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. Located rear of the Community College Gippsland, 71 Korumburra-Warragul Rd, Warragul. New members are very welcome. Any enquiries contact Carol 0438 877393 or Warragulbonsaigroup@gmail.com
CLUB NOTES
September 2026
We were very fortunate last meeting to be visited by Tien from Bonsai Sensation Nursery, Narre Warren South. Tien shared his knowledge on deciduous trees which have a variety of looks each season and are very topical now for re potting.
First demo tree was Japanese Larch, a deciduous conifer dropping its leaves in winter. Easy to bend and wire, in nature, these branches are weighted down with snow. Wiring down in Bonsai develops quickly with wire coming off at budding. Their foliage is difficult to keep 100% in our hot summer sun, burning easily, but is great in Spring and Autumn.
Tien’s Ginko Biloba was a small leaf variety dwarf species. This tree was taken from a big cutting 5-6 years ago and has taken a long time to grow. Ginkos have small inter nodes which is attractive in bonsai and have both male and female plants.
A Chinese quince was a good example of this fast growing species with a textured exfoliating bark and beautiful flower when older. A very reliable tree, easy to grow with cutting back, wiring up and out. Don’t cut too early, grow it out to thicken first.
One 12 year old trident maple was grown from seed. Grown in the ground, it was cut back 3 times over 2 years to encourage a thick base and good taper. Potted up, then 5 years to thicken and 3 years for branch development. The next 20 year old trident had lovely Nebari, good spread and flair. Pot grown, the root development was more controlled.
A trident maple forest thrived in exposure to sunlight for 5 months, whilst a Chinese Elm group planting was built from single specimen rejects. Wire Elm early summer or before leaf drop when sap is still moving. These trees handle neglect and intense working. Group planting principle is plant 2-3 together as sticks closely, tied at base. They will eventually stand on their own, then group the groups, different sizes and heights.
August 2026
It is time to thin out cedars. Selected for its tapered graft, a blue cedar originated years ago as root bound nursery stock. Some of the upper branches are now too thick and foliage too dense and can be thinned out. Presently a wonderful windswept bonsai, it’s angle will be subtly changed at October’s re potting to improve it again. There will be a little leaf drop.
Some of the branches will need wiring down, giving the natural look of being weighted with snow. Cedars don’t back bud so good inner shoots or buds will be chosen on pruning as this will take off the long leggy look and bring the foliage back in toward the trunk.
Another semi formal upright grafted blue cedar needed thinning. A very healthy green, one branch severely shades the lower branch so needs attention. There would be difficulties wiring it around into a different space to solve the problem. It was suggested the branch could be ginned or even taken off completely and an inner branch wired upwards to branch out and become the new tip.
This time of year a lot of moss or lichen has grown on inside elbows and junctions. This can be taken of with a toothbrush or light wire brush. Soapy water will destroy any bugs hiding in the moss. Spray for sooty mould. Thinning out will let more air flow and prevent disease problems.
Figs have been under cover, protected from frosts. They can be brought out soon when it is safe and looked at closely to prepare for minor spring styling. Any larger leggy growth will be taken back to a leaf close to the trunk at re potting in early December when the tree is actively growing. This species propagates well from any pruning cuttings.
June 2026
Jins, Sharris and Sabamiki
We discuss here, the broad and divisive subject of Jins, Sharris and Sabamiki. Conifers, cedars, pines and anything with cones lend themselves to these carving techniques but can also be used with other species. Creating or enhancing deadwood is a brilliant technique to tell a tree’s story: hit by lightening or great age. It is also can be a means of remedying a design flaw.
Tools required are safety glasses, gougers, a very sharp Jinning blade. A Dremmel tool with different carving heads is wonderful. A dental pick can remove fibres leaving a smooth deadwood look. Cutting paste to help the tree to scar neatly. Wiring a branch into position first can ready it for a Jin later.
Removing the bark then carving and bleaching select branches will create a Jin which can add interest or solve lack of taper. Jinning a branch or top tip of a tree can slow growth at the apex and energise growth lower on the tree. It is easier to Jin in the growing season when the leaves will come off easier. If the tree has an unwanted negative space, gluing an already prepared Jin into a scar or hole, will add a feature when the scar grows over and holds the new ‘dead’ branch.
