bonsai.

"All art is a proxy for something else. And I feel that bonsai, if not overtly figural, is at least a proxy for our hopes of the future, as a post-dated love letter."

— Michael Hagedorn

This is a collection of notes about each type of bonsai tree I own and guides for care collected from various sources. I have always had an appreciation of bonsai and Japanese gardening, but these became a more serious interest sometime in 2019 and I acquired my first tree in early 2020. I remain a beginner, especially not having any outdoor space to utilize for the hobby until 2022, but I'm excited to grow more now without the limitation.

In 2024 I joined my local bonsai club and am learning at a much more rapid pace than I was before, and now that I've internalized more of the basics I am restructuring this page to include less general information and more notes about my specific trees as I learn them.

bonsai in training.

chinese elm ("elmer")

Photo: Mar 2023

• Acquired in January 2020 from Kimura Bonsai at their former location in Northridge, CA. This was is my first tree which I kept alive indoors under grow lamps in our 1-bedroom apartment until June 2022 when we were able to move to a place with outdoor space. It's much happier to be outdoors now, but I am now in the process of re-training it as I need to develop the trunk more before concerning myself with the branch structure like I was previously trying to.
• Styling notes: Not sure yet! In the process of rethinking its entire design. I love the existing nebari, so I definitely want to keep developing that.
• Next repotting - Late Feb 2025 or 2026 before growing season: Last repotted in 2024, but want to repot again next chance I get in order to re-train it in an oversized wooden box in order to grow the trunk. The nebari is probably the nicest thing about this tree currently as well and putting it into a larger container I can spread the roots and develop it more.
• Current soil - Akadama only: Next repotting, need to mix the akadama with pumice and lavarock. Akadama on its own will break down and become clay-ish when used by itself.
• Sunlight - Full sun: Chinese elms need a lot of light. Placing somewhere it can be exposed to morning sunlight is better due to its low intensity. Direct afternoon sunlight in summers can cause burns in the leaves.
• Growing season: Begins sprouting in mid-Feb to early March. Pruning a little before shoots start coming out can help stimulate growth.
• Dormant season: I've read that to store up enough energy before winter, you're supposed to prune the Chinese elm only until mid August. However in my very warm climate, new shoots are forming as late as mid-September, so I feel like later than August is probably ok.
• Fertilizing: Trying out fish and kelp liquid fertilizer once per month during growing season. Sprinkle or spray on leaves for foliage fertilization.

chinese elm (split-trunk)

Photo: Mar 2023

• Acquired in January 2023 from Kimura Bonsai (Kashi no Ki-en Garden) in Castaic, CA.
• Styling notes: Want to develop as a split trunk, with a primary main trunk and a secondary trunk going off to the right near the base.
• Same care notes as the other chinese elm. This one I have aggressively chopped since this photo was taken, in an attempt to develop its natural existing split trunk.

japanese beautyberry (callicarpa japonica)

Photo: Mar 2023

• Acquired in January 2023 from Kimura Bonsai (Kashi no Ki-en Garden) in Castaic, CA.
• Not a lot of solid information out there that I've been able to find about this tree as a bonsai.
• Styling notes: Beautyberry at maturity is an irregular upright form with graceful arching branches, so I want to emulate that. Grows flowers and purple berries during the summer.
• Next repotting - Late Feb 2025 before growing season: Prune and wire in early Spring.
• Current soil - Akadama only: Next repotting try akadama/pumice/lavarock mix, but one of the few pieces of information I've picked up about this tree is that apparently the roots "thrive in a cool, moist substrate high in organic matter" so I could also try a more organic soil.
• Sunlight - Shade/Partial: Seems to prefer shade/partial shade. Developed leaf scorch in full sun during July, moved to shade and began growing berries and flowers again almost immediately.
• Growing season: Begins sprouting in early-mid March if I remember correctly. Need to take note of it more precisely next year.
• Dormant season: I think it went dormant around October last year. Will have to note it more precisely this year.
• Fertilizing: Same as other trees for now.

Photo: May 2024

honeysuckle (lonicera japonica)

• Acquired in May 2024 from local bonsai club raffle.
• Styling notes: This one came nicely styled already with a deadwood feature near the base.
• Next repotting - Unsure: Repot in spring or fall, every 2-3 years when roots are reaching out near the bottom of the pot.
• Current soil - Unsure: Soil has inorganic matter and moss sprinkled on top.
• Sunlight - Full sun: Starting in full sun to see how it does.
• Growing season: Spring through summer. Blooms mid-late June.
• Dormant season: Evergreen.
• Fertilizing: Same as other trees for now.

other notes.

bonsai wishlist/todo:

• Rosemary (propagate from cutting)
• Corkbark jade (have but needs styling)
• Liquid amber/Sweetgum
• Wisteria
• Black pine

soil and fertilizer:

• Standard mix for conifers but good for all trees in training: Even mix between large grain pumice, red lava rock, and pinebark. Add akadama to mix and orchid/sphagnum moss on top for trees not in training. Can also increase ratio up to 50% with pinebark/akadama or cactus mix because they hold water better.
• Large grain pumice use 3/16ths size for smaller trees, 3/8ths for larger.
• For trees in training: Good easy fertilizer during growing season is Bioadvanced Osmocote every 3 months.
• For conifers: Fish and kelp emulation for fertilizer once a month (recommended Organic Fish and Kelp Liquid Fertilizer by Kellogg Garden Organics). Can also use as a foliar feed diluted in spray bottle.
• For elms: Bioadvanced Rose & Flower Care - Use in October at start of dormancy, leaves come back tiny and more proportional in the spring
• For trees not in training: Blood meal, bone meal, cottonseed meal mix makes for a good organic fertilizer, put in teabags on top of soil and water on top of them to release

watering guide for bonsai-sitters:

• The bonsai in winter dormancy will most likely each need watering every 2-3 days if it hasn't rained. If the soil still seems damp on the second day wait till the 3rd. If it gets hot out (75+ degrees) check to see every day if the soil has dried out faster and water more if needed.
• The soil (akadama) turns from a dark brown to a light tan when it is starting to dry out so you can check visually. Soak the soil until it's completely wet and water is running out the bottom of the pot.
• In the summer, expect to water every day. If the soil is still damp about an inch deep, you may consider delaying watering for another day or half day. Water in the evening for best retention. Japanese beautyberry may require less watering than elms so watering all trees without checking soil moisture individually is to be avoided.