Bonsai.SC

Pruning Juniper Foliage Pads

2009-11-28T11:24:00.002-05:00

I enjoyed creating this video while working on an old friend.

Boxwood Forest - 4 months later

2009-11-28T07:38:00.003-05:00

Even though this planting was created in mid July it has responded well. As I am currently getting trees prepared for their winter nap, I had the opportunity to work on this planting a little. I removed all of the stones. They were pretty much just for fun anyhow. Eventually I see this planting on a slab and perhaps then it might be time to add a few of the "right" stones...or not:) Here is a short video.

Creating a Large Flat-top Bald Cypress Bonsai

2009-10-18T09:02:00.002-04:00

This video shares the history of this tree as it begins its journey toward becoming a bonsai.

A few Shohin to share...

2009-10-18T08:59:00.000-04:00

Thinking about Rock Plantings

2009-10-18T08:54:00.001-04:00

Thoughts on Flat-top Bald Cypress

2009-10-18T08:52:00.000-04:00

Carolina Bonsai Expo 2009

2009-10-18T08:50:00.003-04:00

Here is an overview of some of the highlights of the Expo. My thanks to Arthur for all of his efforts and visions to make this a reality.

Alternative Display

2009-10-17T06:35:00.001-04:00

One of the things I like best about Arthur Joura, curator of the North Carolina Arboretum Bonsai Collection, is that he encourages creativity and out of the box thinking when it comes to the club displays at the Carolina Bonsai Expo. With this in mind, my good friend Ken Duncan and I had the opportunity to create something a little different for this year's expo. Although we received some really great feedback at the Expo, I would like to hear some of your thoughts. I am including some video for you to watch which highlights the display and discusses some of the subtleties.

The Creation of a Boxwood Forest

2009-07-27T15:25:00.004-04:00

In the summer of 2007 I visited an old nursery in Lexington...Roof's Nursery. The owner had spent his life in the business and now had pretty much cut back to just selling sod. However, he still maintained some personal nursery stock that he had been growing for quite a while:) After spending some time talking to him about bonsai I finally got his permission to look at his personal plants. He had the remains of lots of good stuff...Boxwoods, Camilias, Gardenias, Crape Myrtles, to name just a few. Most of it was in need of a good repotting about 10 years sooner.

What he would sell was very reasonable...I spent a couple hundred dollars with him. One of the things I got that I thought had the most potential were 9 or 10 really old and nicely trunked and barked Vardar Valley Boxwoods. Great root spreads and very nice natural deciduous like branching made these a must for me:) I think they were $6.50 each!

Because of the condition of the potting...a couple of these trees didn't even have any soil remaining...the very first thing I did was repot. I mercilessly cut the large roots back.. to point that someday I could use this material in a shallow container for a forest. I believe firmly in a piece of wisdom that Bill V shared with me early on...He advised to go ahead and make all the risky cuts that need to be made now so the tree can be a bonsai later...that way you do not work on it for some period of time and then have the material die during a drastic root pruning trying to get it into a container. I also significantly reduced the foliage...70-80% removed. I placed these trees back in nursery containers with fresh soil. In spite of it being mid summer, they responded wonderfully with lots of budding and growth.

The following spring I was finding it difficult to keep these trees well watered. So, I actually planted these boxwoods, nursery container and all, in my growing bed. The trees immediately responded again with vigorous and healthy new growth:)

I have been trying hard, but struggling, to envision what this forest might look like while the trees were still in the ground. Last week I made the mistake of purchasing a large enough mica oval container to possibly house the forest I wanted to create.

Know it was out of season so just as "an experiment" mind you;) I pulled one of the boxwoods from the ground. A plethora of fine roots filled the pot and poured from its holes. Soon it was too late...I have already dug and pruned up most of these trees. Why not just take a peek at they might look in that pot??? Hmmm...looks pretty good!!;)

Crap...I have done all the work now...I can easily protect this forest from the summer heat and sun...might as well go ahead and finish it!!:)

This video shares some photos and describes the process...please enjoy and I encourage your comments.

