I was confronted with this Mugo Pine and had no idea what to do with it. The two bar branches at the bottom is ugly and the two arms going up from there does not lean itself to any of the Bonsai styles that I know of.
After many days, weeks and months of staring at it from different angles, I one day was working on a small Japanese White Pine that is planted in a crescent shaped pot and a new idea came to me. To do this, many Bonsai “rules” must be broken and the tree put at risk due to a lot of material being removed. This is a calculated risk. More about that later. Here is the culprit in all its former glory.
What to do with it?
The decision was made to remove the one thick branch on the one side and create a two inch long Jin out of it.
The Jin on the right.
Then the other branch was stripped and Jinned as well.
One short Jin and one long Jin.
This longer Jin is now wired up and bent in the shape of a crescent, the same as what a crescent shaped pot would look like.
The crescent pot.The branch is bent.
Now the only branch that is left is shaped to represent an informal upright style Bonsai tree with a loop in what is now the trunk to get the height correct.
The end product for now.
Aftercare and the future: the tree will now be placed in a sheltered spot and remain there for at least a year. Fertilisation, watering, checking on the wire and weeding is the most excitement this tree will see for a long time. When the time is right, the wire will be removed and the Jin will be further developed. That will just be some detail work, inclusive of using fine carving tools, torching it and lime sulphur treatment. The tree will also go into a Bonsai pot once the growth is strong.
I mentioned taking calculated risks earlier. It really comes down to mitigating the risks by thinking through each risk and finding a way to minimise the risk. These include not potting anytime soon which means no root work at this time, sealing all the wounds and keeping the tree out of wind and harsh sunlight. Extensive wiring took place and this is mitigated by placing guy wires in places to support the harder wiring as to take some of the load off. Guy wires are attached to the wire on the branches / Jin and not on the branches itself. Now, let’s pray.
The shorter Jin that will undergo further development.
It is always exciting for me to apply wire to a tree and I feel the same excitement unwiring a tree. Applying wire is part of the creative process. You wire and you place the branches in place and when done, you can stand back and admire the design. Removing the wire for me brings the same excitement in that once the wire is off, two emotions are detected. One is happiness that you managed to remove the wire in time with no nasty wire bite marks on the branches. The second emotion is about the same as seeing an infant take the first steps on his or her own or seeing your puppy successfully toilet trained. Your tree is now on its own, with no help from wires to keep its shape. It is resembling something more advanced from the time that you applied the wire. It is another step towards maturity as a Bonsai tree.
Wire off.
How do you do this job? Some people cut the wire in short bits and others uncoil it from the branches. I do both. Usually thicker wire gets cut and thinner wire gets uncoiled from the branches. It also depends on the size of the tree for me in that I prefer to use my fingers on smaller trees as my wire cutter is quite bulky, but perfect to use on the thicker wire where the chances of damaging bark is greater. Using the cutter is just easier, especially on Copper wire. Aluminium is softer and much more pliable which makes for safer removal of the wire. And that brings us to a very important point. Safety and the health of the tree always comes first. If you cannot remove the wire safely by hand and the uncoiling method, the appropriate tool should be used. Never compromise on the health of a tree.
I also usually start with all the thinner wire first. In other words, the reverse order of which the wire was applied in. My technique is to set the thicker branches first, therefor using thicker wire and from there use thinner wire as the branches taper out to the thinnest ones. Starting with the thinner ones also means working from the outside in and avoiding the odd wire that naughtily crossed a thicker wire in its pursuit to support the tree. Yes, it does include some planning on order of work and technique to be used. I also usually start at the bottom of the tree and work my way up, one branch at a time. That will minimise the chance of missing a wire somewhere and then discovering it a few weeks later, by then causing damage to the branch where it was missed.
Do you re-use uncoiled wire? I do, especially for students to practice their wiring technique. To do this, it is best to get all the bends out of the wire first. I use a smooth steel pipe that is fixed on both ends and then all you have to do is take the ends of the wire around the pipe in each hand and pull it across the pipe a couple of times and it is as straight as new wire again.
Unwiring is part of the process. Do it mindfully and your tree will reward you not just with its aesthetic appeal, but also with good health and a feel good emotion of accomplishing something worthwhile.
Feel free to comment on how you approach this task and any tips that will make the job easier.
The composition is 14cm high. The pot is by Fionna from @How I make Bonsai pots in New Zealand. The plant is a Cotoneaster and has already flowered. Flowers were removed as the focus is on development of the branch structure. It feels like a fun toy to play with.
I have over the last few months been asked to value some Bonsai trees for various purposes. One was from a buyer who wanted to know if the seller’s prices were fair, one was for an insurance claim and the third one was a person questioning the price that I had on a Bonsai that I was selling. To cut to the chase, a Bonsai tree is worth what someone else is willing to pay for it. I have a few trees with extremely high prices on them and the reason is that I do not really want to sell the trees. We also know that a lot of people do not get involved in the pursuit of Bonsai as there is a perception that it is quite an expensive activity to participate in. Another observation that I have made over time is that when you do provide a valuation on a tree, the buyer is usually still skeptical and the seller think that you are doing them in. What the to look for when you value a Bonsai tree is quite diverse and multidimensional. Some things will add to the value and some thing will detract from the value. I am off-course talking about monetary value here but also do not want to throw the emotional value that a person might feel for a tree out of the picture. It is part of it, but hard to put a price on.
If you are reading this with the expectation that when you get to the end of the read you will know exactly what price to put on a tree, then you will be disappointed. What I can do is highlight those things that will add value to a tree and also point the things out that will detract from a tree. Now I know what you will do, if you are a seller, you will only highlight the things that will push the price up and when you are the buyer, you will only notice the things that will reduce the price. All is fair in love and war and Bonsai trading. So here we go.
