The World of Japanese Maples

• Coonara Pygmy

  In spring, this dwarf Japanese maple unveils its pink-tinged leaves. The pink tinge fades in summer, but then in fall the Japanese maple leaves turns a brilliant shade of orange-red. Because of its small size, this maple is well-suited to containers.

  Name: Acer palmatum 'Coonara Pygmy'

  Growing Conditions: Part shade and moist, well-drained soil

  Size: 8 feet tall and wide

  Zones: 6-8

  Choose It Because: You need a Japanese maple for a container or for a small space.

  • Find more tips for growing Japanese maple trees.
• Green Cascade

  This fullmoon Japanese maple offers lustrous, finely cut green foliage and a delicate weeping habit. If not staked, it forms a flowing mound of foliage. In fall, the Japanese maple leaves turn shades of red and orange.

  Name: Acer japonicum 'Green Cascade'

  Growing Conditions: Part shade and moist, well-drained soil

  Size: Groundcover to 10 feet or more

  Zones: 5-7

  Choose It Because: You need a good weeping variety.

• Autumn Moon

  Like the golden fullmoon Japanese maple, this Japanese maple features golden leaves. But on this variety, the leaves bear decidedly pink tones. In fall, these Japanese maple leaves put on a show in shades of red, orange, and yellow.

  Name: Acer shirasawanum 'Autumn Moon'

  Growing Conditions: Part shade and moist, well-drained soil

  Size: 25 feet tall and wide

  Zones:5-7

  Choose It Because: You need a Japanese maple with golden leaves.
• Hogyoku

  A great time-tested selection, this mid-sized Japanese maple tree bears rich-green leaves that turn bright orange in autumn. It's sturdy and tolerates heat better than many other varieties.

  Name: Acer palmatum 'Hogyoku'

  Growing Conditions: Part shade and moist, well-drained soil

  Size: 15 feet tall and wide

  Zones: 6-9

  Choose It Because: You need a variety that's heat tolerant.
• Golden Fullmoon Maple

  An exceptionally beautiful plant, this Japanese maple tree features golden-yellow leaves through the summer. In fall, the leaf tips develop red edges while the leaf center stays golden.

  Name: Acer shirasawanum 'Aureum'

  Growing Conditions: Part shade and moist, well-drained soil

  Size: 20 feet tall and wide

  Zones: 5-7

  Choose It Because: You need a Japanese maple with golden foliage.
• Beni Kawa

  A tree for all seasons, this Japanese maple features small green leaves that turn golden-yellow in fall. In winter, the plant really shines because of its clear-red stems. They look stunning against a backdrop of snow.

  Name: Acer palmatum 'Beni kawa'

  Growing Conditions: Part shade and moist, well-drained soil

  Size: 15 feet tall, 12 feet wide

  Zones: 6-9

  Choose It Because: You want winter interest.
• Higasayama

  A favorite for bonsai, this dwarf Japanese maple tree offers pink buds that open into leaves colored in cream, green, and fuchsia. As the season progresses, the Japanese maple leaves fade to green, then change to glowing shades of gold and yellow in autumn.

  Name: Acer palmatum 'Higasayama'

  Growing conditions: Part shade and moist, well-drained soil

  Size: 15 feet tall and wide

  Zones: 6-8

  Choose It Because: You enjoy variegated foliage.
• Emperor 1

  A favorite because of its dark purple-red foliage, the Japanese maple tree Emperor 1 is also a good choice for northern gardens as its leaves open a bit later than most -- helping it avoid late spring frosts. It also offers brilliant scarlet-red fall color.

  Name: Acer palmatum 'Wolff'

  Growing Conditions: Part shade and moist, well-drained soil

  Size: 15 feet tall and wide

  Zones:5-8

  Choose It Because: You want a good red-leaf type or live in the North.
• Coral Bark

  A good-sized Japanese maple tree with multi-season appeal, 'Sango-kaku' features green leaves that turn brilliant yellow in fall. After the leaves drop, the stems show off a bright coral-red color.

  Name: Acer palmatum 'Sango-kaku'

  Growing Conditions: Part shade and moist, well-drained soil

  Size: 20 feet tall and 15 feet wide

  Zones: 6-8

  Choose It Because: You want winter interest.
• Sumi Nagashi

  This big red Japanese maple tree variety offers deeply cut leaves and rich, purple-red foliage that looks good all spring and summer. In fall, the graceful leaves turn bright crimson.

