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tradition is but a springboard—from there, bonsai is limitless
from the blog
Boxwood Hard Prune in Summer
This Japanese boxwood was part of a hedge at my parent’s place. They were expanding their carport and asked if I wanted any of the plants for bonsai. I said yes. At the time, in 1994, the boxwood was about 40 years old, making it around 70 now. Like many broadleaf evergreens, after the first […]
How Large A Cut Needs Sealant?
The instinct to seal a recent cut is reflexive. Selective application may speed up our work, however, and economize sealant. In Bonsai Heresy I cover the arguments before and against cut sealants, on page 216. Although I cover the differences between bonsai and arborist techniques—and that both are right for their purposes—one thing I don’t […]
Three Azaleas—Three Techniques
At the end of their spring blooming period, these three Satsuki azaleas needed attention. Each one came with a different puzzle. What to do? I’ll let our answers unfold in the photo essay. Enjoy! This Satsuki ‘Kinsai’ has a common geriatric problem. It hasn’t been pruned back in a long time. The whole tree is […]
Michael Hagedorn 