One of the things that I always do is to troll through online markets where Bonsai is sold and also visit markets in person to get a feel of what the asking prices for different trees are and then in conversation with vendors, ask about what the tree sold for. There usually is a difference, especially at the higher end of the market. I have seen trees that sold for half the asking price and have also seen trees that were completely underpriced. Doing some research is the first point to take note of. Comparing prices across different species and ages is a good starting point.
The biggest factor is the aesthetic one. Does the tree look like a Bonsai and does it evoke an emotion? If it does, then lets start to look at how we can get to a suitable price. The number one price differentiation is age once the two points mentioned above are satisfied. With age comes the predictable themes of a well-developed Nebari, bark and ramification. A wide-based trunk with a good taper covered in thick bark platelets and branches that keep on ramifying with well-developed foliage pads or levels will immediately enforce a high asking price. Let us talk about a continuum or sliding scale for this purpose. What we are saying here is that a younger tree will be at the lower price end of the scale and the one as described above will be at the other end of the scale. Your country specifics or even district specifics will determine what the higher end of the scale looks like and what the lower end of the scale looks like. If the highest any tree has ever gone in a country ids $1,000 then that will be the high end and the low end will be zero, a free tree. On age, a tree will fit in somewhere along that scale. In a place where trees can be collected from the wild and where they have reached a very old age, Yamadori from these places will dictate a higher price than seedlings from the same mountain.
The next factor is specie. In some places Conifers will be more highly valued than broadleaf trees or deciduous trees. If you follow a few Bonsai experts on social media you will be under the impression that Pines and Junipers are the ultimate in Bonsai species. There are many others. Climate is important here as well and so is personal preference. I lived in a much colder place before and Maple trees were spectacular in their coloring during Autumn. Moving to a much warmer place with high humidity, Maples do not do as well and in my personal estimation has gone down a few notches for where I live now. For that reason I cannot pay a lot for a Maple tree that will never reach its full potential amongst my collection. They are still there, I am just not going to pay much for them and running the risk of a tree that throws tantrums.
In my country Privet is a pest tree and should be eradicated, the same with wilding pines. For that reason, these trees will always be at the lower end of the scale than a tree like a Japanese Black Pine or a sought after Juniper. Environmental status therefore will also play a role with pricing. A much sought after and in some cases, protected or native trees, will reach higher prices that the thousands of Radiata Pine that can be collected on the side of the road in my country. I am not saying that they are worthless, just that they will be lower down the price sliding scale than a Japanese White Pine or a Juniper with exquisite foliage.
A healthy tree will demand a higher price than a disease ridden tree. I have a filthy habit of checking under tree leaves for things like spider mite and even scratch around in the soil to see if there are any nasties hanging around there. Yellowing of leaves (do not get confused with Autumn coloring), flaking bark, dry or dead roots and a just generally sad appearance will let the slide slip to quite low on the scale.
The pot. This needs to be factored into the price as it can be quite a costly item. This is all about style, size, connection with the tree and then also the source of manufacturing. If you are into the valuation of Bonsai trees, you probably need to know a lot about pots, potters and their marks. It is definitely not just about the tree. On this topic, the growing medium is also a sign of care. Is it appropriate for the specie of tree? Is it Akadama, is it a proprietary mix and then a big question, when was it last repotted? While you are there, have a look at whether the tree is properly tied into the pot, check on drainage and also on chips and defects.
Then comes the hardest part. Valuing the effort, care, attention to detail and love that went into the tree to get it to where it is now. Labour costs over many years is indeterminable and this is the bit that makes the pricing of Bonsai more of an art than an exact science. That is the seller’s prerogative and in my mind, the only bit that is not clear cut and where haggling can take place. Just keep in mind that if a tree is priced right, it will be disrespectful towards the artist to diminish his or her work for the sake of a few dollars. In saying that, a high profile name is not necessarily a determinant of a high price. You must still be able to care for the tree with dedication and the correct techniques, no matter where the tree came from.
In ending it comes down to adding the plusses and subtracting the minuses, comparing it to the market (availability and price) and then figuring out the X-factor. Good luck and be prepared to be abused and ridiculed when you get involved in the business of valuing Bonsai trees, especially at the high end of the market. Last words is the same as in the first paragraph. A Bonsai tree is worth what someone else is prepared to pay for it. The asking price is not necessary the selling price.
A lot of posts are daily made on social media from people who are just starting out with Bonsai on where to start. There is a big difference between going off to your local nursery and buying your first Bonsai tree, create one from garden material (https://bonsaiplace.net/2021/05/30/garden-trees-to-bonsai/) or being gifted one, and then successfully maintaining and developing it further. What advice would one give to such a budding Bonsai artist?
A well-developed more mature Bonsai tree (left) and a very young starter tree (right)
The Advice
The first part would be to gain some knowledge and basic skills and to realise that Bonsai is an art form (https://bonsaiplace.net/2021/10/09/bonsai-culture-styles-and-isms/). One of the earlier blog posts on this website discusses what a Bonsai Curriculum could be like and it is worth reading. That was more written for Bonsai teachers whereas for the person just starting out, the advice will be different.
Ensure you understand what Bonsai is and what it is not. The first tree will probably be an under-developed and very young tree in a cost-effective pot with hopefully some care instructions. Whatever you have, it will take commitment and in most cases a daily commitment. It is very much the same as having a pet.
Secondly, get some knowledge on basic care. Things like most Bonsai need to be kept outdoors for optimum light conditions. They are trees after-all. Water requirements will depend on the type of tree, the size of the pot, climatic conditions and the soil mix. Nutritional knowledge will come later, but the basics of fertilization should be picked up early on.
For most people that will be the end of it, but for those wanting to take it up as a hobby, allow the addiction to flourish and before long, have a collection of trees, you will need some additional knowledge and some practical skills. This is where things like wiring, pruning techniques and repotting skills come in handy. Best at this stage is to join a club or at least regularly catch-up with like-minded people. Videos (see You Tube) will help, but it is still better to spend time with people and talking about your specific trees.
