Bonsai Stuff

Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu We are meticulous with our bonsai and their design, we spend so long getting even the smallest detail perfect and we should also do this with everything associated with good bonsai. As we commence the repotting season, well I do, it's time to be mindful of the quality and cleanliness of both the work area as well as the tools used in the process. We need to be...

Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu We have all had the experience of looking at a particular branch or section of a bonsai and thought, I don't like that and I should cut it off but you hesitate or just slide the bonsai back on the bench thinking 'I'll do it next time'. Me included! I have just had this very thing happen on an old Scots Pine but this time I took action. Pine seaso...

Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu You might start your bonsai journey loving the artistic side of the hobby but you must grow to love the maintenance side. This is where you will end up spending nearly 99% of your bonsai time. I also have a little tip for you too regarding the direction you work on your bonsai. Think of a chicken...don't worry it will all make sense in the podcast I promise.  L...

Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu In order to make or develop beautiful bonsai, you must be able to work at both a macro or big picture level as well as at the micro level which deals with the branch that you're looking at right now. It is easy to become distracted by the future and miss the opportunity to work in the now for your tree. I also think bonsai confidence and bonsai overconfidence n...

Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu The concept (or mistake) of one of all species of bonsai in your collection can really make life difficult for you. Sometimes we need to curb our enthusiasm and make sound decisions. Easier said than done right?? I know it's a very difficult thing to walk out of a bonsai nursery without any new acquisitions but hear me out. Not everything has potential and are...

Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu Winter is a great time to see your deciduous bonsai in their naked glory. It is also a time where their structural issues are more apparent than ever. So what should you do? Remove it? Hide it? Live with it? Yes, yes and yes. I will talk through the various options you have and some considerations for you to answer this question. I like to work on my bonsai in a &ap...

Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu Late Autumn around your bonsai collection will show you signs of potential issues that may be significant in Winter. So if you know what to look for you can make changes or take appropriate action to avoid these issue. This time of the year is a necessary time for pine work, on all variety of pines. But there's no need to put yourself under the pump, we have ti...

Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu When I am working on any of my bonsai but especially my pines at this time of the year I ask myself a few simple questions for every branch that I work on. The integrity of the design I either have built or the design I am working towards rely on me making the correct decisions about removal or reduction. And that applies for all species and every time they are in f...

Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu Styling your pines (or any of your bonsai) requires a dedicated focus. So before working through your bonsai and wondering where it's going to end up I have a few areas for you to focus on. Building pad height and volume, avoiding flattened structure, length reduction as well as talking about the ski jump effect and an approach to wiring while avoiding the trun...

Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu We are rounding the corner toward Winter and the last stretch of Autumn is a really important time. Understanding your bonsai and their needs right now will have a massive impact on their future development. There are jobs to be done around the yard too, debris removal, weeding, fertilising and we are starting the most important time of the year for our pines. Now b...

Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu The idea of the perfect bonsai for each of us is a target we set for our trees, but is perfection the ideal target? Will it just lead to disappointment and dissatisfaction with our bonsai? No. Not if we breakdown the path to perfection into bite size achievable pieces then perfection is the best target. Also practising poor techniques over and over will not lead to...

Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu Autumn is a very important time for deciduous bonsai and our maintenance program will set them up for a successful Spring and beyond. Tasks like leaf removal, light pruning, gentle wiring and wound management are all on the menu. Positioning takes a high priority right now too, chasing the sun and avoiding the frost. Takes some time to sit back and review your bonsa...

Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu Well we're mid way through the Autumn period and you need to be very careful with watering at this time. Different trees in your collection will be at different stages as we head towards a dormancy period so their water usage will start to vary as well. Overwatering can be a significant problem around now. There are techniques you can use and things to keep an...

Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu The approach of Good Structure is Good Bonsai is a great fall back position when you ever get doubt about the next step to take. When you sit there scratching your head and are ready to just leave it until next time, don't leave the issue, don't ignore it, take action. Bend the rules where possible of course and avoid rigidity in your design but always com...

Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu Good structure does not mean rigidity in design. Breaking or bending the rules can be one of the most enjoyable components when designing your bonsai. In this episode I want to offer some good structural advice or guidelines (not rules!). Things like good branch placement, visual weight, negative and positive space, bend distance consistency and branch origin angle...

Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu One of the most important areas of bonsai for me is the structure of our trees, and good structure matters! I talked about this very early on in the podcast back in season one and it's well overdue for a freshen up and some deeper thought. In this podcast I'll talk about why good structure matters and also that good structure starts with taper. Taper of th...

Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu I could almost guarantee that everyone that has been involved with bonsai for more than a couple of years has gone down the path of taking cuttings, planting seeds or purchasing young tube stock. It's built into our DNA! But once it takes what do you do with it? How to you turn a tiny cutting into a large magnificent bonsai? You need a plan. As it's time t...

Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu Thin trunk bonsai can be extremely elegant! And there is often a push on how to thicken trunks where bigger is seen as better. I thoroughly believe thin trunk bonsai can be magnificent when they are designed and managed correctly. There needs to be balance between the trunk, the apex, the foliage and the pot or container. They do not always need to be a literati sty...

Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu How old is that bonsai? Ever been asked that question and wondered why it has been asked? Does it really matter how old it is? We work so hard on the perception of age through the application of styling techniques that I just wonder if the age of a bonsai should change from 'Actual' age to a 'Feels Like' age. I feel there are areas within bonsai...

Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu I am a planner, I like to be prepared and I always want to achieve as much as I possibly can with my bonsai. So with Autumn just days away I am breaking this season into segments and looking at the species and work that will be needed at each particular time. Always planning...And I think about my early days with this bonsai addiction and I see so many people with t...

Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu It's late Summer and your pines are starting to look a little shaggy after decandling or candle cutting so what should you do?? Absolutely nothing! There are some great reasons for leaving them in peace for now and all of your hard work (and the bonsai) may be undone by rushing. One of the most, if not the most, important skills we need to obtain for the art of...

Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu Beautiful bonsai for me have well balanced and positioned foliage pads. While it is easy initially to create larger pads, longer term this can be to the detriment of the structure of your bonsai. There is a process I use to create and separate pads. Another thought that runs continuously through my head when working on bonsai is Compaction. How do I make this tree s...

Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu We are now two thirds of the way through Summer and it has been brutal! Weather extremes, floods to bushfires, prolonged heat, strong winds. Welcome to Australia! For me now if the best time to start doing a review of your bonsai environment and start making a list for immediate improvements and also one for longer term improvements which includes what you will do d...

Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu Junipers make excellent bonsai! Always have and always will. Like all species they have a specific care regime and you need to understand where their strength comes from. They are simple to care for when you know how. This podcast has an overview on junipers and their care as well as some how to's which will make your love for them even greater. Laugh Love Law...

Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu Welcome to 2026 and what a year in bonsai it is going to be! I always like to start the year with some goal setting and what my focus will be and bonsai is all about repeating good practices and procedures over and over and over again. Doing what makes me and others in bonsai happy will be a big part of this coming year. Also mid Summer is upon us and it's a go...