A Planting Inspired by 40 Acre Rock

2009-07-27T15:20:00.003-04:00

40 Acre Rock is really cool spot in South Carolina with some very inspiring trees. Watch this video to see some pictures and to see the planting inspired by this location.

If you enjoyed this video please let me know by leaving a comment:)
Thanks,
John

Participating Online

2009-07-27T15:03:00.002-04:00

Hello all...I am back:) Bonsai forums such as the old IBC, what now seems to be the defunk Bonsaitalk and more recently Bonsainut that really got me interested in sharing my bonsai experiences. After several years of participating in those forums and watching two of them recently suffer the loss of their online presence and the third become so political the word bonsai doesn't appear for days at a time I am just not sure if it is worth the effort anymore(and that is not even considering the crap you have to put up with from some folks). So, as of now I going to host my own content using by blogs, youtube, and picassa. I may still occasionally post on the forums but I am going to concentrate my efforts right here. So here we go... I am going to start by reposting a few things that have gone on forums recently.

John

Blaauw Juniper Restyle

2009-03-11T19:59:00.006-04:00

Recently I had the good fortune to acquire this tree from my buddy Ken. He tells me that it originally came from nursery material sometime around 1973. He had maintained it as a bonsai for many years but a couple years ago put in the nursery container to restore some vigor.

This is a quick video that shows the tree after I had cleaned it up just a little and worked on the deadwood.

And here it is after wiring.

After potting and adding some stones to the mix...

From Blaauw Juniper

Shimpaku Design Help

2008-10-22T17:26:00.004-04:00

I saw this tree posted here on BT...

I don't do a lot of virtuals but I was intrigued by this tree so I thought I would give it a shot.

After working on it for a short time and achieving something I liked, I decided to just post the virtual image back to BT.

However, as I was trying to describe my reasoning for the changes I made in the virtual I decided it would just be easier to make a video.

So, if you can look past all the uhhhs and duhhs I hope the video embedded below will be helpful in understanding the reasoning for the design changes I suggested.

13th Carolina Bonsai Expo

2008-10-13T21:04:00.003-04:00

I just returned home from a great weekend at the Carolina Bonsai Expo. Peter Adams was the guest artist and did a really good job of helping us think a little more critically about our bonsai... The expo is always a busy busy weekend but the time spent with friends, new and old, makes it all worth while. The camera really screwed up in the low light this weekend and most of my shots did not come out but here are a few...

Natural Inspiration

2008-10-04T20:06:00.002-04:00

Angel Oak...St. Johns Island, South Carolina...Fall 2007

Pond Cypress

2008-08-11T07:06:00.004-04:00

I had the opportunity to visit an old friend this afternoon. This is a pond and creek area that contains some old growth Pond Cypress. Although they only get about half the size of Bald Cypress, Taxodium ascendens offer many similar characteristics. This species is often used for bonsai. Although I have never done the research to verify this, I have noticed that In South Carolina there appears to be a direct association of Pond Cypress with Carolina Bays. However, I think this area maybe an exception to that notion. It is noted that this pond was a mill pond dating back to at least the Civil War. Here is a slide show of some the pics I took... Can't wait to get back here in the spring!

Linville, NC

2008-08-11T06:52:00.002-04:00

Last week the wife and I took a short trip to Linville Falls, NC. The weather was near perfect considering it was the first week in Aug. This is certainly one of my favorite places in the mtns. Here are a few pics from the trip.

New Camera

2008-08-11T06:43:00.002-04:00

ok... I bit the bullet and bought a new camera last week. My old one is not really that old and I will continue to use it but it is so large that it is not as easy to carry with me as I would like. The new one is an Olympus Stylus 1010...7x optical zoom, 10 megapixel, and a 2.7" LCD. So far I really seem to like it!

