From 2021 all new videos will be with available subtitles in English, German, Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese (BR) and Polish language.
Q&A +
Send in your bonsai questions and get a direct response from Morten Albek.
SPRING
Video 1
Spring. Probably the busiest time of the year in the bonsai garden. Therefore this edition is longer than usual, to get you started well with the growing season.
An in-depth introduction to fertilizing bonsai.
Video 2
Deadwood at deciduous bonsai.
Deadwood is mostly connected to coniferous bonsai, but why not add deadwood to deciduous trees? We show you how and why, and maybe why it is abandoned by the Japanese?
Video 3. Deadwood at a Potentilla.
Potentillas are rarely shown with deadwood because they easily rot away in no time. How to preserve deadwood at potentillas and other deciduous bonsai, is answered in this episode.
Video 4. Tool care.
How to get your tools to last forever. A members question answered.
Video 5. Tool care.
Seasonal care, deciduous and flowering bonsai, pruning and repotting, nebari development.
Video 3
Deadwood at a Potentilla.
Potentillas are rarely shown with deadwood because they easily rot away in no time. How to preserve deadwood at potentillas and other deciduous bonsai, is answered in this episode.
Video 4. Tool care.
How to get your tools to last forever. A members question answered.
Video 5. Tool care.
Seasonal care, deciduous and flowering bonsai, pruning and repotting, nebari development.
Video 4
Tool care.
How to get your tools to last forever. A members question answered.
Video 5. Tool care.
Seasonal care, deciduous and flowering bonsai, pruning and repotting, nebari development.
Video 4
Tool care.
Seasonal care, deciduous and flowering bonsai, pruning and repotting, nebari development.
WINTER
February
February marks the beginning of the end of winter.
Video 1. It can be a cold month around here in Northern Europe, and care must be taken to store the bonsai well protected if necessary.
Video 2. The classy white pine of Japan.
Pinus parviflora is the main subject in this month tutorial, that both looks at styling a pine removing some flaws, and answering Q&A about back budding.
Video 3. Deadwood is one of the more dramatic features that can be added to a bonsai to improve the visual age of a tree.
Deadwood as a stylistic feature is important but as important is the preservation of deadwood. Wintertime is a very good time to clean up and apply a new layer of protecting Lime-sulphur.
Subtitles and language selection available
January
January. Midwinter is a perfect time to work on coniferous bonsai. Morten Albek styles two trees in these episodes, answers questions about maple bonsai and look into seasonal care.
Video 1. Bonsai care during midwinter.
Video 2. Transforming a bushy plant from a nursery into a future shohin bonsai. Hemlock is delicate to work with and we go through the processes of selecting branches and find the tree within.
Video 3. Styling and aesthetical choices are discussed during the transformation of a Juniper.
Video 4. Q&A special focusing on Japanese maples and pruning tactics.
Total duration: 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Subtitles and language selection available
Presentation.
We did a special video in the bonsai garden. A short movie in near darkness.
A short story of the spirit of bonsai.
December
December is the first month of the winter. Trees are going towards their winter sleep, and the time just before dormancy is the most important time of the year for pruning many deciduous species.
4 videos are in the December package.
Video 1. First, we look into the basic concept of Shohin bonsai growing. What trees to choose, techniques, aesthetics and display are among the topics.
Video 2. Winter care. Biological and practical winter care information.
Video 3. Fine pruning and wiring a Shohin bonsai Japanese maple. Showing in detail with explanations, improving a tree started from self-imported and pre-trained material 15 years ago.
Video 4. Medium-sized Acer palmatum `Katsura` autumn pruning strategies and wiring for future detailed development. Bring a simple ordinary nursery stock on the path towards beauty with detailed techniques and 20 years + of care.
AUTUMN / FALL
November
November is the last month of autumn/fall. This month everything changes from being green, yellow or red, to dropping leaves and beginning dormancy.
In this episode, we look into the complex and interesting changes of the season. Practically we lay hands on slip potting a shohin forest offseason. Followed by part two in the process of air layering a Boxwood. Next shaping a Syringa as leaves drop. Also styling a shohin yew, and forcing new growth is on the table. We close this episode by answering our members Q&A; this month we selected a question about the benefits of using wooden boxes for bonsai training.
Autumn wiring - watering - fertilizing and Q&A
Q&A from Japan, Canada, and the UK. Dealing with various questions about brown needles at coniferous bonsai, roots, and soil problems at Japanese maples, + timing wiring for deciduous bonsai.
The watering and fertilizing strategy change when temperatures drop and days get shorter.
This episode is dedicated to bonsai caretaking and the horticultural aspects of the art. We also take care of a common fungus related to the high humidity of autumn, powdery mildew, and how it can be treated.
Wiring and timing
Wiring is one of the most used and precise tools to shape a bonsai. It is not without importance how the wire is applied, and in this episode, we go through different wiring techniques. From the basics to more advanced.
