My year around bonsai work in the Inland Empire, CA

[bonhe]

I've been using the same seedling bark for a year with good results. How will you use the Turf-Tee?

Thanks for sharing with me information.
I will replace fir ground for Turf -N-Tee. I have been using fir ground in a few years, but now, the building supply company does not carry it any more. Turf -N Tee will be an excellent replacement. Turf-N-Tee has a bigger size than fir ground.
I will use it as a part of organic contents in my soil. My organic contents will be mini pine bark: Turf-N-Tee with ratio of 2:1 for the big pot, and 1:1 for medium pot. For the small pot, I will either use it alone for organic content or with pine bark with ratio 2:1 respectively.
Bonhe

 

[bonhe]

I will go to Home Depot today to buy a few bag of decorative stone. It is crushed rock with an excellent shapes and size for bonsai use. I believe it will be much better than sand which I used sometime for training purpose.
When I went to Home Depot last week, the worker gave me the sample. It looks great.


You see think link for more info https://www.homedepot.com/p/Vigoro-0-5-cu-ft-All-Purpose-Decorative-Stone-54775V/202026926
Bonhe

 

[bonhe]

This bougainvillea starts blooming.

Bonhe

 

[Carol 83]

This bougainvillea starts blooming.
View attachment 187872
Bonhe

Beautiful, they are my favorites.

 

[bonhe]

Beautiful, they are my favorites.

Thanks. Since you like it, I will post more bougie when I have time!
Bonhe

 

[bonhe]

Look at this Great blue heron. He flied out of my pond as soon as I was out to the garden this morning!


When I was approaching closer, he flew away.


and ...


Bonhe

 

[bonhe]

Chinese elm. Before


After

Bonhe

 

[0soyoung]

Chinese elm. Before
View attachment 188162

INSERT: after hours of tediously snipping each shoot
OR: after 30 seconds with the hedge shears
???

After
View attachment 188163
Bonhe

btw, nice!

 

[JudyB]

Herons are cool. We see them here a lot. BRT exfoliating bark is also very nice.

 

[bonhe]

INSERT: after hours of tediously snipping each shoot
OR: after 30 seconds with the hedge shears
???

btw, nice!

Thank you. Haha, I wish I could use the hedge shears. It took me about more than 1 hour to prune, but still quite a bit of inner small branchlets needed to be removed.
Bonhe

Herons are cool. We see them here a lot. BRT exfoliating bark is also very nice.

Hic, the herons already stole a lot of koi fish from my pond!
Bonhe

 

[bonhe]

Two more bougie for Carol 83 to view




Bonhe

 

[bonhe]

This tree was posted on #509.
I want to share with you how to train the pomegranate from junk! This tree starts pushing out a lot of new shoots at this time.
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Bonhe

The tree in post # 536 has a lot of new shoots at this time. Don't worry, I will remove all except few in no time.

Bonhe

 

[bonhe]

and this pomegranate.
1st stage of training is removal all of unnecessary branches and keeps some of them in the same places. Put initial wiring. Then wait! .
Of course, it needs lot of fertilizers, sunlight. Water as needed.


View attachment 181956 View attachment 181957 View attachment 181958 View attachment 181959 View attachment 181960 View attachment 181961 View attachment 181962 View attachment 181963

Bonhe

The tree in post # 537 also has a lot of new shoots at this time


Bonhe

 

[bonhe]

I wish I could put this Japanese maple into the bonsai pot! My area is so hot and dry! However, that is fine for me to enjoy it in the spring and winter as it is.

Bonhe

 

[bonhe]

This crepe myrtle is not ready to have any work on for this year yet.


However, this one is! It has a lot of new long shoots


This is the 1st year I try "soft breaking" technique for crepe myrtle. Let see what happens!
Oops, break! The crepe myrtle is so brittle! However it is still better than tamarix!!

I bended 10 shoots, 5 of them are broken! Should I worry about? No, I should not. Crepe myrtle branch is easy to survive with a severe interruption.


Finish.

Bonhe

 

[0soyoung]

I wish I could put this Japanese maple into the bonsai pot! My area is so hot and dry! However, that is fine for me to enjoy it in the spring and winter as it is.
View attachment 189424 View attachment 189425
Bonhe

Beni hime??

 

[bonhe]

Beni hime??

It is Beni maiko.
Bonhe

 

[JudyB]

I wish I could put this Japanese maple into the bonsai pot! My area is so hot and dry! However, that is fine for me to enjoy it in the spring and winter as it is.
View attachment 189424 View attachment 189425
Bonhe

Beautiful.

 

[my nellie]

Hello Bonhe,

... ... The crepe myrtle is so brittle! However it is still better than tamarix!!

Do you have any tamarix bonsai?
I would like to look at any photos available if you have posted.

 

[bonhe]

Hello Bonhe,
Do you have any tamarix bonsai?
I would like to look at any photos available if you have posted.

Ah, looks like you have tamarix in your area.
Here you are.
On 3/11/17


On 7/29/18


After pruning and wiring


Another one on 10/27/17


Another one is still in training on 7/29/17


With just 3 tamarix, they would keep me busy all year, but it is very fun to take care of them.
p/s: I really appreciate my teacher, Mr. Richard Ota, who taught me so much about the tamarix.
Bonhe