Through all of this a sizeable vocabulary will be added to the mix and before long, the starter will move into the intermediate phase where debates about nebari, branch structure (https://bonsaiplace.net/2021/04/26/branch-selection-101/), ramification and soil-medium debates dominate. Not to mention pots. Colors, shapes, sizes, textures and it goes on and on and on.
A later but very important part of personal development as a Bonsai artist is to know some of the history and especially some of the philosophical themes attached to Bonsai. That is where you start to understand the difference between Penjing and Bonsai and some of the styles like Literati.
On that last point, there are some golden themes running through all of Bonsai and these mainly relate to the philosophical concepts (Wabi-Sabi) regardless of the structure or style of the tree. It would be wise to get to know these as well. https://bonsaiplace.net/2023/06/17/bonsai-perfection-in-imperfection/
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A Bonsai friend recently commented on a social media post showing an AI-generated image of a Bonsai tree that it was too perfect and that it does not display the characteristics of true Bonsai identified through the concept of Wabi-sabi. This is not the first time that I am writing about Wabi-sabi, but in this blog I would like to dig a little bit deeper into the concept and then apply it to Bonsai. I would specifically like to explore the concept of Perfection in Imperfection, one of the meanings of Wabi-sabi.
AI-generated ImageAI-generated Image
Let’s recap quickly on what Wabi-sabi means. According to Wikipedia (Wikipedia link), the term refers to a world-view focused on the acceptance of transience and imperfection. It is at times described as appreciating beauty that is imperfect, impermanent and incomplete in nature. Further on it is quoted stating that “from an engineering or design point of view, wabi may be interpreted as the imperfect quality of any object, due to inevitable limitations in design and construction/manufacture especially with respect to unpredictable or changing usage conditions; in this instance, sabi could be interpreted as the aspect of imperfect reliability, or the limited mortality of any object, hence the phonological and etymological connection with the Japanese word sabi“.
This takes us to Bonsai as a living art form, one that is never finished, one that is constantly changing due to nature and the hand of humans impacting on its growth, design and health. It is not just the tree itself, but it can also incorporate the elements making up a traditional display, the pot, the soil cover, the stand, the accompanying plantings and then also the scroll or art work in the background. The paragraph above mentions the limitations in design as one example of impact. When it comes to Bonsai there are many others.
Not everything can be controlled when it comes to Bonsai cultivation. When a tree is harvested from nature, there will no doubt be imperfections caused by insect or mechanical damage, the direction of growth and the effect of wind, snow, animals, substrate and sun. This needs to be incorporated into the design and these features, if managed correctly, will become part of the tree’s aesthetic, its character and be part of the tree’s story. These imperfections add to its history, its aura and a kind of spiritual presence that cannot come from a “perfect” tree.
Another natural example illustrating this concept, is the changing nature of the art work. The colour changes due to seasonal changes, the appearance of flowers and fruit, and then these disappearing again. It is seen in deciduous trees through being cloaked in leaves during the warmer months and then being bare during the colder months. Development of bark (craggy, flaky), fissures, Jin, Shari and Uro are all examples of natural imperfections that adds to the aesthetic of the tree, showing the beauty through these imperfections, making it perfect.
The paragraph above mentioned things that can occur naturally and some of those and others can be done by human hand. The artist can purposefully create some imperfections in line with the characteristic of the tree to add beauty through these imperfections. Here we are thinking about jin, shari and uro, but then there is also the way in which the tree is displayed. Is the position in the pot off-set or in the middle, the style of the tree plays a leading part in this. Yes, we try to match the style of the tree with the pot, size, shape and colour, but is is very rare to get all of these elements to align perfectly. On top of that you will always have different opinions on shapes, size, colour of pots as well as the general flow of the tree in relation to the pot. We try to provide one picture, one whole, but on closer inspection, the “flaws” will be there. Are they flaws, no, they are imperfections, all adding up to the complete picture being perfect. And then the tree grows ……!
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines Texture as the visual or tactile surface characteristics and appearance of something. Bonsai is a very visual art form and therefore texture does play a vital part, not just in the individual parts of the Bonsai picture, but the whole picture as a whole. There are already so many things that play a role in the overall aesthetic display and look of a Bonsai tree, that to bring out one specific aspect, might be one step too far for some. However, we will break it down in the different parts and as you develop on your Bonsai journey, more of these features can be combined. Each individual aspect will make reference to its place as part of the larger whole.
Pots or containers
These come in various sizes, colours, shapes and also textures. There are some generalisations around like conifers do not necessarily go into glazed pots, but only unglazed pots, and then also that the pot colour should either match the flower colour or be of a contrasting colour. Let’s for the sake of this article, focus on texture. Needless to say is that a very refined tree, with a more feminine appearance and feel, will look odd in a rustic, unglazed pot. There is also a saying that the pot is like the frame of the picture and should enhance the visual appearance of the tree. It is therefore logical to say that smooth pots, usually glazed, is better off with trees which have smooth bark or a smooth leaf surface. A very rustic old Pine tree will probably look better in a more rustic container that could even have the texture of a rock or similar to the craggy old bark. The word generalisation has already been used here and it is common place to bend and break “rules” if the appearance of the whole visual picture will be enhanced in so doing. In short, as the pot or container is such an important part of the final look, it will pay to think about texture as well in selecting the best pot for the tree. It is definitely more than just size, colour, shape, depth, glaze, texture matters.
Bark
From a visual perspective, and especially when the bark is well-developed and stretches down to the soil surface, it is one of the most striking aspects of a tree from a textural perspective. Bark comes in many forms, shapes, colours, sizes and thickness. The same can be said for texture. The two main characteristics will be either smooth or rough with anything in-between. Then there is also the fact that some trees will form bark plates and others could have flaky bark. All of this is determined by the species and is a natural characteristic that is genetically determined. All the Bonsai artist can really do here is to ensure that the bark is protected or removed if it needs to be. The latter refers to some Junipers where the flaky bark is removed to show the rich contrasting reddish live veins off against the stark white of deadwood. Bark is a sign of age and therefore a very important aspect of increasing the aged look of the tree.
