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Last summer I bought a nice little American larch (Larix laricina) at MABA 2017. This is my 2nd larch, and I'm still learning about them. I did some styling at the demo table at our club's fall show in mid-September. I'm attaching a picture of the tree as it was when I bought it, and one from...

I'm in! Source: Several years ago I ordered a few items from Dallas Bonsai. As a freebie for ordering a certain minimum amount, I received 3 packets of seeds - JBP, trident maple, and Japanese maple - all imported from Japan by Dallas Bonsai. I opened the packet of JBP seeds today, and...

Namely, foliar feeding with sugar water when a pine's foliage has suffered extensive damage. My reasoning is this: compromised foliage means less photsynthesis, which means less fuel (in the form of sugars) for the tree's metabolism. I'm thinking a sugar-water spray might help. (The bees...

Hello, all, I'm preparing a collection of essays on bonsai, for publication. There's one question on which I've received conflicting information, and I've decided to go directly to the ones who should know. Assume for the sake of my question that you want to buy my book (bless you!) What...

A relative of mine wants to find her husband a good ready-to-style pre-bonsai for Father's Day. Her husband has done a lot of reading, and she's been plying me with questions, so they're serious. She thinks a hardy tree would be best for him. I've recommended yew, Japanese maple, or trident...

Hello, all, The USDA has just released its latest edition of the climate-zone map. (I think the last version came out in 1990.) One thing will be true for many us: we're in warmer zones or sub-zones. For example, here in north-central Indiana, we are now in Zone 5b, rather than 5a. Here's...

For any who don't know, Walter Pall's mother, Inge Pall, passed away on New Year's Eve at the the age of 87. Condolences can be left at: http://walter-pall-bonsai.blogspot.com/2012/01/inge-pall-rip.html.

Bonsai Vault forum (http://bonsaivaultforum.freeforums.org/portal.php) is accepting new members again. There's a new administrator; I believe Tom Brown simply got burned out when it came to bonsai and the Internet. Not trying to take anyone away from any other fora, but I think Bonsai Vault...

Yes, that's what I'm considering: boiling bark before I use it in my potting mix. Composted pine bark is not available to me except by mail-order, and our budget is limited right now. My most practical option is to buy the finest-cut bark mulch at Lowe's, and then sift out the particles that...

After a couple of hours searching the web, I'm just going to post my question and hope someone with experience can answer. A friend of mine wants to get rid of some in-ground wisterias, Wisteria sinensis I believe. They're decent size, my wife loves wisteria flowers, and all it would cost me...

(Some of you will see this thread on other fora too.) I got this tree in Andy Smith’s 2010 “Burlap Bonanza” last year. It had been collected in March; I received it in mid-April, and potted it within two days in this growing box. The mix is 50% lava, 30% bark, and 20% Turface, all sifted to...

I did a little demonstration this morning for the Fort Wayne Bonsai Club. Many here are probably familiar with this technique already, but some may find this post of interest. The tree is a Ficus salicaria, willow-leaf fig. When I bought it there were three major branches originating from the...

So far this year I've ordered from North Star three times: lava, fert cakes, and most recently, wire. The first time nothing unusual occurred: my order was acknowledged, my card was charged, and in a few days I got my lava. The second time, my order got mixed up: instead of one bag each of...

We all know that the best way to put bulk onto a bonsai-to-be is to plant it in the ground for a few years. Let the roots roam, feed the heck out of it, and it will usually grow a lot faster than it would in a growing pot. But what if you don't have room for a garden on your property, much...

WHAT: Mid-America Bonsai Alliance biennial convention. WHERE: Grand Rapids, Michigan. WHEN: June 25-27, 2010. HOW: Headliner: Kathy Shaner. Other artists: José Cueto, Jack Douthitt, Andy Smith, Frank Mihalic, Scott Yelich, Pauline F. Muth, Jim Doyle, Steve Pilack. Not to overlook the...

The "search" function on this forum, and another, have failed to turn up an answer to my question, so ... What soil recipes do people use for ponderosa pines, east of the Mississippi and north of the Gulf states? Any and all information will be appreciated. I've got a new ponderosa (my...

This little treasure is my Christmas present this year from my beautiful wife. It's a Ficus burtt-davyi, aka veldt fig or South African fig, from Meehan's Miniatures. I saw it in their on-line catalog, started raving about it, she is no dummy, and now I'm really pleased with my gift! It...

Jerry Meislik's visit to Fort Wayne was a solid success, in spite of what one might have expected. Jerry admitted to me later that he was dismayed when he first walked into the classroom where he would give his demo and workshop, and saw the trees for the workshop. Tho fat and healthy, every one...

Hello, all, About a month ago I trimmed one of my Amur maples back hard. Since then, the new leaves have been coming in off-color. Some are yellow-green with dark veins, some are just too-light green, some are pink. :confused: Two other Amurs less than 10 feet away show no color change at...

Has anyone here had any success with a root cutting from a yew? A few days ago I picked up a Taxus x media 'Dark Green Spreader' from our local Lowe's. As I was digging down to locate the nebari, I found an aerial root that had sprouted from a low branch, very close to the trunk. That root...

I don't believe B-Nut will mind me posting something about another forum here. BonsaiCHAT.net has an annual Spring Styling Contest, as some of you will know. The idea is to buy a plant from a general-purpose nursery, give it its first styling, and see who can come up with the best results...

Hello, all, Jerry Meislik, a.k.a. "Mr. Ficus," will be in Fort Wayne, Indiana, this coming Saturday (July 18) for a workshop and demonstration. I hope you'll indulge me: rather than re-type everything I just posted at bonsaiCHAT, let me give you a link...

Back in March our club obtained some field-grown shimpakus at a very reasonable price. I ended up (by choice) with one that had some interesting trunk movement, but also a potential problem: there were several places where two or more branches were emerging from the trunk at the same point...

In another thread ("I Can't Go On," Chris Johnston) I mentioned that, in response to Antal's idea, I got the shopping bug yesterday and ended up with a Colorado spruce with definite bunjin potential. It's a tree that deserves to be a bonsai, whether I or someone else styles it. The more I...

B-Nut had a good point when he said in another thread, I would prefer if people wrote threads titled "How to be a great poster and build a better site and community". To start the ball rolling, let me offer a thought or two. Please, please remember that the typewritten word cannot...