Warragul Bonsai Group
The Warragul Bonzai Group is a club which specialises in working with Bonsai’s. Some of its members also attend meetings of the Warragul & District Garden Club. However it is a great hobby for those without gardens. Check here for regular updates
Warragul Bonsai Group meets the third Thursday of each Month. New members are very welcome. Any enquiries contact Carol 0438 877393 or [email protected]
November 2024
This month we have a close look at a Hinoki Cyprus. Selected from nursery stock, the tree is well chosen for its promise of good bonsai traits. Interesting Nebari, or exposed roots and movement in the main trunk and branches make a good candidate. The bar branch higher up is the only negative presented but is not a worry. If it occurred lower, the choice would have to be made as to which of the two branches should be removed.
Firstly the tree needs to be re potted into a larger pot for growth. Wider, low height orchid pot with good drainage is preferred. A taller pot could be used with a tile beneath the roots to encourage wider spread of feeder roots, readying for a low profile bonsai pot later.
Cleaning the tree out by removing vertical branches appearing above and below main branches is the first step in styling, so we can get a clear look of the tree’s possibilities. The decision is made on a formal upright style which will look quite majestic when mature. Over time it will need to look thicker so we trim the branches to narrow it which will make the trunk look thicker.
Once the front is decided on, the first two branches, left and right form the desired ‘hug’ appearance, whilst the crown which is rounded will ‘nod’ towards the viewer. At some future time, a Shari (removal of a strip of bark) could be used to thicken the trunk where the bark rolls around the wound. The aim in styling is to create an aged look and some scarring like this is an advantage.
At least a year or two in the training pot, being well fed and watered. Then the tree can be re potted into a bonsai pot and with continued styling, we will have a new bonsai for the display bench.
October 2024
Blue Atlantic Cedar and Citrus deodara. We have a good hot/cold climate for cedars but need protecting from extreme heat. Move your cedar bonsai to a 50% shady spot and keep the water up.
Because cedars have a tendency to grow straight up and have multiple shoots we can style a small tree into the popular informal upright, windswept or a cascade. Broad bases are uncommon, so using a sacrifice branch will not work as a thickener. Cedars are also top dominate with difficulties in achieving taper. We will always have to keep renewing the top by bending up a soft, new branch into a new apex or crown. When training a cedar, this must be done every 2-3 years to sustain the taper. Cedars can be brittle so any bends are done when the branches are thin and very supple. It is too late to bend once the branch is set stiff.
Bark takes a long time to set so we can let any wiring bite in a bit, knowing as the cedar gets older the scar will disappear. Also, Cedars do not back bud. Don’t let branches run to thicken to avoid a long branch with pom pom foliage at the tips of the branch. Be mindful of emergency buds, keeping some as spare in case of a lost branch or an original branch getting too thick. Small buds or shoots will stay for a long time and when a branch is pruned, these safety buds will start to grow, even after ten years. It is safe to trim the roots and repot when the tree is covered in new buds. Old needles will drop off. Put Dynamic Lifter and Osmacote slow release into the potting mix.
Common pest problems are scale and sooty mould. Control ants, clean off old needles and maintain good air flow. If necessary, spray with both insecticide and fungicide as preventative.
September 2024
Air layering is an option for producing new material for a bonsai. As apposed to taking cuttings, air layering where possible has a better chance of survival, better root system, more control over Nebari (exposed root layout) and an advanced canopy. The unwanted telegraph pole effect can also be avoided with careful choice of layering location on the parent plant.
Wisteria, maples and figs are good specimens to use and are ready when flowering has finished and new growth has started. Natives can be done in the growing season when the sap is moving vigorously. Using a very sharp blade, cut through the cambium layer, effectively ringbarking the branch. Make sure all the cambium layer is taken or the flow of nutrients and hormones will find a way down to the parent root system and the plant will think it doesn’t need to make new roots where we are asking.
Stuff the cut area with shredded, moist sphagnum moss, cover with plastic and tie both ends. Clear plastic so we can see the new roots forming. Cover this with a dark, split pot and secure with wire so it won’t slip down. Check for new roots in 6-8 weeks then cut the new tree off, ready to put in a training pot. Thin out the canopy a little as the new roots may not be able to support it.
