Czech Yamadori

We need more chocolate, courage and ramification.  The ranking of the first two items is not that much important. A good chocolate is always good.  It helps to be patient. Courage is a must at the time of important decisions: Cut or leave? Ramification is the result of your courage and patience. Obviously, it will take a lot of chocolate to get there with this blackthorn.   As you may see the thread grafted branch is still fully connected to the feeder.   I believe the connection is ready for the separation nevertheless there is no hurry to do it.  Maybe later this  summer or maybe next spring... See below.   Branch dressed up with blossoms. The colour of freshly developed blossoms is brilliant white.  As the time goes, it will get a yellowish tint

Just kidding.  Showing lack of respect for a famous bonsai amateur.   A shame on my old bald head... The true fact is that looking at the weather fcast for this week I have made a quick conclusion: "The spring is just behind the corner - lets start with the first items from  my project list for this season.  Banzai." Root pruning Trying to reduce the size of a root ball with the main focus on reduction of the taproot and other main nowadays useless structural roots to get more space for hard working fine roots... Projects for this year 1.  Still need to work on a better transition between the "old and new" section.  I think I will let the current leader to have another full season of an unrestricted growth.  Once I am happy with the transition I will replace the current leader with the small side branch ( labeled NEW LEADER ) 2. Need to produce some additional branches on the  left and back side of the tree.   The first thread grafted branch

Malus evereste_Thread grafting A failure of an approach graft from last year = a chance to make it better this time but with a thread graft.  Or better to say an improved method of it.  Tubing. I do like this method more and more.  Less stressful for swelled buds. Not to mention me... The branch inserted into the tube Threaded Please note the position of buds.  Better for healing and good for the lenght of the internodes.   The first bud could be a start of a new branch if necessary The tree has been kept outside till the end of Jan.  Surprisingly nice and mild month with lowest temp just minus 2-3°C.   With the arrival of frost in Feb it has been moved to the frost free storage.  Now its a start of March and it seems that the daily temps will go nicely above freezing point.  So, I guess  the tree will be on the move.   Out for days and In for cold nights.   

What's that? Is it a Spring hammering ice on the river? Or perhaps a woodpecker marking his territory? NO. It is a bonsai enthusiast chopping down some of his elms to get  starters for new shohin sized trees. Little stump Michal Now I will keep both guys in the frost free attics in order to avoid possible frost bites. 

It has become  kind of  a "tradition".  With a winter fighting tooth and nails with the first initial signs of spring in the air I have changed again  from a bonsai grower to a bonsai carrier.   The ones who keep their trees in  frost free zones  know quite well what I am talking about. With temperatures  that are in my frost free  storage  well in the red section of a thermometer for last couple of weeks  most of the trees stored there  show  first signs of a new life... Well,  luckily most of my trees are still sleeping well protected in their winter beds scattered all over our backyard.  Neverthless some of the trees those in my view a bit more vulnerable by harsh winter ( heavy bending, late summer airlayering, special cuttings etc ) are stored in the frost free area. That means only one single simple thing. I should move them out  every  day with  temperatures above zerro and bring them back for frosty nights.  With this damned high pressure system well seated abov

First yamadori of 2018 By far the largest one I have ever collected.  Single handed.  I have been circling  this tree for a good number of years.   Years of rejections, hopes and doubts: Too big.... Well, ok it is a little bit overgrown  but. .. No chance.... C'mon man! Forget it! A caveman sledge to get the beast home.   I guess there is more than 50 kg of wood and soil.  A carton of Glenmorangie 0,7 l as a measure.   I thought a bottle of beer is not a good match for this kind of tree:) Height: 120 cm.   Size of the box  75*65*30 cm. The tree will leave me in next few hours and will be heading for his new home... Unless I will change my mind?!

  With the temps in the red zones and the "March look" of the garden,  it is quite difficult to suppress the urging need to get out to collect yamadories or to start with some sort of bonsai activities.  In fact I have brought one of my birches to my workshop just to see how it looks. Within a minute I have found myself with a pruning shears ready to tackle to poor lady...   The temptation was really a great one,  but at the end the common sense has taken the upper hand.   Its January.  Who knows what surprises has the Mother Nature in her handbag ready for us... So lets assume it is a "normal" January.  ( OK, I know, that's really a crap, there is no more such a thing as a normal weather anymore. Anyway...)   Good time for skiing as far as I am concerned.   Well deserved rest time for the  majority of my trees.   A good time to revise  plans for the development of my trees in the upcoming growing season.  Last but not least:  a good time to please my mind