My year around bonsai work in the Inland Empire, CA

This is cork elm trained for literati style.
I brought it out to do some works yesterday. I let those shoots go freely since March 2016.
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After pruning those shoots back to 3-4 leaves. I let one sacrifice branch on the top.
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The future branches will come out like this.
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Bonhe
 
This is my new toy! It is a portable 25x macroscope. It can be turned into 8x monocular! It will help me to recognize any problem with my trees. It will be paired with my 5x handheld magnifying glass.
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Black pine needle! I used Iphone to take a picture through the viewer of macroscope. I'm planning to get MACROCAM Digital USB Camera to attach to this macrosope.
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Bonhe
 
We have rain here this morning. With a little cold and wet out there, I feel lazy!! Just strolled around the garden and took some pictures!
I let most of my bonsai grow freely at this time of the year. Reason: to gain the energy and strength for the trees.
Liquidamber
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The drops of rain water are still trying to cling on!
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Bonhe
 
This pomegranate gives me very sweet seedless fruits! I have been growing it as a landscape tree, but it can be turned into the bonsai any time! :) Its trunk base diameter is about 15 cm at this time.
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Bonhe
 
The pond is in the corner of the garden. I believe it is good for my bonsai because it supplies the humidity in the hot dry summer!
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Waterfall
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The other corner of the garden is filled up with bougainvillea pre-bonsai!
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Bonhe
 
Thank you JudyB.
You might like those 2 big olive cuttings, too. Each has trunk base diameter about 40 cm.
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p/s: for whoever likes to use olive for bonsai, olive is very easy to propagate from the cutting even with the large cut like those two.
Bonhe
 
This time, most of black pine is turning into the shoot from candle phase in my garden.
I will cut the shoot back to its base around mid-June.
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This section has 2 tiny shoots (1 and 2). I will not remove them in mid-June. I will remove the old needle at that time, then will cut them short in September. Those needles in the red mark are from the previous growing season. The shoot 3 is from different section. It may be cut down to its base in mid-June or cut short in September, depending on the condition of old needles in mid-June.
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This section has 2 shoots ( A and B), and 2 buds along A and B (red arrows). I will cut A, B down to their bases. By that time, those buds should already become shoots. Depending on the shoot status at that time, I will cut them short at that time or later (in September).
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Bonhe
 
The Brazilian rain tree was taken care on 4/30/16
Before. Few branches went out of shape.
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After cut off the thorns and branches.
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It will be ready for bonsai pot this year.
Bonhe
 
Hibiscus flowers have been used as a herbal tea for years!
I brew dried hibiscus flowers as a tea.
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Pouring the boiling water into the cup
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Check pH of the hibiscus tea. pH of it is 4!
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Due to hibiscus flower acidity, it will be served as fertilizer for the acid loving trees, I think.
I kept the flower parts after making tea.
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Put on the top of the soil
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I am planning to grind it down then mix with the soil in the near future.
Bonhe
 
I really like this tree because it looks very soft and smooth, even though it has lot of hard, long thorns! :)
I took the picture of the tree during the light rain this afternoon. It was too strange to see snowflakes on my way home from work this afternoon!!?!
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JBP was under the light rain.
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Bonhe
 
This cork elm is the one on the top of this page. Its sacrificed branch was ready to be removed this afternoon.
Before
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After. Please pay attention to the way I cut the branch. It is slanting cut which is almost parallel with the dormant bud.
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There are 2 new shoots coming out below the previous cut on 4/17/2016 (about 3 weeks ago)
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In the next transplant, the tree will be leaned a little (the current trunk base forms the rectangle with the soil line ---> not good!)
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Bonhe
 
I brought this cork elm out this morning for trimming. I think Si will like this tree. Ah, I did not see Si post here for a while. He might have been very busy!
Before
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Those 2 branches (arrows) are too big and straight for the design!
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After trimming.
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Its bark.
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Bonhe
 
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