My best bonsai advice for 2019

Adair M

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Three bits, one for beginners, one for intermediates, and one for experts:

Beginners:

Take some classes from a competent bonsai practioner. Doesn’t have to be a pro, but choose someone whose trees you like, makes better bonsai than you, and someone you want to spend time with. Try to meet with your teacher several times a year so you learn the actions to be taken, and when to take them. The timing is as essential as the activity.

Intermediate:

Attend and participate in bonsai shows. It doesn’t matter that you “only fo this for yourself”, and you don’t care about winning a ribbon. It’s not about winning. It’s about learning to pay attention to the little details, doing the things that you “will do eventually”, but somehow never do. It’s about matching trees and pots, and yes, even stands. It’s about looking at your trees with a critical eye, finding the best features of the tree, and trying to minimize the faults. You will also meet others who share your passion, maybe find a treasure on a venfor’s table, or perhaps you might find someone who wants to buy that tree you never could figure out how to style it.

Experts:

Share your knowledge with others. Whether it’s teaching some bonsai classes, or mentoring new members in the local club, everyone benefits from your experience. It’s also a way to enhance your own understanding of bonsai. The questions newbies ask will cause you to find explanations instead of just performing actions by rote. The best way to learn something is to teach it.

Well, that’s it! I hope everyone has a great New Year!
 

Cadillactaste

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Thanks @Adair M . Good direction all around. Wishing you a Happy New Year as well. I plan on...joining a club for if nothing more to attend some visiting professional one day. ? who knows...might even do a small club show. I'm not against it. Thanks for a kind push on that end.
 

Rodrigo

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Thank you for the tips Adair!

How would you go about asking someone to take classes multiple times a year that doesn't necesarily offer them? What if we don't have trees advanced enough yet to learn from well? I've been thinking about that for some time now but haven't known how to approach it
 

Adair M

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Thank you for the tips Adair!

How would you go about asking someone to take classes multiple times a year that doesn't necesarily offer them? What if we don't have trees advanced enough yet to learn from well? I've been thinking about that for some time now but haven't known how to approach it
There’s a couple ways:

1) find a professional. There are the full time, big name pros, like Boon, Ryan, Bjorn, etc. Then there are the more local guys like Rodney Clemons. (Rodney is local to the Atlanta people).

Perhaps get a few friends to create a “Study Group” where everyone pools their funds to bring in someone two or three times a year. Many of the big name Masters have study groups they lead all over the country. We are also fortunate to have a fresh crop of newly minted Japanese apprentice graduates who are eager for work: Tyler Sherrard, Danny Coffey, Matt Reel, Peter Tea, Owen Reich, etc. Those guys may have more availability that the “big names”.

Then, your local bonsai club may have a mentoring program.

Most local bonsai shops offer classes. The teachers may be willing to conduct private classes in addition to the ones they teach at the shop.

In Dallas, the Smiths would be excellent. I know they used to have workshops and classes. They can be reached at:

bonsaismiths@tx.rr.com

They may also have trees for sale.
 

River's Edge

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Not having advanced material right away should not stop taking classes or workshops. Most Bonsai teachers use their tree's to demonstrate and teach with. Particularly refinement techniques that can only be shown properly on advanced material. This is one of the major benefits of working with professionals, access to and working with that quality of material. There is no better way to learn how to recognize great material than actually being able to see it and work with that level.

My tip for all levels would be to use the approach of completing each level or step just a little bit better each time around. The thought of continuous improvement.

One habit that has helped a lot of people including myself is to not place a tree back on the bench until each step required at that time has been completed correctly. Too often, the i will get to it later, never happens in time.

Wishing everyone a Happy New Year and the best in Bonsai for 2019.
 

MichaelS

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It’s also a way to enhance your own understanding of bonsai.

I'm sometimes surprised how much I learn from looking at the ''mistakes'' of newbies. Those mistakes often give you ideas about how to stop doing what we are pre-programed to do and can give you insights into places you never would have normally thought of!
 

0soyoung

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I'm sometimes surprised how much I learn from looking at the ''mistakes'' of newbies. Those mistakes often give you ideas about how to stop doing what we are pre-programed to do and can give you insights into places you never would have normally thought of!
I agree, but it is not just noobs.
 

Anthony

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Study Design

Also from Murata - via L.Perry J.b.pine needle shortening
techniques are done once every two years.
Happy New Year
Anthony
 

Adair M

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Study Design

Also from Murata - via L.Perry J.b.pine needle shortening
techniques are done once every two years.
Happy New Year
Anthony
Anthony, I have to disagree on the JBP needle shortening technique. I did it five straight years. Then gave my tree a year off.