  Name: Acer palmatum 'Sumi nagashi'

  Growing Conditions: Part shade and moist, well-drained soil

  Size:18 feet tall and wide

  Zones: 5-8

  Choose It Because: You want a big red cut-leaf variety.
• Bloodgood

  A classic, the Japanese maple 'Bloodgood' offers deeply cut, purple-red leaves that hold their color well through the summer. Then in fall the tree develops striking crimson-red color.

  Name: Acer palmatum 'Bloodgood'

  Growing Conditions: Part shade and moist, well-drained soil

  Size: 20 feet tall and wide

  Zones: 6-8

  Choose It Because You want a time-tested big red cut-leaf variety.
• Villa Taranto

  This eye-catching variety of Japanese maple tree offers deeply cut, spidery leaves that emerge pink in spring, then fade to bright green in summer. In autumn the leaves again change -- this time to beautiful golden yellow.

  Name: Acer palmatum 'Villa Taranto'

  Growing Conditions: Part shade and moist, well-drained soil

  Size: 10 feet tall and wide

  Zones: 6-8

  Choose It Because You want a small cut-leaf variety.
• Crimson Queen

  This stunning variety of Japanese maple offers weeping branches of beautiful crimson-purple foliage. In autumn, the finely cut leaves turn bright crimson.

  Name: Acer palmatum 'Crimson Queen'

  Growing Conditions: Part shade and moist, well-drained soil

  Size: 12 feet tall and wide

  Zones: 5-8

  Choose It Because: You want a weeping red cut-leaf variety.
• Beni Schichihenge

  A smaller Japanese maple tree, this stunning variety offers blue-green leaves variegated in shades of pink and cream. In fall, they change to exciting shades of orange and gold. It also tends to resist leaf scorch from hot, dry weather better than many varieties.

  Name: Acer palmatum 'Beni schichihenge'

  Growing Conditions: Part shade and moist, well-drained soil

  Size: 8 feet tall and wide

  Zones: 6-9

  Choose It Because: You want variegated foliage or a heat-resistant variety.
• Aconitifolium

  We think this is one of the most beautiful Japanese maples. It offers deeply cut, almost ferny foliage that opens to green and turns shades of red, orange, and yellow in fall.

  Name: Acer japonicum 'Aconitifolium' (also called 'Maiku jaku')

  Growing Conditions: Part shade and moist, well-drained soil

  Size: 10 feet tall and wide

  Zones: 5-8

  Choose It Because: You need a cut-leaf Japanese maple with a great texture.
• Caperci Dwarf

  This small, slow-growing Japanese maple tree offers pink-tinged new growth that fades to green as the season progresses. Then in fall, the green leaves turn a nice shade of warm, glowing gold.

  Name: Acer palmatum 'Caperci Dwarf'

  Growing Conditions: Part shade and moist, well-drained soil

  Size: 6 feet tall; 10 or more feet wide

  Zones: 6-8

  Choose It Because: You need a Japanese maple for a container or for a small space.
• Vitifolium

  A big, sturdy Japanese maple tree, this variety offers wide, deep green leaves that turn bright shades of gold, yellow, orange, and scarlet in autumn.

  Name: Acer japonicum 'Vitifolium'

  Growing Conditions: Part shade and moist, well-drained soil

  Size: 25 feet tall and wide

  Zones: 5-9

  Choose It Because You need a Japanese maple that tolerates cold or warm weather well.
• • Dissectum Atropurpureum

    This classic Japanese maple variety bears deeply cut, feathery red-purple leaves that turn bright crimson in fall. We also love its graceful, weeping habit.

    Name: Acer palmatum 'Dissectum Atropurpureum'

    Growing Conditions: Part shade and moist, well-drained soil

    Size: 8 feet tall and wide

    Zones: 6-9

    Choose It Because: You want a good, small-size red cut-leaf variety.

    • Learn more about Japanese maples!

     Japanese Av Star

Awesome Organic Fertilizers - Review

Choosing the right fertilizer for your lawn can be a real challenge especially if you are just starting out and don’t exactly have a clue what to use. However, when it comes to choosing lawn fertilizer products, there are three important elements that are needed for the proper growth of your lawn and plants. These are: hydrogen, oxygen and carbon.

