Good morning Because it's everywhere in the news, I've avoided mentioning the pandemic, but now it's getting harder to avoid, especially when we're making plans for the 7th U.S. National Bonsai Exhibition this fall
I spoke with Bill Valavanis not too long ago and he was confident that the show would (must!) go on. I'm a little more cautious, especially given the news of the past week or so, but I'm still hopeful Continued below...
Today's post features several deciduous Magnolias
from Bill Valavnais' collection, including this lovely
that Bill caught at just the right moment
7th U.S. National Continued from above... Assuming that conditions allow, we'll be there and we hope to see you there as well. If we can't hug or at least shake hands we can still smile under our masks. If you haven't made your plans yet, you can go to Bill's International Bonsai and you'll find everything you need
Another one caught in the act by Bill
And one more, just getting ready to burst
Of course Bill isn't just about Magnolias
Here's a rather famous Full moon maple from his collection
Here's one of Bill's I don't think I've seen
It's a Koto hime Japanese maple forest
Another first for us
It's a Larch forest that was also posted by Bill
We're looking forward to a good one
if you don't want to be kicking yourself about missing it
You can learn more and sign up at Bill's International Bonsai
What's with Akadama?
An Inside Sory
Some Western bonsai professionals and amateurs have sworn off Akadama bonsai soil. The common complaint is that it breaks down and compacts too rapidly, which impedes aeration (it doesn't), and good aeration is essential for healthy root growth (it is)
Some people only go part way in rejecting Akadama, recommending that you can use it in limited amounts along with other ingredients,* but only on certain type trees. Others recommend avoiding it altogether, laboring under the aforementioned misconception about aeration (aka drainage) Continued below...
*Our Professional Soil Mix is a good example of this blending, with 1/3rd Akadma, 1/3rd Lava and 1/3rd Pumice
Healthy roots this abundance of whitish feeder roots is exactly what you want to see when you repot
We borrowed this photo from Bonsai Empire a great source for a range of excellent bonsai courses from beginners to advanced
Continued from above..., Before we go any further, it turns out that there is at least one good reason you might decide against Akadama. It's imported from Japan and is quite expensive. For many growers that's reason enough. Especially for professionals who grow perhaps hundreds or even thousands of trees. For these growers it makes sense to find a good substitute, even if you don't buy the rap that it impedes root growth Continued below...
A large bag of Akadama
I borrowed this photo from
Michael Hagedorn's Crataegus Bonsai blog
In that particular post, Michael features an article on Akadama by Jonas Dupuich of Bonsai Tonight,
another of my go to sources for valuable bonsai info
Continued from above...
For years, my favorite source for questions about what works and doesn't work with bonsai, has been Michael Hagedorn. And now, with his new book Bonsai Heresy, I can find most of the information I want is in one place. Here's part of what Michael wrote about Akadama... "What I observed in Boon's garden* and then shortly after as an apprentice for Mr Shinji Suzuki exploded all of my previously cherished repotting assumptions: it is commonplace in Japan for that core, interior mass of akadama, pumice,** and roots to remain untouched for decades,*** because the retain healthy growing roots inside the core for that long"
Michael has more to say about his experience with Akadama, and just in case you're like me and sometimes need a bit more explanation, I'll paraphrase... In spite of Akadama's seeming to deteriorate and turn into a compacted mess, it still can support healthy root growth. And for a very long time
*Boon Manakitivipart, also know as Bonsai Boon. Micheal studied with Boon before he left for his apprenticeship in Japan
** Here Michael talks about Akadma and pumice in the core, but in other places he talks about just Akadama with the same results
*** Michael also addresses the problem of removing all the core soil below trunk every time you repot. In Japan this is seen as a good way to kill, or at least stress your bonsai (see Bonsai Heresy for more on this)
Michael Hagedorn, author of Bonsai Heresy
surveying part of his Crataegus Bonsai Garden
Learn bonsai the traditional way with 70 types of trees
and over 1,000 photos. Each step in the process
of creating and maintaining bonsai is clearly illustrated
with quality photos. This is in keeping with
Show First, Tell Later, a powerful way of teaching
and learning almost everything
Our first shipment of bonsai wire since before the pandemic
arrived a couple weeks and we're already out of some sizes
If you can't find what you want, we've got more on the way
Just in Case You Missed It
the following 3 photos are from our last newsletter
An unidentified shot from the 2nd U.S. National.
It looks like it might be a Larch
Speaking of Suthin, this is his prize winning
Best Bonsai at the 6th U.S. National
It's a Japanese black pine
This lovely Japanese maple by Suthin
was the finest deciduous bonsai at the 2012, 3rd National
Though it says Only water trees with dry soil,
given the searing heat here in northern Vermont
the last coupe weeks and with no rain in sight
this means water almost everything everyday
Misting should never be considered
a substitute for watering!
bonsai can live without misting,
but if you've ever tried not watering you bonsai
when the soil is dry...
I foliar feed every time I mist
(when I fill my mister, I add a couple drops of liguid fish/seaweed and a drop or two of just liquid seaweed).
It might seem excessive foliar feeding so often, and if you're worried about build up of residue in the stomata, just be sure to top water with a nozzle when you do water, so the leaves are cleaned regularly
So far, this formula has worked very well
I'll keep you posted
Give your bonsai a healthy and cool treat.
Almost all plants love a fine mist
Particularly after transplanting, when stressed
or when the weather is hot and dry
John Naka wrote the forward to this wonderful book
and said that "This unique book should be on the reading list of all bonsai connoisseurs..."
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Everything about it speaks of beauty
& love of the art of bonsai
176 pages, 17 Pages of color photos of Mr. Kato's Bonsai
9 1/2" x 6 3/4". Hardcover
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Masters Series Bonsai Books - Set of Three Now you can save on these three definitive
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Another use for wire
This simple and clear illustration (from the ABS website) shows how to use a turnbuckle to lower a branch. The turnbuckle is made up of a single strand of wire, a short stick (or short piece of heavy wire) and two rubber pads to protect the branches. Beyond that, it needs no explanation
Tie Pots Are Marked Down!
About 80% off our pre-bonsai are now in Tie Pots
Not Only Can You Use the Knobs for Guy Wires
But they are perfect for wiring the trees into the pots
and it's so much easier than with conventional pots order yours now
Healthy roots and the wonders of Air Pruning
Roots spread evenly throughout the pot
no more circling around the edges
A lot of arborists don't use any wound sealants This might make sense on large trees in the ground,
but with bonsai, where ugly scars are undesirable Cut Paste keeps the moisture in so the tissue
around the cut doesn't dry up and die. This allows for it to callus and gradually cover the cut
Including our famous, amazingly sharpe Bonsai & All Purpose Scissors I use mine for light bonsai trimming, in my office,
in my kitchen and I even use it to trim my beard List price 12.95 SPECIAL ONLY 9.95
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You can expect a newsletterwhenever we put up a new Bonsai Bark post
every two or three days (except for vacations)
