A Big Boxwood Experiment

Tags

Bonsai, boxwood, buxus, layering, propagation

It’s been a rough spring! I am having one of those existential seasons that make me question how I can be so incompetent after more than two decades in bonsai. I lost several trees. While none would be considered excellent bonsai by the greater bonsai community, they were my trees, and losing trees is never easy.

My overall conclusion is most of them suffered from nutrient deficiencies and/or root damage caused by record rainfall last summer. That makes it sound like it’s no fault of my own, but I struggled with how to respond to problems as they became evident, and I definitely made some bad decisions along the way.

It’s time to move past that, embrace the growth and renewal of the past couple of months, and start looking to the future (and start writing again). One way I am looking ahead is by playing with propagation. This week I started two Japanese Maple layers. I have had success with these in the past and expect them to do well. If you’d like to know my process for these, you can read about it HERE.

I am far less confident in my latest experiment – a BIG boxwood layer. I have taken successful air layers off this same boxwood before but have never done an air layer this large on anything! The good news is, this is a zero risk experiment. I plan to remove this whole section for the future design of the parent plant, so if it fails and the part of the tree above the air layer dies, it’s no loss. It is going to be cut off anyway.

Since this is such a large layer, I expect it to take a long time and I felt like I had to do things a little differently. Let me show you what I did.

The long, straight upper bit of this plant is the subject. The future design of the lower part of the tree is on the back from this view, and not the topic for today anyway.

I used chalk to mark where I intend to remove the bark and cambium, then used a very sharp knife to cut along the lines, peel the bark, and scrape all the green cambium away from the white sapwood underneath.

After I have it fully scraped, I always recut the top line just to make sure I have the cleanest cut I can get. This is where the new roots will grow.

Here’s where things get different. I intent to use this plastic pot rather than my usual bag technique. I cut it down one side and cut out the bottom to fit around the trunk, but I also have to figure out how to secure it in place and keep soil from coming out the gaps and drain holes. Since it is wrapped around a trunk, it’s a bit more awkward than just putting mesh in the bottom.

I decided to use a scrap of screen which I wired to the tree below the bottom cut.

Then I built up a thick lip of twisted raffia on top of that wire. The pot will rest just above this lip which will serve to hold it in place.

For good measure, I secured the raffia with vinyl tape and then bent down the screen so it would cover the drain holes in the bottom of the pot.

Can you guess what’s next?

Well, yes. Attach the pot, and also dust the top cut with rooting hormone.

The pot fit nicely above the lip of wire, raffia, and tape. More tape was used to close the cut side, and it was filled with a soil mix that includes a couple handfuls of fine sphagnum moss.

The goal is to keep the cuts damp and dark so new roots can form. With the open top, moisture can be monitored and the soil can be watered at any time.

I have no idea how long this might take. My assumption is longer than a year.

Whether it will work at all is another question. We shall see. One way or the other, I will learn something. And isn’t that a kind of success in itself?

For a follow up on this air layer, see Follow up: Boxwood Air Layer.

A Tale of Two Pines

Tags

Bonsai, Jin, pine, pruning, repot, root, rootwork, Virginia

In 2017, I collected a couple of Virginia pines, Pinus virginiana, and put them in grow boxes to recover. After two years they were both growing strong, so this spring I am removing them from the wooden boxes, adjusting the planting angle, and doing some related root work.

This one is in a rather shallow box, and laying over at an angle. In the photo above, the back corner is propped up by 8 inches or so. The angle will need to be adjusted even more than that, and yet there is a thick root behind this trunk that is essentially pointing up at this angle. This, and other roots will have to be removed.

Once out of the box, I was really happy with the root development from the past couple of years. There were many fine roots, and I wasn’t worried at all about removing some of the larger roots that were at a bad angle.

As you can see above, I decided to leave some roots exposed. I think this adds interest and creates a wider base at the soil level.

You may also notice that I removed a large branch from the left side of the tree. I left a couple of inches, removed the bark, and peeled back some wood to create a Jin. I think there is another big cut that is needed.

Ah! Much better. There was no taper in the upper section of the trunk line, so I removed and jinned it too. This should be good I This pot for a few years while I set a design.

The second pine repot is in a video for your viewing pleasure. Sorry I didn’t get all dressed up for you. Check it out!

Working Back a Boxwood

Tags

Bonsai, boxwood, collected, patience, pruning, waiting

Even after 20+ years in bonsai I am still trying to learn patience. In the case of one chunky boxwood that I collected a couple of years ago, I am practicing that patience while I gradually work the tree back to a size appropriate for a future, finished tree.

Winter Warmth

Tags

Bonsai, freezing, protection, storage, winter

Compared to the Midwest United States, where I grew up, winters in Northern Virginia are rather mild. Most daytime highs are well above freezing. Occasionally, however, we get a blast of very cold, arctic air, like the one rolling in today, which causes worry for the well-being of my bonsai, accustomed-as-they are to this milder climate.

Some of you may have read about the expansion and improvement of my winter storage cabinet. (You can go HERE if you want to check it out.) I’ve been thrilled with it’s performance thus far. When closed, this enclosure is generally six to ten degrees warmer than outside temperatures, and I attribute that difference solely to the radiant heat from the house and enclosed window.

As good as this is, the forecast is calling for single digit temperatures (Fahrenheit) which is cause for concerns for a few of the more tender, less cold-hardy specimens I am keeping here, so I have decided to add another heat source. This…

What is it?

This is a small radiant heater that I have fashioned from a number of unused terra-cotta pots. You may have seen a similar candle-powered version which is a great emergency strategy for power outages and the like. This one is a bit different because it is electric.

