Walter Pall's new book.

[coh]

So, tell us something your learned from the book that you didn't already know.
Please.

Yes, please!

It would be nice if amazon had a few preview pages available. @Walter Pall , maybe you can post a few to help us decide?

 

[Eric Group]

@Eric Group Will totally download it for you!

Sorce

You know I would! Cuz Eff tha Po-Po!!! *insert double bird emoji
JK obviously

I have rarely found Bonsai books to be worth the massive amounts of money the good ones cost... For the price of a couple books you could get together with a few people from your local club/ study group/ group of Bonsai friends... And hire a pro to come give your group a demo/ intensive that you and your trees would get far more benefit from!! JMO

Now, if you are sufficiently funded (which, let's face it- doing bonsai at a high level without some money to spend on it is damn near impossible!)... Doing both ( buying good books AND hiring good people to do intensive with you and your people) is going to be a better scenario! Obviously if you are balling outrageous like @Brian Van Fleet, you can just get Bjorn to come chill at your house and wire your trees with you- that is a whole other level of gangsta most of just cannot attain! That is where I am setting my goals though!!

That said... If you are looking for a good book- I would put anything with @Walter Pall trees in it near the top of my list!! If you get a chance to see the man in person though... DO IT- I had a blast at his presentation last year at the Carolina Expo!

 

[Stickroot]

View attachment 111942

Has anyone had an opportunity to purchase this collaborative effort from Messrs. Morton and Pall? I was curious about it's content. Coffee-table books are nice, but horticultural information, anecdotal or whatever, is really my main focus. It has tempted me to break down and get a debit card!

The old lady is not a fan of my sticks, and stiff-arms me if I ask her to be my middle-man with her credit card. Cripes, I even offer up the interest up front!!! Like I said, she's not a fan.....

You could by a card at walmarts check out line

 

[sorce]

You could by a card at walmarts check out line

Or at the pawn shop....

It's closer to the liquor store!

Sorce

 

[Martin Sweeney]

I am not sure about the level of Walter's involvement with the writing of the book, but Larry lives in Mint Hill, NC. I read parts of the book in draft and have started reading my copy. It is intensely full of modern horticultural research, which Larry has applied to bonsai growing. So far, I am learning about horticulture more intensely than I have ever before. Also, Larry is making me question everything I think I know as proper technique, from a growing standpoint (soil, fertilizing, etc). This is not a book about styling or design.

 

[coh]

I am not sure about the level of Walter's involvement with the writing of the book, but Larry lives in Mint Hill, NC. I read parts of the book in draft and have started reading my copy. It is intensely full of modern horticultural research, which Larry has applied to bonsai growing. So far, I am learning about horticulture more intensely than I have ever before. Also, Larry is making me question everything I think I know as proper technique, from a growing standpoint (soil, fertilizing, etc). This is not a book about styling or design.

Martin, can you be more specific? Any examples of "wow" or "a-ha" moments?

BTW, the arakawa cuttings I purchased from you a few years ago are doing very well.

Chris

 

[my nellie]

I am not sure about the level of Walter's involvement with the writing of the book... ...

These are the first lines of the description of the book at http://www.stonelantern.com/Modern_Bonsai_Practice_Walter_Pall_Bonsai_trees_p/b1modern.htm : "Modern Bonsai Practice - 501 Principles of Good Bonsai Horticulture plus gallery of Walter Pall's bonsai trees. Horticultural scientist Larry Morton has put together the first bonsai book that focuses on what we now know about growing plants and applying that knowledge to bonsai... ..."
And from Mr. Pall's webpage http://walter-pall-bonsai.blogspot.gr/2016/06/a-very-different-bonsai-book.html : "A very different bonsai book - Larry Morton's new book is now available... ...On the side the book is full of bonsai images which are all my photographs."
I think it is obvious this is not a book of Mr. Pall as an author or am I wrong?

 

[Anthony]

What you are looking for is a book by someone who can grow Bonsai well.

You already had a member Paul [ also was on AUSbonsai.] possibly a soil scientist.

Secondly, the problems are - learning to grow a trunk and the first six branches and keeping the tree HEALTHY.

Thirdly, - DESIGN.

Otherwise you will be a victim for every book that comes along.

With Amazon, we just wait. Most books come down to around 15 / 10 US $.

Try to keep a tree in a pot healthy for 3 to 5 years, and see how very easy Bonsai becomes.

Years ago K, asked Walter if he would ever write a book ------------ he said no.

Try not to be a victim.
Good Day
Anthony

 

[0soyoung]

It is intensely full of modern horticultural research, which Larry has applied to bonsai growing. So far, I am learning about horticulture more intensely than I have ever before.

Would you be so kind as to give an illustration, please?
... just an example (in your own words, of course).

 

[Anthony]

Oso,

I read yesterday that nitrates are for trees, and nitrites are for vegetables. If so, this is why Miracle Gro and Phostrogen never gave
any problems ?

Additionally, that compost improves the microbe life for trees and helps create a better growing environment.
So I bought the book for further reading.
Let you know later how it goes.

Thanks for the info, from over the years you have been here and at IBC.
Good Day
Anthony

 

[0soyoung]

Thank you @Anthony.

Also, thanks for sharing what you a K have been up to. Fascinating stuff about JBP and etc. Your sea grape is my all-time fav.

I suspect you are having entirely too much fun (I mean far more than you are sharing)

 

[rockm]

So I got the book last night. Read through a few chapters. Definitely worth the $$ if you can swing it. If you're a fan of humates, charcoal, drainage layers, or "natural" fertilizers, Superthrive (not surprising) among other things, you're not going to be happy.