While these nutrients are readily available in the environment, there are also certain nutrients that are not readily available to plants especially those that do not exactly stay long in soil and need to be replenished on a regular basis.

Each of the nutrients contained in lawn fertilizers have a critical role to play in the overall health and survival of your plants. By applying fertilizers, you can be sure these nutrients are available to them.

Among the important macro-nutrients among plants include phosphorus, nitrogen and potassium. Secondary nutrients that are also required include magnesium and calcium but both in lesser quantities. You should also check for boron, copper, manganese, cobalt, chlorine, zinc, nickel and molybdenum to complete your list.

Milorganite 0636 Organic Nitrogen Fertilizer

With the much publicized adverse reactions of chemical fertilizers, the availability of organic varieties presents a great alternative for many. Milorganite is an organic nitrogen fertilizer that can be used on a variety of applications such as shrubs, lawns, vegetables, trees, flowers and even gold courses.

This 36-pound bag contains 4% iron that is non-staining, which is just the right amount to bring out that attractive lush green hue. You can actually apply this fertilizer any time within the growing season and it’s known to work well with any type of climate.

The organic fertilizer is composed of heat-dried microbes and has met the EPA standards, which imposes one of the stringent criteria in the industry when it comes to protecting the health, safety and environment.

Dr. Earth Organic 5 Tomato, Vegetable & Herb Fertilizer

Dr. Earth Organic 5 Tomato, Vegetable and Herb Fertilizer is a superior blend of fish bone meal, feather meal, kelp meal, alfalfa meal, soft rock phosphate, fish meal, mined potassium sulfate, humic acid, seaweed extract, pro-biotic seven champion strains of beneficial soil microbes plus Ecto and Endo Mycorrhizae. Primary Uses: Feed tomatoes, Summer vegetables, Winter vegetables, Herbs, Root crops, Established vegetables and During transplanting. 5-7-3 formulation. This is the second year I have used this product and I even begin to say just how awesome it is!! Last year I had tomatoes that weighed over 2 lbs and lots of them. And the bloom boost is the best I have ever found, my flowers are just going crazy, and the flowers last a long time. I totally recommend this product!!

Safer Brand 9333 Ringer Lawn Fertilizer

A green lawn is a healthy lawn, and a healthy lawn is a product of a thriving ecosystem within your soil. That’s why Safer Brand has created Lawn Restore II – an organic fertilizer that immediately goes to work to ensure the proper balance of natural elements in your soil, in turn giving you a healthier, greener lawn in just 3-5 days. Backed by over a quarter-century of research and development, this formula is the best choice for any turf; use it to promote greening in fresh sod, or bring life back to existing grass. Number One reason to use, It's safe for humans as well as pets. Well I should qualify this, its the safest I have found so far.

Shin Nong PRO ORGANIC All Purpose Fertilizer

100% Natural & Organic fertilizer for All Purposes and easy to use. Maximizes microorganism activity for healthier and stronger soil & plants. It provides organic matter essential for microorganisms. It is one of the building blocks for fertile soil rich in humus. Develops bigger & stronger root to improve the structure of the plant and increase it’s ability to hold water and more nutrients. Greater resistance to disease and insect attacks. Never harms soil & plants. No danger of over-concentration. Once a healthy soil condition is reached, it is easier to maintain that level with less work.

This is an amazing fertilizer! I started growing an avocado tree about a year ago and my fertilizer didn't work on my tree. After countless types of fertilizer, I came upon this Pro Organic All Purpose fertilizer. I used it on my tree and after about a month it started growing! I strongly suggest you buy this if you plant anything.

DR. Earth Pure and Natural Fertilizer

Ideal for providing balanced and fast nutrition for all vegetables, flowers, bedding plants, potted plants, all trees, shrubs, annuals, perennials and even spot-treating lawns. Rich in wild-caught Alaskan Fish Bone Meal, Wild-caught Alaskan Fish Meal, Valley Grown Alfalfa Meal, High Country Feather Meal, Naturally-mined Potassium Sulfate, Aged Bat Guano, Cold Water Kelp Meal, Micro-active Micro nutrient-rich Seaweed Extract (synergistically boosted with 11% micronized humic acids for maximum bioavailability).

