Okay, so there will be times when you are dealing with a very large branch or have a need to change your trunk line. One way to approach this is to use one or multiple large wires to wrap and then bend the branch. However the use of guidewires is a great way to do the same thing with better control and a smaller size wire. In the video I show what I mean:
In this photo you can see the remnants of the initial twist that I did in order to create the loop around the branch and the root. As you can now see it is twisted as the wire is turned so that it can be all but cut off.
Here is the complete guidewire insalled top to bottom. Please note that you will want to add some sort of padding at the points where it touches the trees under the wire to protect the cambium. You need to install before you start twisting the wire
Actually I’m making fertilizer cakes. There are a number of bonsas fertilizers, and fertilizer cakes on the market. In fact, Orlando Bonsai sells some. However you can easily make them yourself and save a lot of money. In this video I show start to finish how to make fertilizer cakes. Also I provide the ingredients afterwards so that you know how much of each ingredient to add.
Bonsai Fertilizer Cakes recipe
3 Parts Cottonseed Meal
2 Parts Garden Lime
1 Part Blood Meal
1 Part Bone Meal
For Every 5 pounds of dry ingredients
5oz Fish Emulsion
Mix with Peters or Miracle Grow (20-20-20) Ful Strength
Optional 1.5oz – 2oz Super Thrive
Bond it all together with an 8oz bottle Elmer’s Glue
Spread on cookie sheet 1″ think
Cut into 1″ X 1″ cubes
Let dry thoroughly before storing
Store in airtight container
(recipe (in part) source “Superfeeding” Author Michael Persiano, Consulting Master Chase Rosade)
The details involved with bonsai are many, but there are some simple tasks that sometimes are overlooked that shouldn’t be. I searched the internet for a good demonstration on how to secure the mesh screening into a bonsai pot. I didn’t find one so I decided to create my own.
So today I had a chance to work on my huge Trident maple which I enjoy a great deal. Every winter I watch as temperatures drop and leaves start to fall letting me know that it is almost time to work on this amazing tree. Only problem I find is that this tree takes a lot of wire and the large stuff too (5mm wire).
The branches needed to be flaten out into pads to allow for more interior growth and open spaces between the branches. This year the tree has developed well and lots of new developments. Next year at this time it should be looking very good. As you know by now this phot is not of the front of the tree, but instead the left side.
The reason I took the photo from this side is to show a problem that I have with the tree itself. I am in dire need of a low first left branch. two years ago I had one pop out but it didn’t make it through the next year. I am tempted to thread graft but I thought I take a look at what is goin on the trunk.
However as I looked closer
Then even closer I was amazed to see the smallest of little growth popping out through the very old trunk of the tree. Although it is appearing a few inches away fom where I would prefer it to be, I can certainly live with this. Let’s just hope this liitle branch makes it this year and becomes the strong primary branch of this tree that it so badly needs.