Jin, Shari and Uro
This goes hand in hand with Bark and influences textural aesthetics of the tree. This also can be used to enhance aging characteristics due to the textural differences between these features and the rest of the trunk, stems or bark.
Foliage
When it comes to leaves or needles, the usual visual impacts are those of shape, colour and size. There are textural aspects when it comes to foliage that are important when it comes to overall appearance of the art work. Things like, softness, hardness, smoothness and then also in a lot of broadleaves, like Rhododendron and some Magnolia, the two leaf surfaces showing completely different textures on the two leaf sides. We do find some leaves with a smooth top (adaxial side) and the underside (abaxial side), could be hairy. In Bonsai, it is rare to see the lower side of leaves, but if there is a unique difference in texture, it might pay to find ways to show it off. That is where creativity can trump practicality or “rules”. We all know about the spectacular autumn colour changes we see in some deciduous trees, but it is good to note that when the colour changes happen, there is at times also a textural change at the same time.
Other aspects
Flowers: The more striking aspects of flowers and fruit would be the colour, size and shape. It is worth noting that flowers have different textures, not just the whole flower, but also parts of the flower can be different.
Soil or surface cover: This refers to the upper layer of the soil that is visible in the pot or container. Texture here is important as well. The soil particles itself can form a visual pleasing aestehtic, but it is more common to cover this with something like moss. Just within different moss varieties a whole lot of different textures can be found.
Stands: Bonsai are usually displayed on a stand and traditionally these are made from wood. In modern displays it is not uncommon to see different materials being used. This could be steel, composites and even glass.
It all comes down to the aesthetic and the visual impact that will enhance the tree and texture is a force to be reckoned with when these decisions are made.
I am always on the lookout for new material and prefer to work with material that has accumulated some age and character through being garden plants or from nature during the first phase of their lives. Sometimes they come for free and sometimes you have to pay. These two Azalea plants were advertised for free and just needed to be dug out. That took two minutes as these are shallow rooted plants.
Freshly dug Azalea plants from a garden.
Freshly dug Azaleas and the first step is to remove all dead branches and then also to remove most of the garden soil. It is better to remove all old soil, but in some cases it is ok to leave some of the garden soil depending on the season. You do not always have a choice when the plants become available and then you have to make informed decisions about how far you can go, especially when it comes to root work.
These two were potted up and we also managed to get seven smaller plants off the larger clump. Needless to say, these two are clump style and will be grown and refined over the next few years as such.
Potted up and ready to start the Bonsai journey.
Aftercare is the most important aspect when it comes to doing work on plants out of the optimum season. Watering is a big part of this and after I have watered the plants in, I always water with a nutrient rich tonic and fertiliser and prefer liquid ones. My go to preference is Swift Grow due to the fact that it is organic, contains all needed nutrients and very important for me, the right probiotics to get the roots off to a great start.
With no national shows in Spring and very little club activity due to Covid-related restrictions this year, it gave the opportunity to allow trees to just grow, recover and gain some vigour. Or is it just laziness or procrastination that allowed for some of my trees to get out of hand, especially in the weed growing department. With a bit more time on my hands due to the summer break, it is time to get some control back.
Before on left and after basic maintenance work on the right. This is a Privet (Ligustrum).
My normal way of working is to start at the bottom and this case was no different. I ignored the weeds for now and first took all the dead little twigs out. In the process of doing this, I discovered a solo paper wasp nest and had to remove the culprit and the start of the nest first.
Wasp nest.
Next job was to take all unwanted growth out. This included spent flowers, crossing branches, branches going against the flow, branches and twigs growing up or down. This created a more natural pad shape and with the trunk now more open, it was decided to turn the tree very slightly to the right. That means repotting and in the middle of summer, not such a great idea. This tree species is treated as a weed in New Zealand due to its indestructible nature, spread all over the place and pushing native species out. In other words, it is quite hardy.
The tree was taken out of the pot, some old soil was raked out, but no roots were cut. This took care of the weed problem as well. Back in the pot with some fresh soil and also the slight twist. It is now well-watered and in the shade for a few days before it goes back on the bench.
Weeds: As Bonsai grow in relatively small pots and the soil medium is quite porous, you do not want weeds in your soil competing for the same food source. It is better to keep an eye on this and remove weeds as soon as they appear. Not only will you have more nutrients available for the tree, but by removing weeds while small, you also do not disturb the tree roots when you have to remove larger weeds.
In summary for summer maintenance:
Remove all dead and sick leaves, twigs and branches.
Seal all big cuts.
Remove pests.
Clip to shape and where necessary apply light wiring.
Remove all weeds from the soil and pot.
Only work on the root ball if it is not invasive work and you have the ability to provide exemplary aftercare. Do not cut roots at this time of year.
Water and keep in a sheltered position.
Apply liquid fertiliser or tonic and then follow up with a slow release granular fertiliser. I use Seasol and then a well-balanced fertiliser as Summer progresses into Autumn. I also use Rhizotonic when available.
Fro Northern hemisphere readers, please take note that these trees live in the Southern Hemisphere (New Zealand).
Let’s drop the cat in the middle of the pigeons by saying that most art forms have specific styles or movements that are easily recognisable through look, technique or application. This article is just one of many having a good go at describing different painting styles (https://indonesiadesign.com/story/major-art-painting-styles). These include styles like Realism, Impressionism, Expressionism and many others. The artist themselves can in a lot of cases be identified by just looking at their work. Bonsai does not have that and there the cat goes.
Painting Styles
How does this relate to Bonsai? Most Bonsai artists will be able to explain the difference between Bonsai and Penjing (see Zhao Qingquan’s work) and then there is also the nuggets of wisdom wanting to explain Niwaki as an art form, and we will rather stay away from saying too much about Topiary (just joking). Then there is also Kenji Kobayashi describing Keshiki Bonsai and many other attempts at identifying styles.