When I expanded in the fall, I included the exterior power outlet inside the frame of the enclosure. This makes putting my heater into the cabinet super easy.

Let me show you what I have.

The bottom half of the heater is a terra-cotta pot with an old clip lamp I had lying around. The cord extends through the drainage hole, and the lamp is secured in the center pointing upward.

The bulb I am using is a ceramic heat emitter designed for pet reptiles. You should be able to find a similar product wherever you buy pet supplies. This sort of bulb comes in 60 watt and 100 watt varieties (if not others). I am using the smaller bulb, but could increase the heat output with the larger if I was so inclined.

The top half is a series of ceramic pots bolted together through their drainage holes. Suspended above the heat lamp, these absorb and gradually radiate the heat into the space. This many pots may not really be necessary with a consistent, electric heat source, but I assembled these originally for use with candles, and have since adapted to the electric version I am sharing today.

There’s nothing else to it, and I’m sure you could fashion something similar with some spare pots and a little ingenuity.

I have placed my heater on the ground level of the enclosure — heat rises after all. I plugged it in to get warm and sealed the door so the heat can build up a bit. I hope the heater will give a little boost to keep the space even warmer than outside where the temperatures will be dropping all day. We expect arctic winds and sub-freezing temperatures by the evening.

In the meantime, I’ll be checking the thermometer that hangs within from the warmth of the house. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

Don’t be like me

Tags

Bonsai, care, cleaning, sharpening, tool, tools

There’s a natural tendency to believe that authors share those helpful, how-to blog posts because they know what they are talking about and have sufficient experience to know the methods they share are effective. Well not this time folks! You should not do what I do when it comes to caring for your tools. You should do better!

Around this time, every year, I decide to do some major cleaning and sharpening of all my bonsai tools. Why now? Because I’m bored. There’s nothing to cut with my scissors, so I will sharpen them instead!

The problem is, I don’t really do much tool care except for this one time per year — and I should be ashamed of myself! That’s where you need to do better. I know I should clean my tools more often, but I just don’t.

One of the tool care items I should use more often, because it really is a great, easy to use item, is this thing:

You wanna know what it’s called? Read the package… and then tell me what it says. I can tell you that you should be able to find this or a similar product by searching “rust eraser” online. And that’s what it is. It’s a small rubbery abrasive block that is great for removing rust, sap and other buildup from your tools.

Take a look at the dark, sappy buildup on the inside of this concave cutter blade, above, for example. After just a little careful rubbing, making sure not to rub my fingers against any sharp blades, the deposits are gone, below.

Using this abrasive cleaning tool is step one in my big cleaning and sharpening event today. I pulled out a pile of tools and examined each for areas that needed cleaned and used the rust eraser on everything first.

Then I checked each to see if sharpening was needed. Today I used my son’s three sided wet stone assembly to take care of any sharpening that was needed. (Thanks, Cole.)

The trickiest part about sharpening is laying the blade at the correct angle on the stone. It takes some practice, and if you are not used to sharpening your own tools, there are a bunch of helpful videos available on line.

Another check I make on each tool is that the hinges haven’t come loose. I didn’t need to correct anything this year, but many bonsai tools can be tightened up with a good hammer whack against an anvil or other solid surface.

With everything cleaned up and sharpened, the last thing I do is give everything a spray and wipe down with good ol’ WD-40.

There’s nothing better for keeping water away from your steel, so I make sure everything has a good protective layer on it. I don’t even mind if the tools are a little bit oily right now. I can wipe them off more later. They are just going to sit around for the rest of the winter, waiting for spring to come so they can get busy again.

Kinda like me.

Improving Bonsai Winter Storage

Tags

Bonsai, cold frame, protection, storage, winter, winterize

I believe I promised an update to my winter storage facilities. Pictured first is a structure I fondly refer to as my bonsai cabinet. I have used this, as you see here, for a few years but decided I need to expand a bit.

Removing Beech Leaves for Winter Storage

Tags

American, beech, Bonsai, Fagus, leaf, removal, storage, winter

I have collected a few American beech, Fagus grandifolia, in recent years and have enjoyed learning about their growth habits and watching them regain strength. I know the American beech is less ideal for bonsai than its smaller-leafed European cousin, but I am interested to see how bonsai techniques will impact these native trees.

American beech bonsai, collected 2018

Is it hard to dig?

Tags

Bonsai, boxwood, collect, collection, dig

A friend from my bonsai club was asking about digging some shrubs that his neighbor doesn’t want anymore. He knows I like to collect so he asked if it’s hard. I probably should have just said, “Yes,” but I provided a longer answer that I thought I would share with you.

Why do you bonsai?

Tags

Bonsai, why

We don’t ask this question frequently enough: “Why do you practice bonsai?” And when we ask it, I don’t know that many people answer in a way that really helps us understand how different each of our approaches can be. Responding with something like, “I really love trees,” or, “I love the time I spend in my garden,” for example, is not really the kind of answer that is helpful. When I ask why, here, I really mean WHY?! What is your purpose? What are your goals? What sets you apart from others? Knowing your WHY should drive your decisions, your actions, and your interactions with other bonsai enthusiasts.

Bonsai, a Second Chance for Unwanted Shrubs

Tags

Bonsai, boxwood, buxus, collect, dig, NVBS, yamadori

In late September, I went to a property out in Haymarket to remove a number of boxwood shrubs that the owner no longer wanted. Rather than just ripping them out and discarding them, she found Northern Virginia Bonsai Society through our website and asked if we could give them a second chance as bonsai.