What I learned in Year Two

As trees lose leaves or go dormant until spring, it allows me to reflect on what I learned—and how I can improve next year.

I gained some trees and lost some trees; still too many trees. Have I learned from the losses?

2024 was my second growing season in bonsai, with the benefit of SBBK club community and learning. The following were goals of mine, and pondering how it went:

Focus on growing trunks and their base first

  • Repot in the ground or larger pots, or pond baskets.

  • <Will review side by side and document results>

  • Seating pond baskets greatly helped if sitting in moist mix (lava, gravel) or on the ground or secondary pot. Roots explode—not sure of trunk growth yet.

  • Younger trees can wire for movement—within reason. Don’t worry about very low movement or branch—formally the first 1/3 of the height before the first branch—while lower branches may temporarily bulk the lower base until removed.

  • Younger trees can wire for twist, which can benefit Shari or deadwood carving later.

  • Attempting focused trunk bulking by injuring with a sharp awl in a dotted line or random area—response may be natural wound growth but as points. Avoiding the look of man-made injury.

  • Let developing trees grow out and prune minimally

  • Tridents, Japanese Maples, Chinese Elms, etc

  • Consider sacrifice branches or lower branch development by letting it grow out—more solar panels. May wire the end vertically that will encourage its growth.

  • Use a flat barrier under the root base during repotting—developing nebari and eventual potting down.

  • No observations yet, but check during any repotting

  • Have not used fender washers on saplings much—but should this spring.

Proper fertilization to boost development growth

  • Osmacoat monthly (1 teaspoon/gallon of soil)

  • This was good for some trees but terribly poor for smaller deciduous trees. Killed a few maples, very weak Hornbeams, and sickly Kingsville boxwood. The synthetic fertilizer is salt based and deciduous can be burn roots or prevent nutrient intake. Removed undiscovered pellets and attempted wash through roots, if the plant looked weak.

  • Conifers less sensitive.

  • Check correct dosage, don’t over do it.

  • More mature trees prefer organic slow-release to prevent course growth.

Invest in better, more mature trees

  • Stop wasting money and time on shitty trees

  • There is much to learn on shitty trees for horticulture or experimenting, but trees take time and I may not reap the learning refinement phase skills without those trees.

  • “If you are in your fifties, you don’t have many years to invest in quality show ready trees. Jump ahead and invest in a few trees closer to refinement.”—Adam Toth

  • “Save up for one or two good trees, than buying a dozen young trees.”—Dennis

  • Coast Redwoods (root development, deadwood taper and new apex, branch development)

  • Japanese Black Pine (13 yr old, Muranaka)—still has years of development.

  • Plum (old but lost branches)

  • Scrub Oak (JT)

  • Ginkgo

  • Itoigawa Juniper (Iwaki styled)

  • Korean Hornbeam (needs much work, and recover health)

  • Red Alder (needs taper, branch development)

  • Boxwood foliage, branch selection, deadwood

Styling Shari and exaggerate live vein in development

  • Junipers & conifers tolerate Shari well, can result in faster growth of live veins.

  • A way to speed up increasing girth or caliper of the living tissue. Repeated widening of the Shari can result in flare or winged development.

  • Do this before or continuously with trunk and branch movement.

  • Experimented with boxwoods and redwoods with deadwood and carving.

Watering Needs Vary, but Critical

  • High drainage soil mix is critical for root growth to seek water

  • Don’t over-water, depends seasonally (overcast, hot, windy, etc). Look for dry soil 1/4” deep, hold off watering until it needs it.

  • Grouped similar plants by water needs. Paper stickers did not last—may seek blue & yellow plastic bands or ties (wet & dry).

J Black Pine Development

  • Bought & watched Bonsaify “Mastering JBP Development”

  • Working on younger trees, between 1-10 yrs. Thin recent year’s needles at the right season, to stimulate back-budding and decandling pushing ramification. Progressively stimulate inner back-budding.

  • Letting sacrifice branch boost trunk size.

Post-Collecting Recovery

  • More pumice (large, sifted) at the root level—roots like pumice.

  • Bag tree to maintain humidity, preventing drying out until roots develop

  • Suspend from above, tie off at the base of the trunk. Mist periodically, look for condensation. Water base in bagged pot/box.

  • Keep in the shade to manage temperature and avoid cooking under peak daylight.

  • Heat mat can promote root development and recovery

  • Grow boxes are good for root development

  • Fast drainage, can screw in guy-wire anchors anywhere.

  • Can screw directly to the root base for stability.

Education is worth the time & cost

  • 2023 Rendezvous

  • One-Day, Power of One sponsored by SBBK

  • Seminars: Peter Tea, Julian Tsai, Cosmic Bonsai

  • Observed workshops for free

  • 2024 Pacific Bonsai Expo

  • Recommend volunteering 4hr for free day pass

Next Year’s Goals

  • Collect Redwoods & Douglas Firs

  • Choose trees to plant in the ground or up-pot with organic soil

  • Repot as needed, root work

  • Prune for trunk taper

  • Reduce trees on the bench (club raffle)

  • Develop pottery skills

Development Stock Goals

  • Young Japanese Black Pine decandling, wiring, ramification

  • Santa Rosa Plum base and branch work

  • Ash base chop (cut & grow)

  • Year 2 Larch—1/3 root work & tile, pond basket 1/3 and leave 1/3 alone

  • Oak saplings—continue trunk & branch work

Michael Wei