The book, which DEFINITELY NOT for beginners, is worth the money not for the mostly bad photos of Walter Pall's trees in the back of it, but for the horticultural science applied to bonsai in the text. The photos are not even really part of the book. They're just kind of jammed in the back as an afterthought.

There are 500 "myths/busted facts" in the book broken into chapters on things like soil, roots, fertilizers and size stuff. The info is broken up into short paragraphs, backed by horticultural studies and the most recent research, like how calcined clay is mostly better than Akadama. The book says there is no real reason to be importing Japanese dirt to the U.S., BTW. It just doesn't offer any advantages. Also, for those inclined to include more than three ingredients in soil mixes, you're not doing yourself any favors.

It goes on for over 100 pages of stuff. Some useful, some extremely esoteric or brain fogging, but it's interesting reading and reference....And BTW, the info on myc apparently came right out of one of my "quit wasting your money on it. It will show up on its own" only backed by research...;-)

 

[Lobaeux]

This book is supposed to be delivered tomorrow by Amazon. Very interested in reading it.

 

[Paradox]

I got my copy last week. I've only had a chance to thumb through it and ogle the pics of Walter's trees. So far, it looks like a worthwhile purchase.

 

[Adair M]

Rockm,

Could you go into another more detail about how the calcined clay is better than akadama? And just what calcined clay is? I've never heard that particular term before.

I happen to like akadama, not because it's Japanese, but how it acts in a bonsai pot. If calcined clay performs in a similiar fashion, I would use it rather than akadama.

 

[coh]

Calcined clay == turface (and similar materials).

I'm interested in hearing more about this and the book in general. I received a not-so-favorable review from someone whose opinion I trust. Basically, he claimed that a lot of the cutting edge information/busted myths wasn't very impressive. He also thought the photographs left something to be desired.

I'd like to get a hold of a copy so I can judge for myself, but am not willing to buy it based on what I've heard so far.

 

[Adair M]

Rockm,

Could you go into another more detail about how the calcined clay is better than akadama? And just what calcined clay is? I've never heard that particular term before.

I happen to like akadama, not because it's Japanese, but how it acts in a bonsai pot. If calcined clay performs in a similiar fashion, I would use it rather than akadama.

Oh wait... A simple Google search revealed that calcined clay is is essentially Turface!

Never mind.

Lol!!!

 

[MichaelS]

"rockm, post: 376319, member: 656"]
There are 500 "myths/busted facts" in the book broken into chapters on things like soil, roots, fertilizers and size stuff.

As I don't have a copy, Perhaps rockm you could list your top ten favourite ''myths'' from the book so we can get some idea of it's content?

 

[rockm]

I won't quote directly, but a few myths according to the book--- There are literally 495 more, most with extensive, rational explanations.

Sieving soil fines less than one eighth of an inch is necessary--NOT. Sieving soil hasn't been necessary for 50 years.

Always use Akadama--Nope, it's an unstable aggregate, high in finer clay particles that break down (unless it's the high fired stuff). It has no trace of organic material, but it isn't sterile as often claimed. It is used in Japan because of its aggregate structure, which can be replicated in the west with MANY different, less expensive and more suitable materials.

Organic fert cakes are da bomb--Not really. They Look fancy and they were the modern way to feed 50 years ago. Now they're just slow to work, ineffective overall and maggot magnets if you can keep the squirrels from stealing them.

Let tap water sit for a day to clear chlorine--Useless fear. If it's good enough for you to drink, it's good enough for bonsai. Chlorine is an essential element for plants and is required in relatively high amounts anyway.

Biostimulants, like vitamins, auxins, cytokinins and salicylic acids or other plant or animal extracts are beneficial. Uh-uh, nope...commonly available INDEPENDENT research haven't shown any support for the claims. I will quote here "Most biostimulant products independently tested were verified to have no beneficial effects on plant health. Testimonials don't count. Testimonials are advertisements...What works in field soil crops won't work in a bonsai substrate devoid of organic matter and microorganisms."

And there are more. It's a book over 200 pages long, people. There are many more topics covered that we've talked about here. If you want more, buy the book. I am not going to post any more myths.

And no, I'm not a shill for the publisher. I just don't want to basically plagiarize the book here. I also don't have the time or room to explain and note the mostly detailed arguments presented in the book.

 

[Adair M]

I won't quote directly, but a few myths according to the book--- There are literally 495 more, most with extensive, rational explanations.

Sieving soil fines less than one eighth of an inch is necessary--NOT. Sieving soil hasn't been necessary for 50 years.

Always use Akadama--Nope, it's an unstable aggregate, high in finer clay particles that break down (unless it's the high fired stuff). It has no trace of organic material, but it isn't sterile as often claimed. It is used in Japan because of its aggregate structure, which can be replicated in the west with MANY different, less expensive and more suitable materials.

Organic fert cakes are da bomb--Not really. They Look fancy and they were the modern way to feed 50 years ago. Now they're just slow to work, ineffective overall and maggot magnets if you can keep the squirrels from stealing them.

Let tap water sit for a day to clear chlorine--Useless fear. If it's good enough for you to drink, it's good enough for bonsai. Chlorine is an essential element for plants and is required in relatively high amounts anyway.

Biostimulants, like vitamins, auxins, cytokinins and salicylic acids or other plant or animal extracts are beneficial. Uh-uh, nope...commonly available INDEPENDENT research haven't shown any support for the claims. I will quote here "Most biostimulant products independently tested were verified to have no beneficial effects on plant health. Testimonials don't count. Testimonials are advertisements...What works in field soil crops won't work in a bonsai substrate devoid of organic matter and microorganisms."

And there are more. It's a book over 200 pages long, people. There are many more topics covered that we've talked about here. If you want more, buy the book. I am not going to post any more myths.

Thanks!

And that's plenty of evidence for me to NOT buy the book! Lol!!!