An Inspired Rock Planting...

2008-07-26T20:40:00.007-04:00

Creating bonsai compositions is certainly the most rewarding aspect of the hobby for me. I find the process of creating seems most natural for me when I am inspired. Perhaps it is a place, or maybe its the material, but something works to help me create an image or vision of how a composition should come together.

Recently I visited with a gentleman who I have known now for probably 12 years or more. He is a gifted artist, who's observations of the natural world significantly guide his bonsai style. Among his specialties are Kingsville Boxwoods, Shimpaku Junipers, and planting on stones and slabs. I have always greatly admired his work and find my personal interest echo many of his.

One of his most impressive compositions is an 8' long slab planting. This planting of Shimaku and Kingsville is influenced by the Sand Pine and Live Oak forests of the panhandle of Florida. I found myself focusing on very unique aspect of this planting. In several locations, the trunks of the junipers emerged through the canopy of the boxwoods. I found this detail to be really cool! ...and inspiring!

Although I do not know the Sand Pines and Oak forest of Florida...I have experienced the rhododendron groves of the Appalachians. In these groves you might find Spruce, Pitch Pine or Table Pine growing through the canopies but the effect is very similar.

After returning home and letting this inspiration ferment for a few days, I finally decided to take at look at what I had with which I could put something together. I found a couple of multi-trunk Shimpakus that I gave a rough stlying to about a year or so ago. I also found several Chinzan azaleas that I acquired a year earlier from a big box store and immediately cut back hard. I have been rough pruning the azalea since to maintain a low profile. I also found a piece of iron stone that I thought might serve as natural pedestal for the composition I had in mind.

I spent an entire day selecting and preparing the material. This included wiring the trunks on the junipers and cutting the azalea back even further than they had been. All the plants were removed from their containers and the roots pruned. The trees were test fitted as much as possible on the rock. After the material was ready, I prepared the stone which included cleaning and adding some wire tie-downs. The planting area on the stone was covered in a layer of muck and then the difficult task of placing and securing the trees was tackled. Finally the rest of the muck was added, shaped and covered with moss and miniature stonecrop. That completed the first day.

I let the composition sit for a couple of days...spending a little time each day looking at it from different directions, making adjustments to the trunks of the junipers, and developing a clear vision for the next phase of the styling. Since the junipers had been worked once before they were ready to for some additional detail work. I spent about half a day detail wiring and pruning to complete the composition. Although this compositions stands 21" from the table top the tallest tree is about 14".

I did my best to document the process in pictures. Below you will find a slideshow that chronicles the creation process.

Thanks Rodney! I greatly appreciate all levels of the inspiration!

I created this video to help explain and narrate the pictures....it is a 2 part video.
Part 1

Part 2

Twisting One Up!

2008-07-23T11:29:00.005-04:00

Over the past several growing seasons, I have been playing around with radically twisting young Shimpaku junipers. I have tried most of the commonly seen methods including raffia, rubber tape, notching, etc… I am not doing any kind of production but instead just experimenting on a few plants with different techniques and methods. Thus far, I would have to say that at best it is very difficult to create natural appearing curves and bends. I have a renewed appreciation for the value of those twisted up little junipers that we see from Japan and people like Suthin.

Here are a couple of the things that I have learned. (I am sure there are as many other ways for doing this as there are people doing it…this is just what has worked best for me)

1. Start with the smallest trunks possible…once they are much beyond pencil size it is difficult to get really tight twists.
2. Always twist the trunk or branch as you are making a bend.
3. Try to always twist in the same direction…changing directions of the twist is very difficult on the material and the wire.
4. When wiring, always consider the direction you will be twisting the trunk or branch and apply the wire appropriately.
5. When applying wire, leave it as loose as possible to accommodate for the tightening that will occur once the branch is twisted.
6. When lots of twisting and bending is necessary, I prefer to wire with multiple strands of smaller diameter wire. (I will usually come down 1-2 sizes from the size I would choose for a single strand) I do not run the wires directly adjacent to one another but instead apply the first wire and then split the difference between the coils with one or two more wires of the same diameter. I find this allows for much tighter twisting and bending by greatly decreasing the chance that an outside curve is going to split or fracture.
7. Using the wiring technique described above I rarely need to use raffia or rubber tape.
8. In general, I find that this type of extreme bending and twisting is best applied to young and developing material. I, personally, find it difficult to successfully manipulate larger and more mature material with pleasing results.