Penjing and Niwaki.
A book of great value is that of Charles Ceronio, Bonsai styles of the world (2015) in which he describes the structural styles of Bonsai design. What I am getting to here is to see if we can identify styles like it is done with paintings as mentioned in the first paragraph. There are attempts made by some artists to add to this knowledge and an example of this could be Walter Pall talking about the Naturalistic style. Is that even a thing? Taking a hedge trimmer to a Bonsai and giving it a name is probably not the best of attempts to give a style a name.
Pierneef style recognisable as from Africa.
It is quite clear that there are many easily recognisable trees or even collections of trees that can be attributed to specific Bonsai artists. Goshin would be a good example of this. I can also think of some of Masahiko Kimura’s trees as easily identifiable. Is that true for many of the current big or trendy names that we currently have in Bonsai? Can you pick a Bjorholm, a Noelanders, a Neil, a Pall out of a line up of trees?
Goshin and two of Kimura’s works.
Then there is also a debate going around on specific regional styles. Is their a European style or an American style? What we do see is that artists use native trees from specific areas and do a wonderful job with those trees, but at the end of the day, these trees still relate back to the basic design styles of Bonsai and not necessarily an artist or a region or a philosophical style. The one exception will be that of Literati. Is that the only design style that can be linked to a time period or a movement?
Literati.
Where to with this argument? Probably nowhere and does it really matter. We have the basic design styles in Bonsai and many derivatives from that, we have individual expression in each tree and if that is recognisable as the work from a specific artist, great. Do we need to link it to the “isms” that we find in other art forms? So far it has been restricted for Bonsai or maybe it is just case of it not being necessary for the Bonsai world. Or is it? Is this the missing bit for Bonsai to be recognised as a true art form? Maybe we can just enjoy Bonsai for what it is and not overcomplicate matters by trying to find its place in mainstream art forms. It could be that it is so far removed from other art forms that the vocabulary needed to describe it is very different. Maybe the vocabulary must still be worked out?
Whatever it is, it is art, a living art. It is an art form that humans use to express themselves within what nature provides to do so. It could be that it is too free to put in a box and put “ism” at the end of the name of the box.
Carving is usually done to create or enhance jin, uro (holes), shari (stripped bark) or getting rid of areas where large branches were removed. In this case a large branch, about one inch thickness, had to be removed and it was decided to leave a 15cm piece of it and sculpt a jin (deadwood) out of it.
The tools.
I use a die grinder with a carving bit to remove material fast and to roughly shape the dead straight branch by making grooves in curves and alternating the depth of the grooves. Once this is done I burn the jin to get rid of wood fibres and then repeat the process with the trusted Dremel and a smaller carving bit.
The rough carving results.
Burn, baby burn.
As mentioned, burning the jin with a butane torch gets rid of the loose fibres, but it also helps to get rid of sharp edges and tool marks. After a heavy torching, the jin is brushed with a copper brush and then with a nylon brush. Sand paper can be used to smooth areas that needs it, but I find that the brushing works well on its own.
End result.
To preserve the newly carved jin, I wash the whole tree off and then let it dry and rest for a few days. Lime sulphur or a wood hardener can then be applied. For a darker finish, mix some ash (burnt paper) in water and paint on. Some of the grooves can also be painted by making use of black ink. All fluids should be diluted. Lime sulphur is usually diluted with water 50/50%.
Safety aspects:
Wear safety glasses during the carving phase.
Use gloves when using the power tools.
When using the torch, protect the rest of the tree from the flame by using aluminium foil or a wet cloth around foliage and nearby parts.
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In November 2015, the very early days of this blog site, I wrote about Metrosideros excelsa or Pohutukawa as Bonsai and included a few photos of these magnificent trees in nature. This tree is also known as the New Zealand Christmas tree. The link to that blog post is here.
For this blog post I will style a Pohutukawa as a Bonsai. As can be seen from the photos in the linked post, these trees very naturally present as multi trunks with great root structures and the very prominent aerial roots. it is this root structure and especially the aerial roots that make these trees ideal for root over rock designs. This tree will not be a full root over rock, but a rock will be placed next to it with roots growing over the rock.
Metrosideros excelsa / Pohutukawa
This plant was grown from a cutting for a few years and these photos clearly show that these trees are basal dominant. It basically means that it will keep on growing new shoots from the base compared to tree which are apical dominant where the new growth is at the top of the tree.
Close up of the multiple shoots growing from the base as well as visible aerial roots.
As can be seen from the photos above, the first step is to search for roots and in this case roots in the soil and not the aerial roots. I find it better to remove the top edge of the plastic bag and sometimes remove the bag or pot completely. The presence and position of roots, especially radial roots will help to determine the orientation of the tree. In other words, the front of the tree and the first ideas of what the design could look like. In this case quite prominent roots were found and spread around the tree which means we can now look at the above ground structure as the placement of the roots allow us to look at multiple design options.
The next step is to remove all unwanted growth. To stay more or less true to the natural growth pattern Pohutukawa, the decision was made to design a multi trunk tree with three trunks. Really only two, but the thickest trunk has a fork which visually looks like two trunks. All three trunks have different diameters which makes it visibly more pleasing. All inward growing branches are removed and decisions are made about the three trunks. This includes things like direction, placement and length. As the three main trunks did not grow naturally in the directions needed and the centre trunk needed to be compacted, wire was applied.
A lot of branches and foliage were removed. some of these will be propagated as cuttings.Wire was applied to bend the branches and also change the direction of the branches.The pot is prepared.
The final product with a rock added to add visual weight on the right hand side and also allow a backdrop or prop for some of the aerial roots to grow over.
It is important that Bonsai trees are three dimensional. The best way to check that is to view the tree from above. Visual depth adds to the aesthetics and overall view of the tree.