How Fertilizer Helps Your Lawn

Fertilizer helps to provide the required nutrients in the soil that plants, including lawn grass, need to successfully grow. Three of the elements that are vital include carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. In addition, there are other nutrients, which are quickly depleted from the soil that require replenishing. This is accomplished through the application of fertilizer.

Macronutrients including nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium come in second behind oxygen, carbon and hydrogen, but are still important. Secondary nutrients such as magnesium and calcium are not as important, but smaller amounts can give your plants the boost that they need. Micronutrients including manganese, cobalt, copper, iron, chlorine, boron, molybdenum, zinc and nickel complete the nutritional checklist to ensure that your lawn is receiving all of the nutrition that it needs to thrive. These are the ingredients that a high quality fertilizer should contain. Read more about how to apply lawn fertilizer.

Different types of fertilizers

The two main types of fertilizers are granular and liquid. Liquid forms act very quickly as they are absorbed into the plant. These are usually purchased in a concentrated form that you dilute with water and apply every 2 to 3 weeks. They may either be applied with a watering can or hose-end sprayer.

Granular fertilizers are sprinkled on the surface of the ground by hand for smaller areas or with a mechanical spreader for larger areas. They are used in a dry form so will require watering after they are used. Granular fertilizers are divided into two different classes. Quick-release fertilizers usually last for 3 to 4 weeks before any additional applications are needed.

This type is water-soluble nitrogen and is good for any general fertilizing use. Slow-release granules are water-insoluble nitrogen fertilizers that are intended for specific uses. They come in either sulfur-coated coated with lasts for around 8 weeks or polymer-coated coated with lasts for up to 12 weeks.

Different types of lawn fertilizers

Your lawn has changing nutritional needs at different times of the year. Here are a few tips for helping you to select the right fertilizer formulation that will help to encourage the establishment of new grass and to keep it healthy throughout the seasonal cycles.

Starter fertilizers and winterizes

These mixtures are recommended for new lawns and as they are heavy on phosphorus to encourage healthy root growth. For the last fall application, a winterizer that is also heavy on phosphorus will provide nutrients for root preservation during the winter months.

Weed and Feed

Fertilizer formulations that are known as Weed and Feed mixtures contain weed killers in a dual purpose mix that kills broad-leaf weeds while nourishing lawn grass. This is useful for helping to eliminate noxious weeds such as crabgrass and dandelions. When a weed and feed product contains post emergent weed killers, they are intended for weeds that are already present and can be seen. Those containing pre-emergents are intended for killing weeds at the germination stage, but do not kill weeds that have already broken through the ground.

What to look for in lawn fertilizer

The bags that contain the fertilizer are clearly marked with a set of three numbers. The numbers represent, in this order, the amounts of Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium that are included in the fertilizer. The numbers are known as the NPK. These are the main ingredients. Nitrogen helps in the development of leaves and for producing a healthy green color. Phosphorus promotes root growth and Potassium or potash also assists root development and helps plants to become more disease resistant.

The numbers represent the percentages of the given nutrient, so you will know which ingredients are predominant. This is helpful in choosing a mix that will either promote more leaf growth, green your grass or reinforce the root system. Inert ingredients are necessary for helping to distribute the fertilizer, so don’t be alarmed if there is a fairly high percentage in the bag. This does not lessen the effect of the other ingredients and it can actually be beneficial in preventing chemical burn.

In the event that weeds become a problem, the application of a weed and feed blend will help to eradicate any broad-leaf weeds such as dandelions, which can become a nuisance. Look for weed and feed products that are formulated to kill the types of weeds that you see most in your lawn grass. In most cases, these are clearly indicated on the bag.

Conclusion

Lawns require very specific formulations with include nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus. There are different mixtures that serve a variety of purposes for lawn health. Fertilizers that are intended for other plants may not work as well for grass, so when shopping, look for the fertilizers that are specifically designed for use in lawn care.

Even if your lawn looks green and healthy, it is important to remember that grass has the need for nutritional elements that may initially exist within the soil, but may be fairly quickly depleted. Replenishing the nutrients is accomplished through the application of the recommended formulation of lawn fertilizer. You now have the information about what your lawn needs to maintain good health throughout all seasons of the year. By following the simple tips included in this guide, you are prepared to choose the lawn fertilizer that will work best to promote optimum lawn health. 

