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Japanese Black Pine bonsai after pruning in late July.
Welcome to the Bonsai4me August 2024 Newsletter.
Welcome to the August Newsletter after what has been a very good July this year for growth in our trees. Relatively cool temperatures (for this time of year) of around 18-25C have been warm enough to encourage growth without hitting 28C+ at which point the stomata in the leaves start to close down and growth pauses.
Not the best weather for those of you who enjoy the sunshine, but great for bonsai!
In August, the length of the needles on our pines are set and it’s now time to feed them very heavily to encourage maximum budding at the tips, and backbudding where necessary.
Likewise, Spruce and Junipers can be fed hard to push as much growth as possible before the end of the season.
Heavy feeding with an organic fertiliser high in nitrogen such as fish emulsion will really help. Apply every 2-3 weeks but follow the dilution rates on your preferred product to avoid root burn, as fish emulsion is strong and should be respected! This fertiliser regime for coniferous species can continue until late September.
Seaweed can be added at the same time and I would now thoroughly advise the addition of liquid silicone for the additional calcium.
As mentioned in a previous newsletter this year, Liquid silicone has given me fantastic results and having had a number of clients try it for themselves in their gardens, I’m not the only one enjoying the benefits of it!
The very best quality Seaweed and Fish Emulsion are from ProBio_Carbon and are available via the Bonsai4me.com/store . This is the stuff I use, and it is very good!
Finally, don’t forget to ensure you have dosed your pines with Danu this year if you require plenty of backbudding in your pines. Danu is again a product from ProBio Carbon and available via the Bonsai4me.com/store |
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The original planned front and back cover for Bonsai Inspirations 2, in the end we used an image of the tree in leaf for the front cover.
There are still copies Bonsai Inspirations 2 available!
If you’d like to get your copy of Bonsai Inspirations 2 before they totally sell out, it would be worth doing now from the Bonsai4me.com/store! |
New Video On YouTube!
Styling, Pruning and Wiring Birch (Betula) bonsai
Although a very common and very vigorous native tree species in the UK, Betula/Downy and Silver Birch can be a bit of a nightmare for losing branches and shoots. The main trick with this species is to make sure you finish all pruning and wiring by the end of August to ensure that your work is healed long before dormancy.
Here's a YouTube video I recorded last year giving you some useful hints for this species!
Styling, Pruning and Wiring Birch (Betula) bonsai
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Very much inspired by seeing bonsai planted on pieces of driftwood, I thought I would create something for myself using this large Field Maple stump that had been hanging around my garden for 6-7 years. Not a particularly inspiring piece of driftwood at first, but I could see the possibility of a nice design in there if I was to do a little shaping.
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Vinay Rathore:
A couple of weeks ago I visited the garden of Vinay Rathore and over the course of a Sunday morning, interviewed him with regards his work with Japanese Black Pine seedlings for bonsai.
Vinay has become fairly well known amongst bonsai groups on Facebook for his JBP propagation and development.
He specialises in Pine bonsai cuttings and seedlings having visited experts in Taiwan and Japan. Vinay has been replicating the information he has learned here in Northern Europe (UK) with extraordinary results.
Ultimately there will be 4 videos released altogether including how he fertilisers to achieve such spectacular growth! But for now, please enjoy some inspiration with this first video!
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Promoting Adventitious Deciduous Tree Roots
As our deciduous bonsai slow their top growth to a stop this month, they will begin grow a huge number of new roots, powered by their leaves photosynthesizing until the Autumn.
Having a layer of moss and/or fine akadama mixed with biochar on the soil surface will encourage new adventitious roots to grow in those moist upper layers. It's well worth adding some moss at this time of year! |
UK Bonsai Association (UKBA)
UK Events Diary for the coming month:
04Aug24 Sun (Confirmed)
Staverton Group Bonsai Fayre
Opp Long River Farm,
New Town Road, Westbury,
Wiltshire. BA13 3ED.
Adm: Free. Times: 0900-1600.hrs
Contact: Tony Oswin 07776.338899
Email: Rob - oakfieldbonsai@aol.com
or Chris - jeffreyschris@hotmail.com
Supporting:
UKBA Auction
24-26Aug24 Sat-Mon (Confirmed)
Wirral Bonsai Main Show
Gordale Garden Centre,
High Road, Burton, South Wirral. CH64 8TF.
Adm: Free. Times: 0930-1730/1000-1630/0930-1600.hrs
Contact: Andy Hardman 07513.953646
Email: andy.hardman@hotmail.co.uk
www.wirralbonsaisociety.wordpress.com
25Aug24 Sun (Confirmed)
Bonsai Shed Car Booty & Auction
Wood Stock Lane North,
Hill Park Rose Centre,
Thames Ditton, Surrey. KT6 5HN.
Adm: Free. Times:0900-1200.hrs.