As for all trees, the aftercare is now of the utmost importance. As the pot is not that shallow, not many roots were removed, but the tree will still be kept in a protected spot, out of the wind and cold temperatures. Watering is now also important as well as sun exposure. Just damp, not wet and limited afternoon sun is what is now needed for the further development of this tree.
We have already looked at Photosynthesis https://bonsaiplace.net/2021/07/17/horticultural-processes-and-bonsai-photosynthesis/ and Transpiration https://bonsaiplace.net/2021/07/18/horticultural-processes-for-bonsai-transpiration/ as two processes that are very important for plants and your Bonsai to stay alive. There is a third such process which is as important as the other two, but because the structures responsible for this one are not that visible, it is not that well known. Respiration is something that is done by all living organisms. It basically comes down to the exchange of gasses that is needed to survive, just like in a human being. We breathe in and out to get Oxygen in and to release Carbon dioxide. Well, plants need to do the same thing as Oxygen is needed for plant cells to survive and they also release Carbon dioxide as a waste product.
Intuitively one would then wonder how Photosynthesis and Respiration is balanced so as to make sure that the plant produces more Oxygen than what it will use itself. Respiration can be classified as either Aerobic Respiration (enough Oxygen around) or Anaerobic Respiration (not enough or no Oxygen present). The latter one is a problem for plants and something the Bonsai grower needs to be very aware of. The best example of this is in Yeasts through the process of Fermentation.
Looking at the diagram below, we can see how the two processes interact. The one’s products become the other process’s raw material (input) and vice versa.
Important points for Bonsai growers:
Water logged soil do not allow a good flow of air through the soil which means that there is very little to no Oxygen available for root cells to take this gas in. Due to myriads of bacteria living in soil, and some of these can live anaerobically (in the absence of Oxygen), the chances that these bacteria can cause rot and other damage is large. Best to avoid water logged soil.
Drainage: This aspect is linked to the point above, but important enough to elaborate. Good drainage will promote good airflow through the soil. It is almost like a suction effect in the sense that as water runs through the soil, air will follow and in this way increase the air flow (ventilation) through the soil and the end result is that you have happy roots and happy roots equals happy Bonsai.
Pots: Bonsai pots can be very small in relation to the root mass of the tree planted in it. That means less soil compared to a plant in a garden and this can also lead to less air in the pot. Training pots especially are important. At Bonsaiplace when we use timber boxes or even plastic containers as training pots, we always drill extra holes, not just underneath for drainage purposes, but also from the sides to increase air flow for respiration.
Hothouses and covering Bonsai plants or cuttings with plastic. The main reason why we do this is to increase the humidity around the plant. That helps to prevent water loss through transpiration and increases the heat to promote growth. Just keep in mind that through photosynthesis the plant will produce Oxygen that in turn will be taken up for respiration purposes and Carbon dioxide will be produced for Photosynthesis to take place through Respiration. Where the problem comes in is when you do not have leaves on the plant, i.e., cuttings or a deciduous tree. That means no Photosynthesis and although Respiration needs are low, it still takes place. Just allow fresh air to get into the plastic covering at times and this problem will be sorted.
The next blog will look at Secondary Thickening. This is the process through which plants produce wood and bark. Exactly what we want for our Bonsai trees. To make sure that you do not miss this one, please subscribe to our website and like this post. It is all free.
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Have you ever wondered how water travels from the soil into the roots and then up the stem to the leaves? Well, here we go. The process is called transpiration and starts in the roots through a process called osmosis. This is the movement of water across a membrane from an area of higher pressure to an area of lower pressure.
Now I am going to confuse you completely. I already said that it starts in the roots, but the condition for the process to happen actually starts in the leaves. As the water accumulates in the leaves, the internal volume of the leaves now have a higher pressure internally compared to the atmospheric air. That means that the water leaves the leaves through a structure called a stoma. There are hundreds of these on the leaves and they can open and close depending on the plant’s water needs and the climate on the outside. Almost like little valves.
Transpiration
Osmosis
Now we have the picture on both ends of the tree. The water flows in through the roots due to water pressure in the soil, it moves up a bit in the tubes (xylem) as these are very thin and act like thin straws. Have you ever noticed how when you place a straw in water how the water level in the thinner straw is higher than the level in the water. That is called capillary pressure.
What now happens is all of these work together. The water is pushed into the roots, the narrowness of the tubes give it a bit of a head start and then the pull from the leaves draws it further up the stem or trunk and the flow happens. This can happen as fast or as slow as the conditions dictate. If everything is perfect, a continuous flow will happen, but as soon as something changes, the tree will adapt. Let’s say there is not enough water in the soil for the osmosis to take place. In other words the pressure is not high enough for the water to enter the roots through the different membranes, well, water will not be taken up and the tree will dry out.
At the other end things can go horribly wrong as well. Let’s say it is a very hot day and a dry warm wind is blowing. That means the pressure on the outside of the leaf is very low and if there is any water inside the leaf, this steep difference will cause water to evaporate or transpire through the stomata and if this happens rapidly and the cells lose their turgidity (pressure), it will wilt and lose structure. If this happens for too long, it is possible that the plant will dry out and leave this earth for Bonsai tree heaven.
Experiment demonstrating plant transpiration. A plastic bag has been secured over the branches of a pot plant. The inside of the bag has condensation on it from water transpired from the plant’s leaves. Transpiration is the evaporation of water from pores called stomata in leaves. The pores open to allow carbon dioxide to enter the plant for use in photosynthesis, but this also leads to the loss of water.
Before we get to the practical things to do and look out for, it is important to remember that water travelling through a plant will contain minerals and other chemicals that it absorbs from the soil. It therefore plays a very important role in the distribution of these minerals throughout the tree.
The practical things:
Watering is a very important part of keeping Bonsai and comes down to a balancing act to ensure that optimal conditions exist for the processes as described above to take place.
Make sure that your trees are placed in an environment that suits the watering needs of the tree. Plants with thin leaves that can dry out easily i.e., Maples and should be kept out of harsh sun and dry windy conditions.