Once the hottest period is past, in late August or early September (depending on the region), temperatures return to normal, below 30°C (86°F), and plants then readopt their normal growth activity. This is also the moment when attention needs to be focused as much as possible on fertilization, which needs to supply the plant with the substances it needs to develop, consolidate new growth, reconstitute exhausted reserves and strengthen itself to best cope with the winter season.

In autumn, it is preferable to use fertilizers that are low in nitrogen, which is better for encouraging vegetative growth, especially for young plants and those that are in the construction phase. The feed also needs to be rich in phosphorus – to stimulate root growth and prepare a good flowering for the spring – and in potassium, to strengthen the plant, increase the roots’ assimilation capacity and consolidate the new growth that has been produced during the season.

Chemical fertilizers, which should be used with great care, can be put quickly to use by plants. Conversely, the nutrients of organic fertilizers need to break down by fermentation to be assimilated: this is why they can only be used by the roots 20 to 30 days after they have been applied.

More interesting articles on Bonsai can be found here:

Please click here for more information on --> Chinese Penjing Bonsai

Please click here for more information on --> The Origins of Bonsai

Please click here for more information on --> The Art of Saikei Bonsai

Please click here for more information on --> Japanese Tanuki Bonsai

Please click here for more information on --> How to Water a Bonsai

Please click here for more information on --> Bonsai Healing Methods

Thank you for visiting my blog and feel free to subscribe or leave your message at the comment section below. Please always remember, good feedback or bad remarks, it doesn't matter!

  Jav

The Right Pot for Your Bonsai

Choosing the best pot for a particular tree is not easy. As well as the more mundane factory-made Chinese and Korean pots there are a number of bonsai potters and potteries throughout the world that are able to offer individual and diverse pot designs and glazes to the enthusiast. There are so many available colors sizes and designs that it can become very difficult to identify exactly which ones are best for your tree.

Pot choice is also subjective; ultimately some of the final decision will be made according to your own personal tastes. Some enthusiasts prefer more conservative pot shapes, textures and glazes, other enthusiasts prefer to make more unusual 'individual' choices.

 

Choice 1: Pot Dimensions

The first thing to consider is the size of the pot that you will need. The correct pot dimensions can be achieved using some basic rules according to the dimensions of the tree itself. The general rule of thumb is that the pots depth should be equal to the diameter of the trunk just above soil level. For oval or rectangular pots, the length of the pot should be 2/3 the height of the tree. For round pots, the diameter of the pot should be 1/3 the height of the tree.

For trees with especially wide canopies a wider pot can be necessary and this can be compensated by using a slightly shallower pot. As equally, a tree with a very thick trunk (in comparison with the height of the tree) may suit a slightly deeper but narrower pot It should be remembered that these guidelines are based on aesthetics only. For horticultural reasons, some tree species require larger or smaller pots. Species with very fast growing roots such as Trident Maples often require deeper pots whilst flowering and fruiting species such as Crab Apples require more root run and therefore deeper pots.

Choice 2: Pot Shape

The style of pot that you choose will need to harmonize with the tree. You need to take a look at your tree and evaluate it's characteristics. Try to decide whether your tree is masculine or feminine. Many trees are a combination of both although usually one is dominant than the other. This is very subjective; for some people a tree may be masculine, for others, it might be feminine. Ultimately as the owner of the tree it is for you to decide. It should be noted though that a firmly masculine tree will never look right in a very feminine oval pot; in turn a feminine tree will always look awkward in a masculine pot.

 

What makes a tree feminine or masculine?

A masculine tree gives an impression of strength, it might have a heavily tapered trunk, have craggy, mature bark, strong angular branching, it may have deadwood. It may have a straight, powerful trunk or a dense canopy. A feminine tree will have a more delicate appearance, a smooth trunk line, smooth bark, sinuous movement in it's trunk and branches. A light canopy and slow taper.

Some tree species are predisposed to being considered feminine or masculine; Pines or angular Hawthorns are often considered masculine whereas delicate Japanese Maples will be considered as naturally feminine. However, a strong, heavily tapered Japanese Maple with delicate leaves and branching could be considered to be a feminine species with masculine features, whilst a tall Hawthorn with craggy, rough bark, gentle curves and very gradual taper could be considered a masculine species with a feminine characteristics. With trees such as these it is necessary to identify which is the strongest feature and reflect it. Is it the craggy, fissured bark of the hawthorn or the gentle curves of the trunk that have the strongest visual impact? Is it the delicate branching of the Maple or the powerful tapered trunk that attracts your eye most? Fortunately, it is possible to find pot designs that can reflect both femininity and masculinity.