Demo: Will Baddeley & Nacho Salar
Contact: Andrew Barber 07590.595538
Email: foodsmithltd@gmail.com
01Sep24 Sun (Confirmed)
East Anglian Bonsai Show
Kesgrave War Memorial Community Centre,
Twelve Acre Approach, Kesgrave,
Suffolk. IP5 1JF.
Adm: £4. Accompanied under 16.yrs Free.
Times: 1000-1530.hrs.
Contact: Dave Fryer 07449.801297
Email: daveafryer@aol.com
07Sep24 Sat (Confirmed)
Accrington & District Bonsai Society Display
At Baxenden Alloment & Garden Show,
The Hollins Technology College,
171 Hollins Lane, Baxenden,
Accrington. BB5 2QY.
Adm: Donation. Times: 1445-1700.hrs.
Ctc: Diane Kennedy 07799.567692
Email: dianestardis@icloud.com
www.accringtonbonsai.co.uk
07Sep24 Sat (Confirmed)
8 Bonsai Journeys
At Herons Bonsai
Wiremill Lane, Newchapel,
Nr Lingfield, Surrey. RH76HJ
Limited to 80 People only.
Pre-booked tickets only.
Adm: £50. Times: 1000-2000.hrs.
Ctc: Peter Chan 01342.832657
Email: sales@herons.co.uk
Talks & Demonstrations by:
Kevin Willson
Caroline Scott
Steve Mckee
Russ Farley
Graham Potter
Lee Fincham
Richard Chambers
Warren Radford
7&8Sep24 Sat & Sun (Confirmed)
Dragon Bonsai Workshop & Auction
Cwmaman Resource Centre,
Station Road, Glanamman,
Wales. SA18 1QL.
Adm: Free. Times:
Sat Workshop & BBQ 1000.hrs-Late
Sat night Bunkhouse & Breakfast £25
Sun Auction 1100-1400.hrs
Contact: Chris Thomas 07798.798194
Email: chris.thomas1@sky.com
13-15Sep24 Fri-Sun (Confirmed)
Yorkshire Bonsai Society Display & Show
At Harrogate Autumn Flower Show,
Newby Hall, Ripon,
North Yorkshire. HG4 5AE.
Adm: tba. (Exhibitors Free)
Times: 1000-1700.hrs
Contact: Craig Brown 07763.771701
Email: jcraig008@sky.com
Supporting Trader:
Driftwood Bonsai
14Sep24 Sat (Confirmed)
The Bonsai Boys Display
At Henley Farm & Country Show
Henley Showground, Marlow road,
Henley-On-Thames. RG9 3AS.
Adm: tba. Times: 0900-1800.hrs.
Ctc: Russell Wheeler 07810.372377
Email: russboy23@gmail.com
15Sep24 Sun (Confirmed)
Bonsai In The Park
Lupton House, Churston Ferriers,
Brixham, Devon. TQ5 0LD.
Adm: Adults £5. Times: 1000-1630.hrs.
Email: sdevon.bonsai@virgin.net
Facebook: South Devon Bonsai Society
www.southdevonbonsaisociety.wordpress.com
22Sep24 Sun (Confirmed)
South East Bonsai Fair
Little Fant Farm, Farleigh Lane,
Maidstone, Kent. ME16 9LY.
Adm: Free. Times:1000-1500.hrs
Contact: Adam Hadley 07765.522117
Email:hadoribonsai@gmail.com
29Sep24 Sun (Cancelled)
Doncaster Bonsai Experience
& The National Shohin Exhibition
Markham Grange Nursery,
Longlands Lane, Brodsworth,
Doncaster, South Yorkshire. DN5 7XB.
Adm: Free. Times: 0900-1500.hrs
Contact: John Skill 07818.110978
Email: doncasterbonsai@gmail.com
05&06Oct24 Sat & Sun (Confirmed)
The Bonsai Show Live 2024
Telford International Centre,
International Way, Telford,
Shropshire. TF3 4JH.
Adm Online: £15/Day or £25/Weekend.
Adm Door: £17.50/Day or £30/Weekend.
Times: 0930-1600.hrs
Contact: Mark Akins
Email: info@thebonsaishowlive.co.uk
Website: www.thebonsaishowlive.co.uk
Tickets: www.thebonsaishowlive.co.uk/shop/
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The Bonsai4me workshops are back this month!
The Bonsai4me workshops are back next month with the first one on August 17th
With myself and 2-3 apprentices on each date, we can handle a lot of work over the course of the day.
Bring whatever you wish us to help you with but August tends to be a focus on Juniper and Pine styling and repotting.
I have added a string of 8 dates to the Bonsai4me.com/store please visit to book your place. |
| We have managed to keep the prices for ProBio Carbon products as low as possible for the past 3 years. Unfortunately, from September 1st, there will be a small increase of around £2-£3 per item to cover the costs of importing from Ireland as well as Dr Karen's production costs. |
Please forward the Newsletter to fellow enthusiasts and club members. They can also subscribe for themselves via the Form on the Bonsai4me.com homepage.
Enjoy!
Harry |
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