Trees with smaller leaves or even needles (Pines) can withstand this a bit more as they have less stomata and a thick waxy cuticle that covers the leaf or needle to minimise the area exposed to sun and wind and therefore slow transpiration down.
Get to know the water requirements of your trees and if possible group trees with similar water requirements together.
Check the drainage of your trees regularly. This starts with ensuring that the potting medium / soil is correct for the type of plant. Plants that thrive in drier conditions will have to be planted in a coarser and free draining medium.
When watering, water from the top over the whole tree as it washes dirt off the leaves to enhance transpiration as well as photosynthesis. It also cools the plant down so not to lose too much water.
If the soil is too wet, root rot can occur. This is not necessarily due to something going wrong with transpiration, but more a case of the roots not being able to breathe. Yes, they have to breathe as roots consists of living cells and through the process of respiration, need to take in oxygen. More on this in the next article in this series. It is also a perfect living condition for fungus that causes root rot.
Other techniques to ensure the soil does not get too wet is to tilt the pot during long periods of rain for water to run off. You can also push a rod through the drainage holes through to the top to create a channel for water to run through. These are drastic measures only to be used in circumstances where you need to get rid of water quickly.
Soil can dry out very quickly in a small Bonsai pot. When you get to a situation where the soil is so dry that water on top just runs off the surface, break the surface up a bit and dunk the whole pot in a container of water. Wait until all air bubbles disappear and place it back on the bench.
Another thing to look out for is when the roots grow so fast that it basically replaces the soil in the pot and all you have in the pot is a ball of roots. It is difficult for the plant to absorb water under these circumstances. Prevention is better than the cure. Repot with fresh soil when necessary and treat your trees as if they are pets.
When pruning, cover the cuts with cut paste or something similar as you create a wound and in the context of this article, a leak. Plug the plumbing to support the flow of water through the tree.
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It is a well known fact that horticultural knowledge and skills should be on par with the creative side of Bonsai cultivation as a horticulturally neglected tree will never reach its full potential as a Bonsai. It is therefore important that some basic horticultural knowledge and skills are mastered early on the journey towards Bonsai mastery.
This series of articles has it as goal to highlight a few processes in horticultural science and linking this knowledge to Bonsai creation and maintenance. We will start off with the most important one and that is Photosynthesis. Others will follow in subsequent articles.
Photosynthesis
A bit of knowledge relating to cell science will help here. In plant cells, usually where there is a green colour, you will find cell organelles called chloroplasts. Inside these there is chlorophyll, a colour pigment, and this one is attributed to the green colour in plants. This is where photosynthesis takes place. Photosynthesis is the process through which plants use raw material to produce food. The raw materials are carbon dioxide and water and with the aid of energy from the sun, food is produced and oxygen is made as a by-product of this process.
What does this mean for Bonsai? The most important part here is the exposure to light. Without this natural light source not enough energy will be available for this process. The second part is that there should be enough chloroplasts available for this process to take place. The significance of this comes in at pruning time. It needs to be at the right time as there should be enough energy / food stored to carry the tree through the period with either no leaves or very few leaves, as at this time food production will be limited. This is crucial for evergreens as the food storage or energy storage side of these plants are not as well developed as what it is for deciduous plants. See the process of transpiration in another article as it plays a role with this as well.
In summary:
Your tree should have adequate light for food production.
Your tree should have adequate water for food production. Water plays a role in other processes as well which makes watering a crucial task for healthy Bonsai growing. See transpiration as an example.
Adequate ventilation is necessary to allow atmospheric carbon dioxide to get to your tree. This is usually not a problem in the outdoors, but something to think about when you cover trees with plastic to increase heat and humidity for growth purposes or other climatic defensive reasons.
Pruning and defoliating. Time this right. Never defoliate an evergreen completely unless it is just a branch or two for the purpose of creating deadwood / Jin.
When positioning branches and foliage pads, make sure that top branches do not cover lower branches too much.
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One thing that is for certain when it comes to Bonsai as an art form is that it is never static due to horticultural and climatic influences. Then we have to throw pests, disease and the odd mishap into the equation as well. This little Thuja did meet up with a bug or two one night and the Thuja came of second best. Yes, whatever it was, ringbarked one of the branches and the first sign was that one branch changed colour. Obviously unhappy and on its way to Bonsai afterlife. What to do?
The damage and the discolouring of the affected branch.
Change direction and from an informal upright change character to start the next phase of its life as a wannabe literati tree. The on its way to death branch comes off and becomes a jin.
Dead branch becomes a jin.
Next step is to wire the trunk to the top, give it a bit of a change of direction and reduce the foliage as with the potting comes a reduction in root mass.
Wire, reduce foliage and pot.
The tree is healthy otherwise and with good aftercare will grow into its new life and again stand tall as a proud Bonsai somewhere in the future.
On its way! Twenty centimetres from the top of the pot.
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Let’s get one thing out of the way first. The term Yamadori refers to a tree lifted from the wild where it has spent many years, showing good age with features that will make a great Bonsai. When a tree is lifted from a garden or from any other place for that matter it is not a Yamadori, not even an Urban Yamadori as some people refer to it. Yamadori in my mind is for one thing and one thing only.
I have recently seen a photo of a very nice Magnolia Bonsai tree and wanted to try my hand at one. As luck would have it, a garden tree that was to be removed was advertised in my area and I jumped at the opportunity.
Examples of Magnolia Bonsai from various sources (Pinterest, Bonsai Nut).
What we have here is a garden plant that has been grown as an ornamental plant in a garden bed. It is a Michelia figo or a Port wine Magnolia. It had to be removed as the owners were in the process of remodelling this garden area.
The original “plant”.
Great was my surprise when I parted some of the branches and discovered that it is actually three trees. It is important to make sure that there are no irrigation or other hidden water or electricity services going close to or underneath the digging area. The first job is to reduce the branches and foliage to get closer to the trunk and this will also help with survival as the branch and leaf mass needs to balance the root mass. Through the digging process and also the potting process, the root mass will also be reduced. And then the digging starts.