Pots are considered feminine or masculine. Deep pots with strong angular features are considered masculine whilst more feminine pots are shallower with softer lines. For instance, strong chunky, deep rectangles with sharp corners are very masculine pots, as are square pots. These are suited to thick heavy trunked masculine trees, especially conifers. For thick-trunked deciduous trees, the corners of the rectangle can be rounded thus reducing the masculinity of the pot a little. Working down through the scale of masculinity, deep chunky ovals come next and then we have drums/round pots that are androgynous i.e are suitable for a masculine or feminine tree. After this we move into the feminine pots which are shallow delicate ovals and very shallow round literati pots.

Pot Shape Basic Guidelines

Rectangular pots are suitable for coniferous species and big deciduous trees with very pronounced taper, wide base, heavy buttressed nebari. These are used for masculine trees to add a feeling of strength in the tree

Oval pots Suitable for reflecting the femininity of deciduous trees, clump style bonsai, groves and forests. The less taper the tree has the more feminine it tends to become, sinuous curves can also dampen the masculinity of a tree.

Round. Suitable for coniferous or deciduous feminine trees, particularly (but not exclusively) for literati bunjin trees. Tall straight or sinuously curved trees with very little taper are the most feminine and the pots that tend to suit these trees are very shallow rounds.

Pot Lip or Rim

A lip on the upper rim gives additional strength to a masculine tree.
A straight rim is softer for more androgynous trees
A bowl/convex side is more suited to feminine trees

Pot Corners

Sharp, right-angled corners are masculine and suitable for masculine trees
Indented corners on a rectangular pot soften the masculinity of a pot.
Rounded corners softens the pot further, beginning to resemble a oval pot and more suitable for masculine deciduous trees

Feet of pot

The main purpose of feet on a bonsai pot is to allow for good drainage and airflow, but feet can also be used to change the pots appearance. Feet can be subtle and decorative or strong and robust. These qualities can be used to influence the over all feel of the pot, big chunky feet can add strength to the design and understated delicate feet will have the opposite effect.

Interesting Books on Bonsai can be found here:

The Complete Book of Bonsai --> I've been into bonsai for 25 years and this is the basic Bible for beginner and intermediate bonsai enthusiasts. It has an excellent section on techniques, including pruning, wiring and whatnot, and it has a large species-specific tree guide. If you're into bonsai and want only one book, this is it.

Indoor Bonsai The Great Selection --> Creating beautiful, healthy bonsai is a wonderful skill that anyone can learn, with a little time, patience, and this all-inclusive manual. With color photos and drawings to illustrate the points, it introduces all the cultivation techniques; offers expert advice on location, soil types, watering, and pest control; and provides intricate instruction on training the bonsai--including pruning, wiring and stretching it.

The Secret Techniques of Bonsai --> In The Secret Techniques of Bonsai, the author of the groundbreaking Bonsai With American Trees teams up with his son to offer not only the basics for creating perfect bonsai, but also secret techniques they’ve developed over years of careful work and observation.

Bonsai Survival Manual --> Problem solving when your Bonsai get sick. Expand your gardening repertoire as you create a captivating and exquisite miniature world. In this introductory guide, Colin Lewis covers everything you need to know to design, grow, and successfully maintain attractive bonsai.

Bonsai and the art of Penjing --> Bonsai & Penjing, Ambassadors of Beauty and Peace describes how Chinese penjing and North American bonsai were later added to the Museum, making its collection the most comprehensive in the world. Stories of individual trees and forest plantings are featured, as are the roles played by the skilled and talented creators of these living art forms people such as John Naka, Saburo Kato, Yuji Yoshimura, Harry Hirao, and Dr. Yee-Sun Wu.

Bonsai with Japanese Maples --> With their delicate foliage, seasonal color changes, and intricate pattern of branching, Japanese maples are among the most popular and suitable plants for bonsai design. In this long-awaited book, internationally renowned expert Peter Adams discusses both the specific horticultural needs of Japanese maples as bonsai subjects and illustrates proven techniques for creating and maintaining beautiful specimens.