So, I think the REAL answer is “it depends”! Weak trees may only be able to tolerate every other year. Strong trees can handle it more often.

There are so many variables. When I was working my JBP, decandling every summer, I had it in a slightly oversized “training” pot. Lots of room for roots. When I wanted to show it, I’d pot it in a smaller “show” pot. Leaving it in the show pot long term weakens it as there is less room for roots.
 

namnhi

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[QUOTE="Adair M, post: 614949

There are so many variables. When I was working my JBP, decandling every summer, I had it in a slightly oversized “training” pot. Lots of room for roots. When I wanted to show it, I’d pot it in a smaller “show” pot. Leaving it in the show pot long term weakens it as there is less room for roots.[/QUOTE]
Adair,
Am curious on how this work. When you put the tree in a larger pot, the roots will grow and colonize the extra space provided. Are you saying you will cut off all that roots when you want to show the tree again?
 

Adair M

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[QUOTE="Adair M, post: 614949

There are so many variables. When I was working my JBP, decandling every summer, I had it in a slightly oversized “training” pot. Lots of room for roots. When I wanted to show it, I’d pot it in a smaller “show” pot. Leaving it in the show pot long term weakens it as there is less room for roots.
Adair,
Am curious on how this work. When you put the tree in a larger pot, the roots will grow and colonize the extra space provided. Are you saying you will cut off all that roots when you want to show the tree again?[/QUOTE]
Yep!

Keeping bonsai long term is a constant cycle of “let grow, cut back”. For branches, AND for roots! This keeps the foliage young, and the roots young and vigorous.

That’s why wiring a pine is never ending. You always have new growth.

Roots grow to fill the pot, and after a couple years, it’s time to repot. Gives them a new life.

Here’s the thing... when you first repot, the roots will grow quickly into the fresh soil. As the roots begin to fill the voids between the soil particles, the soil will come under a bit of pressure in the pot. I use Akadama, and it breaks down. Which creates new voids. Roots then fill the new voids. But eventually, the voids fill up, and root growth slows. Which slows the top growth. Pines don’t mind being a bit pot bound. Once the water starts standing on top, though, it’s time to repot. For an established bonsai, about every 4 or 5 years.
 

namnhi

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Adair,
Am curious on how this work. When you put the tree in a larger pot, the roots will grow and colonize the extra space provided. Are you saying you will cut off all that roots when you want to show the tree again?
Yep!

Keeping bonsai long term is a constant cycle of “let grow, cut back”. For branches, AND for roots! This keeps the foliage young, and the roots young and vigorous.

That’s why wiring a pine is never ending. You always have new growth.

Roots grow to fill the pot, and after a couple years, it’s time to repot. Gives them a new life.

Here’s the thing... when you first repot, the roots will grow quickly into the fresh soil. As the roots begin to fill the voids between the soil particles, the soil will come under a bit of pressure in the pot. I use Akadama, and it breaks down. Which creates new voids. Roots then fill the new voids. But eventually, the voids fill up, and root growth slows. Which slows the top growth. Pines don’t mind being a bit pot bound. Once the water starts standing on top, though, it’s time to repot. For an established bonsai, about every 4 or 5 years.[/QUOTE]
Thanks. I would like to see some pictures the grow pot to show pot when you have a chance to do that.
 

Adair M

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Yep!

Keeping bonsai long term is a constant cycle of “let grow, cut back”. For branches, AND for roots! This keeps the foliage young, and the roots young and vigorous.

That’s why wiring a pine is never ending. You always have new growth.

Roots grow to fill the pot, and after a couple years, it’s time to repot. Gives them a new life.

Here’s the thing... when you first repot, the roots will grow quickly into the fresh soil. As the roots begin to fill the voids between the soil particles, the soil will come under a bit of pressure in the pot. I use Akadama, and it breaks down. Which creates new voids. Roots then fill the new voids. But eventually, the voids fill up, and root growth slows. Which slows the top growth. Pines don’t mind being a bit pot bound. Once the water starts standing on top, though, it’s time to repot. For an established bonsai, about every 4 or 5 years.
Thanks. I would like to see some pictures the grow pot to show pot when you have a chance to do that.[/QUOTE]
Grow pot:

9C9F9F64-375A-45F0-AB7F-1928DA47D8E9.jpeg

First show pot:

5834B8D0-3915-48D5-936A-0F11AF533FB4.jpeg

After the show, it went back into the grow pot.

Then I put it in this show pot:

99E0D5F3-2CCB-4A5F-8896-9EECE23437B2.jpeg

I liked the lines on this one a little better.