A Sharri is where a branch is debarked underneath and the bark pulled off down the tree. A phenomenon found in nature, this can create interest in bonsai when the tree is boring or needs a focal point. Sharring down the middle front will make the tree look wider and bigger. Work around live veins that the roots can still feed the tree top. A 10:1 ratio of lime sulphur will whiten and age the scar. Careful not to get on roots or soil. Earls Wood Hardener will solve any wood rot issues.
Sabamike means hollow trunk. Pines are soft wood species and will look good by highlighting any damage caused by rot. Clean out any active rot with a brush and apply wood hardener. A hole created at the bottom of the Sabamiki at ground level will allow water to drain away well.
May 2026
The Warragul Bonsai Club’s April meeting was a departure from our usual styling or maintenance lesson. Instead, we were all asked to bring a tree which was ready for styling. This could be a first time styling or a remodel. The club members were first asked to do a drawing of their tree featuring anticipated styling changes. Each person then presented their tree with the diagram of the new style. There was a selection of varied species which all called for a different approach to styling.
It is always interesting to see others’ trees and this time it was also encouraging to see the choices being considered. Occasionally when it was uncertain which direction styling could take, the audience contribution to the decision making process was very welcome.
A variegated Velkova (Japanese elm) had very little previous styling. Branch selection was decided with the right/left/rear sequence rule easily applied. The general advice to the tree’s creator was to shorten the tree by pruning 15 centimetres off the top and create a new crown. Air layering in October/November or taking the top as a cutting in late winter were options to create a second tree of this species not often seen in bonsai. A beige or cream pot change at re potting time was also recommended.
Several of the trees under discussion took on major re style with changes to the orientation. Uprights became windswept, windswepts became more pronounced and in one case an informal juniper became a beautiful literati. The whole idea of drawing a design plan was embraced as good practice.
In recent months, the Club has organised excursions for the members to see other clubs exhibitions. The Bonsai Society of Victoria annual show never disappoints and The Victorian Native Bonsai Club in Preston was very inspiring. This month we will be visiting the Bonsai Northwest Show for the first time.
Busy month. Very kind gardeners offered our club the mature box hedge plants being removed from their garden. Several members went on the dig, with some very nice future bonsai specimens achieved. Thank you!
March 2026
Some basic style rules
Here we cover some basic style rules, keeping in mind these guides don’t always work with all trees. Observe the individual tree’s dynamic and style accordingly.
Except for cascades, split the tree into thirds. First branch at the bottom is a third up. Second branch either left or right, third branch at back to give depth. Repeat this sequence until you reach the top. The first branch facing you at the top is important, as you aim to expose the trunk. Stock with a lot of branches is easier. Windswept style works with these rules but is more subtle.
Taper is arguably the most important visual effect in styling. As in nature, when you get higher up the tree, the main trunk will get thinner, as will the branches and shorter. If any of this styling is done too late, a scar will be left when a branch finally goes. With an informal upright, the crown will align above the base. Bar branches are a big no no. If two branches emerge opposite each other, an unsightly bulge will be created in the trunk, destroying the taper.
Triangles are an essential visual effect in bonsai styling. The overall view should be triangular. It can be several triangles in the one tree or forest. Windswept can still be a triangle.
The hug and a nod are visual effects that makes a pleasant, agreeable viewpoint. The two bottom branches reach out and forward like a hug. The very top branch or crown can be rounded and nod toward the observer.
There should be no branches straight up or straight down. Each set of leaves form a pad with the bottom of the pad pruned level like the cows have got to it. As you move up the tree, no pad should sit directly above another, cutting off the light.
The iconic Literati styled bonsai where there is a long trunk with lots of movement and the foliage at the top is freestyle with no rules.
Interested in the art of Bonsai? Warragul Bonsai Group meets the third Thursday of each Month. New members are very welcome. Our next meeting will be 7.30pm, 19th March. Located rear of the Community College Gippsland, 71 Korumburra-Warragul Rd, Warragul. Any enquiries contact Carol 0438 877393 or Warragulbonsaigroup@gmail.com
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.