The Modern Bonsai Practice --> The most current, useful information on growing Bonsai. Fresh, practical, definitive, comprehensive reference guide to the finest art of horticulture: growing miniature trees. Common sense bonsai answers separating myth from fact with depth and detail. Appropriate for both bonsai hobbyists and experienced practitioners.

Passionate Students

I happen to subscribe to a Hobby Bonsai channel from this guy in California, he is very passionate about Bonsai and this has been going on for years now. The Bonsai's in this video are his artifacts from years and years spent with lot's of effort in wiring, shaping and passion for his trees. Here the latest Bonsai collection from Bonsai Student on Youtube. 

Update 2017: With a heavy heart I have to inform you that Bonsai Student passed away in 2016. I've read the news on his YouTube channel. He was passionate and talented Bonsai lover.

In a best sample, he displays a Mugo Pine collected from northern Italy and explains very detailed the various steps and reasons not to over stress the tree. In this demonstration he is showing a brilliant image of unique master piece!

Basically my message is don't 'buy a bonsai'. That is a poor way to begin this fascinating hobby and usually doomed to failure. Bonsai is not about 'owning' bonsai plants, but rather the enjoyment of caring for them and especially creating them. One learns the basics of Bonsai best by creating them, even your first one!

Without these basics, it is unreasonable to expect that someone could keep one alive, let alone maintaining it as art. There is also the cost factor. Any 'real' bonsai will take at least five years of development to be convincing. To buy such a bonsai would cost several hundred dollars. Of course you can find 'mall bonsai' everywhere, even grocery stores. These are junk, they are not bonsai. A two year old juniper cutting plunked unceremoniously into a bonsai pot is not bonsai. It is the care and training that makes bonsai; these plants have none.

Here some golden rules for Bonsai beginners:

Be persistent
Be patient

Don't buy your first Bonsai
Select a one gallon nursery plant for your first victim.
Prune and style the top of the plant into a shape that pleases you.
Do not repot or prune the roots
Keep your plant outside, even in winter (with protection) unless it is a tropical.


All starts with passion and good intention, so if you think that you have what it takes, then start with your first Bonsai ! Have fun and good luck!

Interesting Books on Bonsai can be found here:

The Complete Book of Bonsai --> I've been into bonsai for 25 years and this is the basic Bible for beginner and intermediate bonsai enthusiasts. It has an excellent section on techniques, including pruning, wiring and whatnot, and it has a large species-specific tree guide. If you're into bonsai and want only one book, this is it.

Indoor Bonsai The Great Selection --> Creating beautiful, healthy bonsai is a wonderful skill that anyone can learn, with a little time, patience, and this all-inclusive manual. With color photos and drawings to illustrate the points, it introduces all the cultivation techniques; offers expert advice on location, soil types, watering, and pest control; and provides intricate instruction on training the bonsai--including pruning, wiring and stretching it.

The Secret Techniques of Bonsai --> In The Secret Techniques of Bonsai, the author of the groundbreaking Bonsai With American Trees teams up with his son to offer not only the basics for creating perfect bonsai, but also secret techniques they’ve developed over years of careful work and observation.

Bonsai Survival Manual --> Problem solving when your Bonsai get sick. Expand your gardening repertoire as you create a captivating and exquisite miniature world. In this introductory guide, Colin Lewis covers everything you need to know to design, grow, and successfully maintain attractive bonsai.

Bonsai and the art of Penjing --> Bonsai & Penjing, Ambassadors of Beauty and Peace describes how Chinese penjing and North American bonsai were later added to the Museum, making its collection the most comprehensive in the world. Stories of individual trees and forest plantings are featured, as are the roles played by the skilled and talented creators of these living art forms people such as John Naka, Saburo Kato, Yuji Yoshimura, Harry Hirao, and Dr. Yee-Sun Wu.

Bonsai with Japanese Maples --> With their delicate foliage, seasonal color changes, and intricate pattern of branching, Japanese maples are among the most popular and suitable plants for bonsai design. In this long-awaited book, internationally renowned expert Peter Adams discusses both the specific horticultural needs of Japanese maples as bonsai subjects and illustrates proven techniques for creating and maintaining beautiful specimens.

The Modern Bonsai Practice --> The most current, useful information on growing Bonsai. Fresh, practical, definitive, comprehensive reference guide to the finest art of horticulture: growing miniature trees. Common sense bonsai answers separating myth from fact with depth and detail. Appropriate for both bonsai hobbyists and experienced practitioners.