Bonsai Stuff

Spring has sprung! And with it comes plenty of work and decision making. I discuss my approach to Spring Candle breaking on pines and where it's used as well as why. I understand it can be very difficult to know where to start with pruning your bonsai, especially now with all that new growth so I let you in on a simple method to help make pruning decisions. I chat again about perspective and why it is important when pruning as well as a trip I made during the week to a wholesale nursery. AND THANK YOU TO THE SUBSCRIBERS ❤️ !!!Support the showBecome a podcast supporter and show the Bonsai Love (it's really appreciated) ❤️https://www.buzzsprout.com/263290/supportWhere to find Bonsai Matsu:InstagramFacebookYouTube Web

At the end of a long repotting season it's time to reflect on what I have learnt and to say goodbye to Winter. Which means a big hello to Spring!!! With Spring comes a fresh burst of growth and you need to be ready for how to manage this growth. Do you cut or do you not? And I tell a story about my watering system and how the weakest link can be your undoing.Support the showBecome a podcast supporter and show the Bonsai Love (it's really appreciated) ❤️https://www.buzzsprout.com/263290/supportWhere to find Bonsai Matsu:InstagramFacebookYouTube Web

Three golden rules I live and die by with my bonsai. Consistency, Reliability and Predicability. Also I dig into how I look after my trees once they have been repotted and why. One of the task when repotting is to consider an angle change and this brings with it a range of other tasks for down the track. We have a look at what they are and when you need to undertake them. Support the showBecome a podcast supporter and show the Bonsai Love (it's really appreciated) ❤️https://www.buzzsprout.com/263290/supportWhere to find Bonsai Matsu:InstagramFacebookYouTube Web

To me Bonsai is a form of art and as such it's very personal, but does it need to change? I discuss the traditional and modern approaches as well as limiting factors that need to be considered. And I ask where is the art? As well, with Spring just around the corner there are some important considerations you should prepare for.Support the showBecome a podcast supporter and show the Bonsai Love (it's really appreciated) ❤️https://www.buzzsprout.com/263290/supportWhere to find Bonsai Matsu:InstagramFacebookYouTube Web

Forest Bonsai are amazing! And one of the most difficult to design. In this podcast I chat about a range of considerations you should take into account when initially designing a forest bonsai setting. Also how do you take a range of trees that are the same age and make some look older than others? It's all in this podcast. Also as we head towards Spring and warmer weather, repotting is coming to an end soon(ish) and we need to be careful. Your bonsai will start waking from dormancy and that means you must be vigilant!Support the showBecome a podcast supporter and show the Bonsai Love (it's really appreciated) ❤️https://www.buzzsprout.com/263290/supportWhere to find Bonsai Matsu:InstagramFacebookYouTube Web

This is the return episode after a short mid year break for repotting and there's tales to be told. Good techniques matters - especially with your repotting, it must stand the test of time. And I've got a story on Dave Grohl and how I think he relates to our bonsai. I also ask the question of how serious is bonsai and how serious does it need to be. Support the showBecome a podcast supporter and show the Bonsai Love (it's really appreciated) ❤️https://www.buzzsprout.com/263290/supportWhere to find Bonsai Matsu:InstagramFacebookYouTube Web

Start your repotting engine! With that in mind, I chat about my first and most important focus when I start repotting any bonsai. I also discuss the mindset you need as a bonsai enthusiast for design versus maintenance and how you need to ensure you're on the right path before starting any work on your bonsai. And wiring, good old wiring, it's the bonsai practitioners magic wand. When done correctly, it works beautifully and allows your and your bonsai to achieve your goals. But when it's not it is a real disaster. Any one can learn to wire and it should be a real target for us all.Support the showWhere to find Bonsai Matsu:InstagramFacebookYouTube Web

One of the most common questions I receive is what watering system do I use. In this podcast that's what I chat about as well as my plan for redundancy with the lines I run. I also talk about how I can travel and still have high quality bonsai (a great watering system and cameras!). It's also time for me to wrap up working on my pines and start getting ready to repot so it's a reminder of the need for good technique especially when you repot.Support the showWhere to find Bonsai Matsu:InstagramFacebookYouTube Web

Well it's now one year since turning a full time Bonsai Professional and I want to reflect on what has happened and what's planned. It has been a great year!! I also reflect on a Japanese Black Pine I recently worked on and discuss height reduction and pad height reduction, thinning and length reduction. As well as chatting about current work around the yard.Support the showWhere to find Bonsai Matsu:InstagramFacebookYouTube Web

