from the blog

A Witches Broom And A Lighthouse

A Witches Broom And A Lighthouse

August 21, 2026

Longtime blog readers may know that two of my hobbies are birding and tree watching. Out on a hike I’m open to both, and depending on the day, one goes better than the other. On a recent vacation to the coast the tree watching had the better of it. I took one hike that snaked […]

Are Plants Stressed By Wildfire Smoke?

Are Plants Stressed By Wildfire Smoke?

August 14, 2026

Given the spate of fires in North America and Europe this summer, those growing bonsai may wonder if wildfire smoke affects plants. And it does—in both positive and negative ways. Wildfire smoke has a lot in it. There are gases, like carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, ozone, and ammonia. Then there are the particulates, […]

Managing Rocky Mountain Juniper Foliage

Managing Rocky Mountain Juniper Foliage

August 7, 2026

Rocky Mountain Junipers are grown for their magnificent trunks. Junipers in general are known for their dynamism, but Rockies are exceptionally sinuous and exciting. The foliage of Rocky has a great genetic variability. The color ranges from green to blue to gray to yellowish. And the structure also varies, from the rare trees with fine […]

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