Sunday the first September 2024, noticed numerous the membership members travelling to David’s nursery close to Coventry. The morning was spent speaking about Mame sized bushes and methods to enhance them. The solar got here out within the afternoon and issues warmed up within the polytunnel, in additional methods than one……… we bought to get our fingers on some small vegetation and set about re potting them and styling. In fact I forgot to take any notes, however fortunately Mandy did a wonderful job and I’ve added them for everybody to recap on the day. Plenty of pictures so that you can take pleasure in.
Images by Andy………….
Notes kindly taken by Mandy………..
Watering small bushes is necessary. Place the mame/shohin in an empty terracotta pot. The terracotta helps to average the drying results of the solar on small bonsai pots. If bushes are nonetheless drying out, put the pots in one other terracotta pot – layering.
Watch out for sunshine. Present shade
Japanese Crimson Pines: Grown from seed, pot on after a couple of months then not once more till 5/6 years have handed. Then, pot on right into a pot that’s solely barely bigger – putting soil within the pot and the tree (don’t rake out roots) on high – this helps to type the mound of Akadama (the moss types over time. The bark steadily hardens, Feed and water however restrict sources – as in nature.
Use no wire: On the first pot, expose the fibrous faucet root – this offers pure bends and actions to the trunk. The uncovered roots will harden to turn into the trunk and will even produce shoots when uncovered to mild.
Don’t trim or prune again laborious: as an alternative, take away leaves and buds from lengthy progress. It should steadily die again and back-buds will develop. Resist trimming these ‘tatty’ department ends off. Smaller leaves and needles are produced – preferrred for bonsai!
Producing bushes the pure means: it takes time (and lots of younger bushes could also be misplaced) however, the survivors will reside longer and be much less ‘delicate’ and reliant on an intensive watering programme.
The age of a tree: The pomegranate (?Nanjican) was a tiny tree, a reducing taken earlier this 12 months – from a 5 12 months outdated tree.
Soil: pure akadama breaks down over time, to mud and moss grows naturally on high.
Tilting: tree apex will develop towards the sunshine/upwards. Timber fall in nature and develop with bends and so forth. Benefit from the pure adjustments that give a extra fascinating tree … benefit from the strategy of the losses too.
Sizes: ‘The Japanese don’t use tape measures’: attempt balancing small bushes on two fingers (mame) or 3 (shohin) fingers … or the entire hand … It’s extra ‘the look’ and ’the texture’ of the tree, along with the opposite bushes within the show. Not straightforward for judging. Mark Cooper has written concerning the sizing problem.
Timber develop: that marme will turn into a shohin …. Marme must be small and delicate
Propagation Space: David has 3 areas for propagation. Scorching and HUMID
- A sand mattress, lined with polyethene 20+deg
2. A capillary mat, lined with polyethene
3. A central, uncovered space
Pests: Use nematodes reasonably than chemical compounds. Maintain the nematodes moist or they die!
Extra pictures of the day……….. Get pleasure from, total a beautiful day, in case you are in that space price a go to.