New Pines

2008-06-17T06:44:00.004-04:00

Last Sept. when I visited the Shohin Bonsai Symposium in Rochester I had the opportunity to visit a local nursery, Oriental Garden Supply. They really had a very nice selection of all kinds of conifers and maples. I purchased a few small things while I was there and put name on a couple of big pines to be shipped. Although it was a little later than I had hoped the pines finally arrived. Here are a few pics that chronicle the event. Oh...I am not a whimp, each tree weighed at least 300lbs.

The trees are a Dragon's Eye Japanese Red Pine - Pinus Densiflora Oculis Dragonis (sp) and a Kotobuki Japanese Black Pine.

Bald Cypress Collecting Trip

2008-06-08T06:54:00.000-04:00

Repotting a Shohin Bonsai

2008-03-04T21:02:00.000-05:00

This video describes the basic techniques for repotting of Trident Maple shohin bonsai.

A discussion about Wiring

2008-03-02T07:40:00.001-05:00

I created this video in order to talk a little about the basics of wiring. It not only talks about why we wire trees but also introduces the tools and types of wire.

Root Work on a Trident from the Growing Bed

2008-02-20T20:30:00.001-05:00

Growing beds are commonly used to grow out plant material that may hopefully be a bonsai one day. I have found very few discussions on the techniques to ensure that this materials develops quality characteristics for bonsai. Although I am just learning myself here is a video that chronicles the lifting and root and branch pruning of a Trident Maple from my growing beds.

Acura Commercial and the ? "What makes a bonsai good?"

2008-02-19T20:05:00.000-05:00

I saw this commercial recently and it made me think about one of my very early experiences in the world of Bonsai. Take a second and watch this commercial.

Not long after I started keeping bonsai, I discovered a Bonsai nursery in Pigeon Forge, TN. I don't remember the name of the nursery but it had obviously been there a long time. The proprietor greeted me, I think his name was Charles, and began to answer my many questions. Eventually, I got around to the question, "What makes a bonsai good?" Instead of answering with a lot of hubbub about art or this and that...he thought for second and then said something to the effect of - A good bonsai is one you can have a picnic under! I thought the old bugger was crazy...

It probably took a year, or more, before I really understood the profound implications of his response. For me, his response referred to the idea that a "good" bonsai is one that allows the viewer to imagine it in a natural setting. Therefore, his picnic metaphor simply meant that in his mind he could imagine a given tree in a natural setting...thus meaning that you might possibly be able to spread the blanket and have a picnic under the tree.

This notion has stayed with me ever since and I still find that the trees I like most are the ones that carry my mind into a temporary daydream. The adventure might be on a mountain cliff, a solitary tree in an open field, the edge of forest, or a towering old giant from the swamp...or countless other imagines locked away in my mind that come floating to the surface for a temporary and imaginary excursion.

Wiring Tip from Ken

2008-02-17T13:35:00.000-05:00

A 1 minute video in which Ken shares a tip about effective wiring.

Wiring Techniques Part 1

2008-02-17T07:26:00.000-05:00

Wiring Techniques

Introduction

I almost decided to call this article, Wiring the Art within the Art, but decided that the ensuing discussion would probably take away from the main focus of this effort. That focus is to help bonsaists recognize and understand the importance of effective wiring. I plan to incorporate both video, images, and text to explain what I know about wiring. I am certainly not, and do not pretend to be, the end of all knowledge when it comes to this topic. Please take the information presented here as general guidelines and knowledge on which to build one’s own experiences. Without a doubt there will be those that have different experiences and techniques that contradict the ones that I present. With that being said, I hope to convey the information presented here in a manner which is understandable to even the newest bonsai hobbyist but also relevant to intermediate and advanced hobbyists as well.

