Committing a Crime in the name of Bonsai Art.

March 30, 2024March 30, 2024Bonsaiplace 2 Comments

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.

The decision was made to remove the one thick branch on the one side and create a two inch long Jin out of it.

Then the other branch was stripped and Jinned as well.

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.

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.

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.

Carving on Bonsai: Sculpture

August 8, 2021Bonsaiplace 2 Comments

A previous blog post addressed sculpture as an art form and how it relates to Bonsai (https://bonsaiplace.net/2021/03/28/bonsai-as-sculpture-an-art-form/). This blog post will take an more practical approach by making use of photos to describe the process.

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.

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.

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.

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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Lime Sulphur and Bonsai – multitasking chemical

April 23, 2019April 23, 2019Bonsaiplace 1 Comment

Lime Sulphur is usually used in the Horticulture industry to control scale insects, moss, lichen and fungal diseases on plants. It can be used for all of these issues when it comes to Bonsai. A use that is not listed on the container is to whiten deadwood / Jin.

As always, safety comes first when you use any chemical. In this case, it is not just the smell (rotten eggs comes to mind), but also the fact that this chemical is corrosive. It is a good idea to wear gloves and to protect your eyes. Wash your hands very well afterwards and keep your hands away from your face.

Follow the instructions on the container for all uses. As said, the whitening of deadwood is not listed as a normal use of lime sulphur. One thing to keep in mind is to also protect the soil surface from lime sulphur dripping or being spilt on the surface. Remember, this chemical is also used to kill moss! You do not want to kill of your lush green carpet covering the soil surface. I usually use plastic wrap for this purpose.

I dilute the lime sulphur 50/50 with water and I do this in a plastic or paper cup as it is easier to just throw it away afterwards than trying to clean it and getting rid of the smell. I also use a 12mm brush for most applications, but can go smaller or larger depending on the size of the job.

I also find it easier to apply if I slightly wet the surface of the deadwood. The Juniper that I worked on here had a bit of rot at the bottom where the tree meets the soil surface. This was cleaned well and the lime sulphur was liberally applied here. The chemical protects the wood against rot by acting as a preservative.

After application, clean the brushes well and get rid of the container. Wash your hands and allow the lime sulphur to dry and work its magic on the tree.