Briefly on a different topic, group planting is the creation of a small forest, wired onto a lattice under the soil. Trees are planted with tallest at front to create depth of field with no straight lines. No tree is behind another and should be seen from every direction. An aerial view will have trees in groups of triangles. Odd numbers until there are more than fifteen then counting is unimportant. Trees movement or flow should be in the one direction. A path disappearing into the forest depth is simulated by being wider at front and narrow at rear.
August 2024
Raffia is an important tool in the art of bonsai. When an older, strong branch needs a hard bend raffia is key to protecting and containing the bark, creating a callus and keeps the bark from drying out. The delicate bark on maples is an example. The raffia method can be used on conifers in mid winter.
Take a thickness of three plus pieces raffia and knot together to form a long strand. Soak until wet through. This will help the bark soak up moisture and be more pliable, but more importantly will shrink when it dries making a tighter fit.
Don’t water the tree for a few days. Take the raffia and wind on the target branch like a bandage, over lapping and pull tight. Tie off. Cover with electrical tape to seal and to stop unwinding.
Decide on wire gauge, anchor, then start at the bottom of the tree, winding upwards over the raffia. If extra strength is needed, begin another row of wire, spaced a little apart for a stronger bend. For seriously difficult bends a strong wire splint can be incorporated.
Leave for a minimum of one growth season, depending on the tree and depth of bend, removing wires and electric tape when branch position feels permanent. Raffia will grey and eventually fall off after a couple of years. Sometimes the raffia will stick. Use a soft brush to clean off. Do not use a knife or sharp tool.
July 2024
Introducing the very interesting topic of mounting bonsai on a slab. Instead of potting a tree into a container, with a little work, a single tree or forest can be secured to a flat slab using some simple tricks, special moulding clay and moss. The result looks very natural and quite spectacular.
Choose a tree which is ready for display, putting it aside whilst the slab is prepared. Small leafed, tall skinny, lanky trees are good. Not figs as their roots won’t suit a slab.
Start with a flat rock or tile roughly the size needed, nothing too large or heavy. A popular choice is a slate tile from the local flooring outlet. On the top face, draw an outline of the anticipated shape and size of the finished slab. Chip away the excess to form a more natural looking rough edge. A drainage hole can be drilled but is not necessary. Then drill small holes ready for tie wires or a good length of wires can be supa glued to the base instead.
Position with the tree/s and secure with tie wires. Prepare “muck”, kneading together a mixture of clay, cow poo (or crushed fertiliser), spagnum moss and water. Lumping clumps at a time, build a wall, making room for soil and allowing root spread. Leave a border of the tile edge exposed. This wall is no higher than the upper roots and follows the newly prepared rough contour of the tile. The finished wall will enclose the root area completely. Fill this created space with bonsai soil mix, with the tree sitting proud in its landscape.
Finish with lots of green moss. It can be different types, and placed as small pieces to make a whole that covers the soil completely. Small bits joined, will look better than one full sheet of moss. Spray with water to keep moist to keep the muck wall from drying out. A shady spot will be needed in summer and keep water up to it.
The All Important Subject of Tools.
We can survive with the simplest of instruments we may already have in the garden shed. Sharp blade, pointy nosed pliers, pliers, tweezers and a folding pruning saw are a few. Then there are many specialist items we should have in our bonsai tool box.
Japanese are better manufactured over the Chinese counterpart. Stainless steel are better than steel, they won’t rust. These can become a little expensive but we can build our collection one by one, starting with branch cutters and scissors, then root pruners and wire cutters.
Different sized scissors for small and large trees or the job at hand. This is also important for branch cutters, tiny or quite large relative to the size of the branches being worked on. Profile choices are parrot beak or concave depending on the type of wound we want to leave on the tree. If the cut gets too difficult, don’t overwork your tools. If the cut becomes too challenging, go up a size, saves damage to the tool.
Branch splitters aren’t often used and could be left for the more experienced enthusiast. Similarly a Dremmel carving tool is used for more ambitious work.
Chopsticks, craft blades, toothbrush for algae or a soft wire brush are all handy. There is available a small specialist block to help keep the blade clean of sticky sap or use a light emery board. Always sterilise the tool between plants. Eucalyptus oil is a good cleaner after each session.