Japanese White Pine - Before and after a wiring session.

There is no substitute for naturally shaped trees …let me repeat that...There is no substitute for naturally shaped trees. I think we all realize that the forces of nature are far better at shaping trees than people. However, the reality is that nearly ever bonsai artisan will work on material that needs additional shaping, and wiring is perhaps the most common method for achieving the desired results. In very general terms, wire is applied to trunks and branches in a coiled fashion. The presence of the wire allows the branch or trunk to be bent and/or twisted into a more pleasing shape. Once shaped, the wire is allowed to remain until enough growth has occurred so that the desired shape persists after the wire is removed. In a three sentence nutshell, that is the sole purpose of wiring.

One of the main reasons I decided to undertake this article was the fact that I see so many poorly wired trees. Often these trees are presented by beginners on online forums, but occasionally I run across more advanced hobbyists whose trees and efforts could benefit from a better understanding and application of wiring techniques. I am sure that there are more than a few folks out there that will argue that the technique doesn’t matter as long as the desired results are achieved. That is fine, but if you are one of those you can stop reading right here. However, in my opinion and experience, effectively applied wire significantly increases the “shapability” of the material while decreasing the chances of breaking or damaging the material. Ultimately, if you do not take the time to apply wire effectively and end up breaking an important branch, whose loss is it? Effective wiring is a time consuming and often tedious process, but the rewards in terms of a pleasingly shaped branch or a trunk that twists and bends in an interesting fashion are well worth the investment of time and effort.

One more caveat before we move on. The only way to learn wiring is to do it and do it repeatedly. It is not a skill that one can become adept at by just reading or watching someone wire…you must practice wiring in order to become effective in its application. The information and techniques that I am going to share are only meant to provide you with the basics. Even with this information you must build your own experiences of successes and failures before you become comfortable and successful at using wire to achieve your desired results.

Background and General Information about Wiring

Let’s start by looking at the types and sizes of wire commonly used for shaping bonsai. There are two types of wire, copper and aluminum, that are readily available for use. Both types of wire can be purchased from Bonsai suppliers. Typically it is sold by size, based on the diameter and quantity, sometimes based on the weight and sometimes on the length. With copper wire, the size is distinguished by the gauge. Typically it is available in gauges 6,8,10, 12,14,16,18,20, and 22. The smaller the number, the larger the size of the wire. For example, 6 and 8 gauge wire is very heavy and thick and would be used for shaping trunks and larger branches, while 20 and 22 gauge are very thin and used only for the finest of branches. The gauge of Aluminum wire is normally measured in millimeters(mm), starting at .5mm and increasing by .5mm increments to 6.0mm. Both types are typically purchased in coils. Aluminum wire can be purchased in half kilogram(kg) and 1 kg packages. Some dealers may sell smaller quantities. Copper wire seems to be typically sold in lengths and is much more expensive. Adding to the expense of copper wire is the fact that it should be annealed. The annealing process (heating and cooling) softens the copper wire making it easier to apply.

Copper-coated Aluminum Wire Copper Wire

Both types of wires have their own unique characteristics making them generally more useful for particular applications. This doesn’t mean that you can’t use them interchangeably, but I think you will find that generally there are applications that are better suited for copper and other instances in which aluminum is preferable. Typically copper wire is used on conifers and aluminum used on deciduous trees and/or material with softer bark. Cheaper aluminum wire is often utilized when large quantities of wiring is necessary. Nurseries and individuals that wire many trees often use aluminum to save money and time. Some hobbyists will only use one or the other depending on their personal preference. Generally, only intermediate and advanced hobbyists as well as professionals will use copper wire. I use both types and let the particular application be the deciding factor on which to use.