Branch and leaf mass reduced.
This was an easy dig as there are no tap roots and especially the two in the back were in quite dry loamy soil and they came out with just a spade length pushed into the soil about thirty centimetres from the trunk and circled around each plant.
The Three Musketeers.
It is important to leave the site in a tidy state and in this case I also removed the green waste for the owners. Each tree received a good spray of medicine water. Medicine water for me is just a weak solution of a marine-based or algae-based tonic across all parts of the tree. Now it is homeward bound.
The best advice is to have the planting containers ready before you go, but probably not so practical as you never know how big the root ball will be. in this case I used plastic planting pots, deeper than what a Bonsai pot will be, but this is to allow space for finer root development.
Good drainage is essential.
The first thing I do is to work through the roots. Remove all of the old garden soil and in this case some fat earthworks as well. Next is to remove very thick roots and reducing the depth of the root ball. Leave enough finer roots to feed the tree. I also apply rooting hormone powder to the cut roots and sprinkle a bit over all roots. Depending on the species, but more importantly, the state of the roots, I also apply sphagnum moss to the cut roots at this stage. In this case I did not as there were enough roots and they were healthy.
Some heavy root reduction had to take place.
Next up is to find a possible front of the tree by finding the widest part of the nebari and lining this up with the best flow that the branch structure allows. This is also the time to now reduce or shorten the branches to fit this vision of what the future tree could like like in five to seven years. At this stage I do not remove all branches to limit the tree to just one or two styles or designs. In all three cases it is possible to highly likely that the main trunks will be shortened over time. as the pots are round there is no need to worry too much at this stage about the front of the tree for planting purposes. Just focus on what might be needed for future development.
Now for the planting. Good drainage is essential. The soil that I use for this type of planting is a 1:1 ratio of pumice and compost. These are broadleaf trees and will grow relatively unchecked over the next year or two. They will all be heavily fertilised as soon as new growth comes out. The compost base helps with this and the pumice provides the necessary drainage.
The soil is heaped up in a dome shape inside the containers, the tree is pushed down and wiggled into the soil, tied in with wire and then filled up to the top level. I use my fingers and then a rounded dowel to work the soil in-between the roots. All that is left now is to water the trees and to let them rest until spring when the feeding will start.
We will update as they develop.
Updates will follow as these trees develop. I usually tend to keep one if I have multiples from the same type and sell the others. That just means that updates at times is on just one or two of the trees as the others might be making someone else very happy.
Which branches will you keep and which will you remove?
Have you noticed how most answers to Bonsai related questions starts with “It depends”. The main reason for this is that we are working with a living organism and it is very rare for generalisations to be applied across all trees. The list below are guidelines to use, especially when styling a new or starter Bonsai tree and applies very much to the more classical Bonsai styles. There will always be exceptions, but here goes.
Branches within the lower one third of the tree. These branches should generally be removed as it helps to show the trunk line. It will expose the nebari and allow a clear view of the bottom part of the trunk where hopefully is some great interest. This can be either well-developed bark, interesting roots or some type of movement lower down in the trunk. There is an exception (I told you so!) and that is when you deliberately wants to leave these branches as sacrifice branches to help with thickening the lower trunk.
Branches and growth too low down on the trunk.
Branches pointing directly at you. The main reason here again is to allow the main trunk line to be visible. The exception is in the top third of the trunk / tree, especially if these branches are part of the apex of the tree.
How about this Jin? Should it be removed? Maybe just a slight turn at the next repot and it is not pointing at you anymore.
Bar branches. These branches are ones that originate at the same level as other branches. If they are directly opposite each other, it is known as bar branches. Another issue with too many branches originating at more or less the same point is that a lot of sap will floe through that area which leads to an unsightly thickening in that area and could also be the reason for reverse taper. This is a thickening at that point with a narrower trunk below that point. Remove as many of these as you can, especially found in pines where the branches for a whorl, preferably leaving one as part of an alternately opposite branch scheme. Select the one that fits the rest of your design more naturally.
Look at the bottom two branches. Not on the same branch, but still opposite each other, forming a bar branch.
Parallel branches, usually originating close to each other, but directly above each other. This is more for aesthetics than growth patterns. The classical design of a branch to one side, then the next one up on the other side and then maybe a back branch and to be repeated as you move up the trunk, is the ideal and not always possible, but at least a good guideline to keep in mind.
Two parallel branches. What to do?
Branches growing from almost the same point. This relates very much to the last two guidelines, but in this case refers to branches not necessarily growing parallel above each other or from the sight height, but just close enough for it to be unsightly. There is always the possibility that this will also lead to a situation where that area can thicken disproportionately compared to where other branches grow from to the increased sap flow.
Quite a few growing from the same point or level.
Unusually vigorously growing branches. These branches take energy away from other branches and can cast a shadow across other branches due to its faster growth. It is also possible for these branches to thicken disproportionally to other branches and interfere with normal taper or the notion that branches lower down the trunk should be thicker than branches higher up the trunk. These branches should be shortened or removed.
Secondary branches growing from primary branches where the growth is in the wrong direction. This could be branches growing straight up or straight down, branches growing outside of the main design contours or even in the opposite direction of the flow of the tree or just that part of the tree or branch.
Growing in direction not complimentary to the overall flow of the tree on the left. In this case the second branch was not removed, just wired and styled to follow the flow of the tree overall.
The leader. Older trees show a more rounded apex and this can be achieved by removing the leader, substituting it with a new leader or wiring it in such a way that it shows a more rounded form. This also helps with reducing apical dominance in trees and redistribute the energy in a tree.
As mentioned earlier, very few trees allow the opportunity to apply all of these guidelines, but it is still a good idea to keep these in mind as you work through the tree, selecting which branches to keep and which to remove. This is a video of the branch selection of a Camelia clump lifted from a garden. https://youtu.be/MeCBk-_ofEw
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