When I studied abroad the time when I absorbed the most information was during the final adjustments that were made to a bonsai I had worked on by a Bonsai Professional. What started as major learnings evolved over time to very fine detail and it was a great experience. I also chat about watching a Japanese Bonsai Professional work on a unique, very large Japanese White Pine. And as repotting season is nearly upon us in Melbourne, Australia, I discuss the horticultural requirements you need to consider at this time of the year.Support the showWhere to find Bonsai Matsu:InstagramFacebookYouTube Web

This episode of the Bonsai Stuff podcast chats about making a bonsai connection and also delves into a comment made at a recent convention from a Japanese Master. I also talk about what our focus needs to be when working on our bonsai at this time of the year. There is also a very handy technique to help with maintaining your tweezers when working with needle variety bonsai. And finally a reflection of kindness and encouragement and how we can all play our part.Support the showWhere to find Bonsai Matsu:InstagramFacebookYouTube Web

After returning from a big convention in Perth WA I want to go through my process of finding the bonsai for the purpose of one of my demonstration. Planning is key and I'll explain my process. Bonsai love is alive and well around the world and particularly in Australia. The feeling of support and local networks is really pushing bonsai to another level. Finally I discuss 'digging for gold' and it's not related to yamadori! We all do it, or should do it.Support the showWhere to find Bonsai Matsu:InstagramFacebookYouTube Web

Bonsai Workshops are brilliant! Especially if you prepare for them. I discuss how you can get the best out of your bonsai, out of you and the workshop host as well as setting your expectations. There is also a tale about an old Japanese Black Pine that was brought back to life and then given a great future by waiting. It's a lesson for all of us about strength and health being the number one priority.Support the showWhere to find Bonsai Matsu:InstagramFacebookYouTube Web

In this episode of the podcast I discuss my strategy to avoid leaf burn on my maples, starting with a strong bonsai engine. Also as we heard towards Winter it's time to start preparing. When it comes to branch structure and design, there's a simple approach I use and I discuss the different phases to help keep the deign of your bonsai heading in the right direction.Support the showWhere to find Bonsai Matsu:InstagramFacebookYouTube Web

Having a future plan is vital for your bonsai development but it's also really important to be satisfied with it right now. I have also recently returned from a trip to South Australia with the SA Bonsai Society and it was fantastic! I have a chat about my experiences there and people that I've met as well as a plan for a potential Olive dig. It's also a busy time as we start to wrap up Autumn so let's runt through some of the essentials for us all.Support the showWhere to find Bonsai Matsu:InstagramFacebookYouTube Web

Be careful! Simple advice for anyone looking to purchase online, especially bonsai. I chat about a simple technique to try and avoid being scammed, as well as current Autumn work around the yard and on other bonsai. There is also a reflection on  one of my final trips to Japan and a particular moment from that trip which will be interesting to hear.Support the showWhere to find Bonsai Matsu:InstagramFacebookYouTube Web

This episode of the Bonsai Stuff podcast discusses a really simple technique for developing pads on a juniper as well as those pesky spider mites we all have to live with and manage. I also reminisce on repotting in Japan and what it taught me with the need for speed and accuracy.Support the showWhere to find Bonsai Matsu:InstagramFacebookYouTube Web

Happy Easter! Or Happy Bonsai!!! This episode chats about a trip to Japan in 2015 for some fine tuning of techniques and getting to the pointy end. I also chat about a bonsai setback caused by a theft incident and finally focus on a Scots Pine that was posted recently that has created a few structural questions and rightly so. Beauty is always in the eye of the beholder.TradeMyHome.comBuy Before Your SellSupport the showWhere to find Bonsai Matsu:InstagramFacebookYouTube Web

A.I. is growing at a rapid rate and you supposedly can even learn bonsai from it. But is bonsai just about a tree in a pot? I don't think so and I chat about why. I also focus on what I am planning and working on at this really important bonsai time.Support the showWhere to find Bonsai Matsu:InstagramFacebookYouTube Web

We all have an artistic talent when it comes to bonsai, it might not always be obvious but it's definitely there. You should use it! I look at artistic talent and how it was demonstrated at a recent bonsai event, Bonsai Horizons. This podcast also dives into the technique of height reduction and branch shortening. This is an important skill that all bonsai practitioners will using repeatedly. Also, what is your purpose for practicing bonsai? What elements make you happy and keep coming back?  Support the showWhere to find Bonsai Matsu:InstagramFacebookYouTube Web