees. Without using the five tips it is nearly impossible to grow a good tree as they are the basic things every bonsai tree requires in order to develop. In a way indoor bonsai care is a bit like building a house - you need firm foundations before you can complete the rest of the construction. The following five indoor bonsai care tips are a firm foundation for growing great trees. Read more »

Popularity: 100% [?]
A Well Set Out Bonsai Garden

Posted by Adam one Commented Monday, March 23rd, 2009

Under: Styling + Pruning
Heres an example of a well set out bonsai garden. This is at Du Fu’s Cottage In China. The guy in the video says that it is a topiary garden but it’s actually a bonsai garden! Found on youtube Read more »

Popularity: 73% [?]
Buying Bonsai Plants In The UK

Posted by Adam No Commented Monday, March 23rd, 2009

Under: Buying + Selling
Trying to buy bonsai plants in the UK can sometimes be a bit of a struggle. Where do you look? How much are you willing to spend? Here’s a few short tips you help you out on your bonsai buying quest!

Avoid indoor bonsai in garden centres. Half of these trees are actually supposed to be outside and by the time you get them home they have been indoors for too long already and are starting to die. Types you see such as maple, juniper and hornbeam should never be brought indoors

If theres a good bonsai centre close to home, use it. Sure these places are more expensive than garden centres but they are much better looked after and the shop keepers can tell you exactly how to care for them. They will have been treated right their whole life so should be in perfect health. You are paying for the amount of care they have received.

Join a club where you’ll find others wanting to trade. Lots of bonsai owners like to swop and change their trees now and again so who better to swop with than other like minded individuals? Take your trees along that you want to trade and you will definitely find a taker.

Search on ebay. Ebay is a great place to buy bonsai trees. You can search by region so that the only ones that will appear are close to home so you won’t have to travel far to collect them. Smaller trees can be posted if you want to risk it.

Use a mail order online shop. There are some good online shops out there selling shrubs. This is by far the cheapest way to create your own bonsai and give it your own stamp without spending the earth.

Popularity: 72% [?]
Repotted My Oak

Posted by Adam No Commented Saturday, March 21st, 2009

Under: Styling + Pruning
Today I repotted my oak tree. I put it back in the same pot as before but gave it a little trim. I gave it a new soil mix and covered the soil with grit and fertilizer. I think it could do with going in a ceramic pot now but that will have to wait until next year now.

The person I bought this tree and a few others thought that it was a very clever idea to screw them down to the wooden pot… What a fool. I thought I’d got rid of all the screws but then I found a screw in the root of the tree holding it to the pot!

The stone is there to bend the large root upwards slightly. It was on a strange angle where it was, heading straight across the top of the pot and chopped off at the end.

The tree has been raised slightly in the pot to expose the roots a bit more.

Popularity: 68% [?]
Collecting Trees From the Wilds - Part 3

Posted by Adam No Commented Saturday, March 21st, 2009

Under: Tips, Yamadori
Today I put my yamadori ash bonsai into a training pot. I saved a large steel bucket from a skip to use as a training pot to make sure the roots don’t spread too much. As you may know, I haven’t long had the tree. Usually with yamadori you need to keep them in the ground for them to recover for a period of at least a year or so. But this ash I have has been doing so well I thought I’d put it in it’s new training pot. Read more »

Popularity: 75% [?]
Weathered Bonsai

Posted by Adam No Commented Thursday, March 19th, 2009

Under: Styling + Pruning
Fantastic Weathered Bonsai found at Loren Webster’s blog.

Popularity: 57% [?]
Giant Oak Photo

Posted by Adam No Commented Thursday, March 19th, 2009

Under: Full Size Trees
Who said that I love oaks? I suppose I might have mentioned it now and again…

Here’s a picture I took in August 2007, at the National Botanic Gardens Of Wales which is near Carmarthen. The oak itself is huge and must have been around for hundreds of years.

Popularity: 59% [?]
Naturally Formed Hazel Bonsai

Posted by Adam one Commented Thursday, March 19th, 2009

Under: Yamadori
Today I acquired a beauty of a tree from the golf course where I work. It was situated next to a well used path and was found growing in a very twisty pattern with natural jins. I assume golfers must have been hitting it with their clubs as they walk past getting their practice swings ready! It was also growing in a pile of rocks so the roots were quite short and had fine hairs.

As a result of all this, it has had a struggle to survive and this shows in the fascinating patterns in the branches.
It is potted in a 10″ pot.

I cannot take any credit here! All I’ve done with this one is put it in the pot and trim the branches back a bit.

Popularity: 74% [?]
Making Bonsai

Posted by Adam No Commented Thursday, March 19th, 2009

Under: Tips
To make a bonsai you need the following:
1. An interesting small shrub or tree
2. A shallow bonsai pot
3. Imagination Read more »
  
  Popularity: 60% [?]
Stop Unwanted Wire Cuts

Posted by Adam No Commented Thursday, March 19th, 2009

Under: Wiring
Sometimes quite a bit of pressure needs to be applied to a branch to get the desired effect. This can often cause unwanted unsightly wire scars which can take years for the tree to grow back to normality
A good tip to stop your wiring cutting into the branches and trunk is to wrap a small piece of foam around the desired branch before wiring. It usually works best on a branch where a large amount of pressure is about to be applied.

Popularity: 57% [?]
Difficulties Working With Evergreens

Posted by Adam No Commented Wednesday, March 18th, 2009

Under: Tree choice
Evergreens to me such as junipers, cypress and Spruce seem to me to be harder to work on than leafy trees. I don’t know why this is, but it is harder to work them out as to whether they will sprout back or not when cut. Deciduous, leafy trees are my favourite to work with as you can easily see where they are growing from and where the nearest bud is. There is a totally different method that needs to be implemented when working with needle trees. I will be exploring the differences soon on the website.

Popularity: 54% [?]

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