Bonsai Stuff

Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu There's lots to do now around the yard, including deciduous pruning, defoliation, repotting Australian natives and Ficus as well as working on cedars. You need to be careful (very careful) with watering both over and under watering and we need to prepare for Summer. The last round of fertilising needs to happen and there's almost too much to talk about in...

Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu Trees have a fantastic approach to damage and the greater good of the tree. They can lock away 'issues' and move on. It's not a bad approach we could use too when things go wrong. Deadwood on bonsai is beautiful and I discuss my approach to working on it and when. As we hit the midway point in Spring there are lots of jobs to be undertaken with our bo...

Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu Early Spring is a magnificent time especially for bonsai however things don't always go to plan and about now you might find there are issues or concerns with the new fresh foliage on your bonsai. What should you do? What's causing the problem? I run through some practical steps I use to help work through these issues. What do you do if you are seeing prob...

Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu This episode of the podcast is the final in the 4 part series for Deciduous Bonsai Development and it will focus on styling and shaping strategies. When to wire, when not to, clip and grow methods, branch angles and so much more. Plus an approach to have you avoid losing time with structural improvement.  Laugh Love Law Real conversations. Real people. Real impact....

Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu Your repotting strategy for Deciduous Bonsai development is extremely important and this will vary based on your objectives and the stage of development the tree is in. I discuss field or ground growing, grow pots, transition pots and also bonsai pots. Each correlates to a different objective and the frequency of the repotting that is undertaken.  Laugh Love Law Rea...

Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu Successfully developing your deciduous bonsai requires strategy and an understanding of exactly where in the stages of development your bonsai is. Fertilising is a key tool we can use (or hold back) to allow your bonsai to achieve a higher level. I chat about my approach for various stages and my thoughts as to why, how much and when I fertilise. Wound management is...

Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu Deciduous bonsai are just beautiful and it requires a mindset and certain process to develop them accordingly. It is easy to apply techniques we all hear about but is it the right thing to do? I consider the health and stage of development then build a plan before applying any process to the bonsai. When should you pinch? When is it Grow/Cut? What about sacrifices?...

Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu Welcome to Spring and with that comes the close of the repotting season for me (well nearly the close) so I like to look back and reflect on what I've learnt and discovered of the repotting season. From tested tie ins due to late winter storms to hand cleaner. Doing it right now for future benefit is the name of the game. Plus now Spring has arrived we need to...

Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu Sometimes when tragedy occurs it is an opportunity for improvement and that was the case with my large European Beech. A few years ago the bonsai was hit by a falling branch in the garden. Part of the apex was ripped off and the upper section of the trunk was bruised. Have a listen to the tale of heartbreak that lead to the chance to build a better bonsai the was tw...

Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu Will changing your soil mix fix the problems and issues your bonsai is experiencing? No, it won't. Soil is a massive piece of the bonsai puzzle but it is only one part of the equation. There are other factors to consider. And I have been flat out lately repotting so there are some tales to tell, including a cascade Pine that was stuck in the pot! Laugh Love Law...

Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu Are expensive tools the best? Will they last forever? Tool fatigue is a real thing and something to expect when you work on your bonsai. But you can avoid unnecessary early tool retirement by using them correctly and maintaining them. The right tool for the right purpose. Around this time of the year during the repotting process avoiding making decisions or making t...

Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu Repotting is a job we do not get to complete very frequently, only every 2-5 years, so you want to make sure it's done right. And I find that when you mound up your tree it can create some issue. So let's explore whether we should mound or not. When does a bonsai become yours? Or is it always linked to the previous owner? What has to happen for it to becom...

Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu If you know me you will know I do not like rules especially when it comes to bonsai. However in this case I will make an exception! I've come up with six golden rules to consider before acquiring a bonsai and this relates to all bonsai lovers at all stages of their personal bonsai journey. Successfully owning and developing beautiful trees in pots takes not onl...

Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu The downside to not dealing with root issues last repot is that you have to deal with them now and it will be much harder to sort out. Bonsai that haven't been repotted frequently enough or were not repotted correctly last time means you may be dealing with a brick this time. Let's chat about how to resolve that issue. Root rot is real and I'll discus...

Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu Welcome to Repotting Season! It's officially started and we need to talk about it. Firstly, not all soil mixes are created equally and I have proof. I'll tell you a story about a recent repotting adventure that proves my point. Repotting is all about technique and being absolutely perfect. You need to practice and ensure your bonsai gets stronger as a resu...

Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu Do you need to adapt your bonsai care to allow for changing weather patterns and extremes? This isn't a podcast on climate change, it is more to consider how we need to adjust our care regime and timing of processes for our trees to be able to continue to thrive. What if your growing period is shorter? What if it's longer? What does that mean for fertilisi...

Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu I have found that your mindset when working on 'small' bonsai needs to be very different as to when you work on the larger species. A little foliage extension can make a big difference when the bonsai is only 20cm wide but if it's 70cm wide you will barely notice. So you need to approach the work on the smaller bonsai with a few key thoughts in mind....

Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu Deciduous bonsai look their best in their winter silhouette, there is no where to hide! Use this opportunity to identify areas for improvement before the foliage returns in the near future. And if you have over worked a bonsai, what should you do? How do you adjust your care to help the tree heal and move on from the shock of what you have done. Yamadori is always a...

Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu We all have scars from our past, it makes us human and our bonsai history is scattered with ‘things I wouldn’t do again’. You can learn from these scars but don’t let them hold you back from achieving something pretty fantastic. Winter is upon us and the thoughts about winter protection for your sensitive species need to become a priority before something happens to...

Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu We are all busy! But your bonsai need you. How and where do you allocate your time for them? You need to look at what is most important right now and prioritise that task, whether it's weeding or pruning, repotting or fertilising. By using your limited time wisely you and your bonsai will feel great. Japanese White Pines are a little misunderstood and I find th...

Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu Seeing the end target for your bonsai in the developmental stage can be challenging. Breaking the development of your bonsai into bite size chunks can be so helpful in keeping everything on track. Perspective in any form of design is so important. When reviewing your bonsai, your perspective will allow you to see completely different designs and ultimately make the...

Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu After recently visiting a bonsai show and seeing some amazing bonsai that were collected trees or yamadori, I think it is important to chat about expectations when comparing these nature impacted trees with nursery or 'man grown' stock. Can we compete with Mother Nature?? Terminal issues like wilt can and do occur and the end result can be heartbreaking. W...

Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu Right now is a very important time for your bonsai, they are heading towards dormancy and how you manage their needs is critical to their future development. It is also a time to be neck deep in needles while styling your conifers. I have a styling consideration checklist for you to consider that I find a valuable tool. And moss on your bonsai. Love or hate it there...

Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu What an experience! I was fortunate enough to spend some one on one time with the Italian bonsai master Salvatore Liporace in Milan in the north of Italy at his property. Salvatore, who originally studied under Mr Kimura in Japan, has travelled the world extensively demonstrating and presenting and is renowned for his work on conifers. While the visit focussed on ad...

Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu Is too much of a good thing bad for you? Maybe if it’s chocolate, but does that apply if it’s bonsai?? I don’t think so…and there’s a good reason for that too. Every tree provides you with the opportunity to learn and develop both personally and for your approach to future bonsai. We always have so much to learn from trees. It’s also late autumn/fall and that means...