It’s still in it:

8E4B791F-561D-481C-887D-4AEFBEA89A1C.jpeg

That picture shows it as I was prepping it for the Winter Silohette Show. I was letting it have its “off year”, I didn’t decandle it last summer. I did cut back pretty hard! Removed about half the old foliage. Twigs I had painstakingly wired! And I really wasn’t planning to show it this year. But I thought it looked pretty cool, even with all the long needles! So I went ahead and put it in the show.

So, this spring, it goes back into the grow pot, and I will decandle it.

Here is a picture of all the stuff I pruned off last spring:

5EF56F02-8D1A-42B0-A434-4660634E058D.jpeg

Let grow, cut back!
 

TN_Jim

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There’s a couple ways:

1) find a professional. There are the full time, big name pros, like Boon, Ryan, Bjorn, etc. Then there are the more local guys like Rodney Clemons. (Rodney is local to the Atlanta people).

Perhaps get a few friends to create a “Study Group” where everyone pools their funds to bring in someone two or three times a year. Many of the big name Masters have study groups they lead all over the country. We are also fortunate to have a fresh crop of newly minted Japanese apprentice graduates who are eager for work: Tyler Sherrard, Danny Coffey, Matt Reel, Peter Tea, Owen Reich, etc. Those guys may have more availability that the “big names”.

Then, your local bonsai club may have a mentoring program.

Most local bonsai shops offer classes. The teachers may be willing to conduct private classes in addition to the ones they teach at the shop.

In Dallas, the Smiths would be excellent. I know they used to have workshops and classes. They can be reached at:

bonsaismiths@tx.rr.com

They may also have trees for sale.

@Adair M, thank you. This thread is healthy and enlightening.

Your words have strength in doing.

I need to hit up Owen, a very approachable down to earth fella in my experience.
 

KiwiPlantGuy

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Hi Adair M,
Thank you for this thread, as it has helped remind me of where in the journey I am at.
I went to a local show this Spring (as an annual event) and the only JBP in the show as photographed below - and yes I couldn’t believe how hungry this poor tree was? - no candles ?. Is this slant or wind swept ? and some critique be good to help please.
10 years or less I am going to at a show being critiqued also. 51EFC92E-73D0-4911-BAF2-79C78A4CDDC1.jpeg
Charles
 

Adair M

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Hi Adair M,
Thank you for this thread, as it has helped remind me of where in the journey I am at.
I went to a local show this Spring (as an annual event) and the only JBP in the show as photographed below - and yes I couldn’t believe how hungry this poor tree was? - no candles ?. Is this slant or wind swept ? and some critique be good to help please.
10 years or less I am going to at a show being critiqued also. View attachment 221898
Charles
Well, the tree looks a bit untidy for my taste. I think it needs some tweezer work and detail wiring.

As for style, it’s a slant. Not windswept, more like it’s leaning over a stream or road, stretching for the sunlight.

The tree appears to be healthy, I’m not sure if it’s really JBP. The buds appear to be reddish. JBP are usually more white. It could be a hybrid of JBP and another pine.

I think we may actually be looking at the back of the tree rather than the front. The tree appears to be moving away from us, and there’s a frontal branch coming right at the viewer. Maybe it was set up this way because it’s on the far left of the table?

The display looks very crowded. They’ve set the old pot it used to have in front of the tree. Which places it in a more important position.

The label says this tree used to be a part of a mixed pine planting. Perhaps it’s styling was appropriate for that. It could use some attention (updating) to be effective as a stand alone tree.
 

Anthony

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Thanks for the response Sifu.

You will be pleased to hear that around September maybe our
time to try for shorter needles.
Got down to 2 inches.
Now we wait to see if the treatment holds.
Happy New Year.
Anthony
 

jimib

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Thank you for the tips Adair!

How would you go about asking someone to take classes multiple times a year that doesn't necesarily offer them? What if we don't have trees advanced enough yet to learn from well? I've been thinking about that for some time now but haven't known how to approach it
I was in that spot until recently. I've went to the local show, joined the local club and even attended some out of state shows but still needed guidance. Believe it or not, right on this forum someone saw I was local to them and I was invited to a workshop. I took two trees, a San Jose juniper and a Colorado blue spruce. Both clearance rack items and it showed. When I saw the others trees, I was a little embarrassed to be honest. Like I walked into the Louvre and hung a paint-by-number on the wall. The other members of the group, the host and the instructor of the workshop were nothing but positive. I did learn quickly however that buying good stock is key to having good bonsai. When I got home I counted about $200+ worth of clearance rack trees. That money could have gotten me much better material had i stashed it every time I walked through a store or nursery and thought I could make something from a $10 tree. Im sure some of the more advanced members here might be able to, but I can't. I watched and listened, and in that few hours I learned an awful lot about bonsai. Keep your eyes open for an opportunity like this, it was well worth it for me.
 
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