What type of wire should I use?	Copper	Aluminum
I am just learning to wire		X
On young fast growing material		X
Conifers and Junipers	X
Deciduous and soft-barked material		X
I have many trees to wire		X
Wiring trees into their containers		X
Guy Wires	X	X
I need to bend thick branches	X
As a prop or retainer	X

Aluminum wire is generally more flexible and easier to apply and remove. Due to this, it is often the wire used in workshops to help beginners learn to wire. Being more flexible can also be a drawback in the fact that it will take larger diameter wire or multiple strands of slightly smaller wire to achieve the same results when compared to copper. Even annealed copper wire is stiffer and thus more difficult to apply than aluminum. However one significant advantage of copper wire is that it work hardens as it is applied and shaped, thus providing better holding power. Work hardening basically means that each time you bend the wire it becomes slightly more rigid. Thus, by the time you have wrapped copper wire down the length of a branch, the wire is a little more stiff than it was before being applied.

A closeup of annealed copper wire.

The advantage to this is that you can use smaller diameter wire to achieve the desired shaping power. Smaller wire is less visible and therefore generally less distracting when viewing a wired tree. Another appreciated characteristic of copper wire is that when exposed to weather and watering it tends to quickly change colors becoming less noticeable to the viewer. This can also be a hazard when it comes to removing wire. Small copper wire can easily go unnoticed or be overlooked when removing. This can often lead to wire that is left on too long causing ugly scaring.

An example of wire scarring that was purposeful.

There is nothing more frustrating than not having the right size or type of wire to choose from when needed. Whether you choose to use aluminum or copper or both is certainly up to you. I prefer copper wire for most of what I do. I try to maintain a supply of all the sizes mentioned above. I also keep a few sizes of aluminum wire available. I typically will use the aluminum for wiring deciduous trees, azalea, and boxwoods. I also use aluminum for wiring trees into their pots.

Keeping wire organized and easily available can be a challenge. There are a number of products made that may help in this task. Wire caddies and boxes are typically available from bonsai suppliers. Of course there are certainly other solutions to this problem, many of which can be accomplished in a DIY fashion. One thing to keep in mind when storing annealed copper wire is that every effort should be made to minimize handling prior to use. This will insure that the wire is as soft and flexible as possible when used. I hang my copper wire on pegboard hooks, but I have often wondered if it would not be better to have it lying in a horizontal position.

In addition to using the most appropriate type of wire for the task at hand, it is also imperative to realize that the correct tools play a very important role. Although there are lots of similar tools available that are not specifically designed for bonsai, I find that the Japanese tools are indispensable and are virtually always more effectively designed for the purpose of bonsai. In terms of wiring there are two basic tools that are a necessity.

The first is wire cutters. Japanese wire cutters have a snubbed off nose that makes it much easier to cut wire once it is applied to a tree without the risk of damaging the bark or branch. There are a couple of different sizes available, but in general a tool of average size (7-8”) will do all but the very smallest and largest of jobs. Of course any wire cutters work just fine for cutting loose wire, but when it comes to removing wire, I strongly suggest using a Japanese style blunt-nosed cutter to avoid damaging the tree. Another attribute of this style cutter is the leverage it allows. Even thick copper wire is reasonably easy to cut.

A second tool that is very useful in the application of wire is jin pliers, also sometimes known as wire pliers. These pliers differ from more typical pliers in the fact that the jaws are slightly angled, which allows more force to be applied to the tips of the jaws. Most American-made pliers that I am aware of have perpendicular jaws that meet flush along the entire length. Although this is perhaps usable in some instances, the Japanese versions allow you to better grab and twist a wire that is applied to a branch. Again these tools are available in various sizes and configurations. I would suggest beginning with a middle-sized version and add other sizes as the budget permits and the need arises.