Sequoia sempervirens - Strong Growth

 Since completing a major thinning and shaping on this old Sequoia in September, the growth rate has been extraordinary.  I believe this is due to allowing it to grow un-pruned since last Springs re-potting where 60% of the root mass was removed.

As the bright green foliage begins to darken to a deeper green colour (late summer - early Autumn) the tree will be lightly pruned and refined to show more of the trunk and lower branches;  for much the same reason as the needle plucking and bud selection on Japanese Black pine.

When & How to Prune Swamp Cypress

 If you are pruning Swamp Cypress to increase budding and refinement then this post may be of some help.

Every few years we allow the first Spring flush to extend un-pruned.  This allows the first flush to mature before pruning.  Early summer pruning, back to about 4-6 nodes, will result in at least 3-4 buds to form from the stump.  If you leave a longer stump then buds will only form on the first 3-4 nodes from the cut. 

These results are clearly shown in the following images, i.e., the image on the left cut at 4-6 nodes with at least 3 buds and, on the right, the longer stump with budding only on the end.

Pruning too early will result in the some die-back of the cut stump and no budding.

If you would like further info on this topic you can contact us HERE.

Dwarf Heath Casuarina - from Seed

Allocasuarina defungens. Dwarf Heath Casuarina grown from Seed I collected in 1984.

Some great character from the corky bark forming on the trunk and branches.

Up until last year it was developed through the 'cut-and-grow' method.  It has only seen some wiring this year.

Bonsai Pot from Japan arrived Today

 Been waiting for this Kaiyou - Tokoname pot for over 12 months.!  Great colour and texture.  From a Japanese auction at a good price....... freight was a killer though.!

Kaiyou - Tokoname

Work on Deciduous Bonsai at The Australian Bonsai Gallery. 

Just a short clip to update on some of the deciduous bonsai having had a summer prune.

Sound On.!!

Japanese Black & Red Pine Summer Update

Bit of an update on some of our pine work this season.

Niwaki outside the Bonsai Gallery

We have completed the first stage of training this huge Ficus macrophylla as a niwaki in front of the Australian Bonsai Gallery.

It has a long way to go but, inspite of the cool climate, it will develop rapidly and add some interest to the gallery area of the gardens.

The chooks are their only for scale.!

Ficus Macrophylla 2016 to 2021 Development

 I posted a story about this old Ficus macrophylla some time ago when it was repotted.  Going through some older images I found a pic of this tree from 2016 and decided to show it here with some more recent images.  It is easy to forget how your trees have improved over time unless you have these comparitive images.

Continued pinching back to two nodes will see smaller leaves develop.  We don't defoliate every year in Dorrigo as the Spring-Summer temperatures can be as low as 20^o C MAXIMUM.!!!!

Seikou-en - Goyo Matsu

 Yet another beautiful Goyo Matsu from Tomio Yamada - Seikou-en.

 KuroMatsu Masterpiece

Another masterpiece;  this time from the collection of Masahiko Kimura.  This is a missive bonsai.  It does not appear often on the internet so I thought I'd post it here.

A careful study of masterpieces like this can, as I have said, teach us all so much.!