Learning how wire adds pressure on a branch, and the use of guy wires, and more.
Duration 30:05
Yamadori Scots pine part 2 - styling
Yamadori Scots pine part 1 - needle pinching and controlling growth before styling
Scots pines are single flush pines, and in this episode the work is concentrated on preparing the pine for the next styling. We go in-depth with the caretaking of this specie, how watering and feeding control the growth, pinching techniques to add new growth, and more.
Yamadori Scots pine - first initial styling in 2018
First initial styling of a Yamadori collected Scots pine, Pinus sylvestris. Styled in 2018.
Q&A - Autumn fertilization and Quince repotting
Q&A - Yamadori aftercare - training young pines - Juniper growth
42:32
SUMMER
Healing scars at deciduous bonsai
How to heal scars at deciduous bonsai, – so it looks natural. Timing and techniques are essential to developing a natural looking bonsai, where scars after pruning are in proportion and in harmony with the tree.
23:51
Creating a Saika
22:33
Maple summer care + Q&A
29:16
The creative bonsai display
20:24
The deciduous chess game
Based on questions from our members we take a look at the strategies needed to understand, making a long term commitment to deciduous trees and their development.
The Shohin forests creations are among the bonsai in this episode where we also go in-depth with:
- planning the development of a tree
- sacrifice branches
- directional pruning
- timing of pruning
- deciduous physics
- building up energy in a tree through long-termed growing strategies
- health care
42:56
Growing young material in a colander
Using a colander will speed up the growth of a healthy root system. Applying the right techniques will help building up a stronger and thicker trunk for a future bonsai.
In this episode we focus on a young Scots pine, and how it will be prepared for the future.
Looking into the strategy of branch development and how to control the elongating sacrifice branch.
25:06
Foliage trimming Itoigawa and Shimpaku Juniper
The Japanese varieties of soft scale leaf Junipers are popular for Shohin bonsai. And not without reason. They build dense and compact foliage clouds if treated correctly. Pared with the often dramatic deadwood and brown colored trunks, the contrasts are set for great impact.
In this episode, we look into
- cutting elongated foliage
- why not to pinch
- timing
- creating back budding
- light and air
- aesthetics
We continue answering members Q&A at the end of the episode.
30:16
Unboxing Thor Holvila bonsai pots
Ekstra video. View the unboxing of Thor Holvila pots.
Thor Holvila makes bonsai pots with heart. Inspired by the ocean or the seasonal changes. You can visit him at his website www.holvilabonsaipot.com and Facebook www.facebook.com/HolvilaBonsaipot/
6:32
Air layering Boxwood for future Shohin bonsai
Air layering a piece of a tree is an advanced method to produce a new piece from a tree. In this example, the focus is on selecting a piece of a bonsai to be air layered, and step-by-step showing how to do it.
At the end of the video 2, X Q&A is answered. Azalea with leaves withering and die off, and a question about maintenance of the needle foliage at Juniperus ´Nana´.
27:20
Adjusting balance and removing flowers at Satsuki Azalea
Controlling growth and balance the energy of Satsuki Azalea during summer.
Why flowers should be removed and how to do it.
We also look into light and watering.
20:25
Raw material styling
Setting the bones of a bonsai.
It can be a great challenge to see through the mass of leaves and confusing branches, when styling a piece of raw material the first time.
In this 45 min. episode I carefully take you through the steps of
- defoliation
- semi-dormancy control
- selecting the front
- branch selection
- setting the bones of a future bonsai
- design aspects
- wiring techniques
- vision of the future shape
– and more.
45:25
Restyling a Shimpaku Juniper
Safety branches, wiring techniques and much more when restyling a Shimpaku bonsai.
Bonsai, and especially Shohin bonsai, outgrowths their form after some time. Demanding that the bonsai artist take a second look, bringing the tree back in its previous form or adding a different design.
Restyling a very small tree can be delicate work, and in this episode we go through the safety steps taken to ensure a healthy transformation.
26:36
Tosho Junipers
Shohin Tosho juniper, or needle juniper, and the strategies of first seasonal pinching and pruning. The new growth is controlled by the right timing and strategy of the next growth. Learn how to trim needle junipers and shaping foliage pads.
Fertilizer strategies – light – open spaces – aesthetics, and much more, is also part of this episode focusing on needle junipers.
Q&A members questions answered. Root problems and fruits shredded by the tree.
29:49
Q&A special
This episode is dedicated members questions. How to place your maples so they get the ligth they need without leafs getting burned. Should you apply mosses or not during the growing seasons. The timing of arranging a bonsai forest with trident maples. And how to prune crabapples (or cherry trees), and silver birch.
29:08
SPRING
Japanese maple partly defoliation
When leaves are changing from soft and tender to mature, its time to adjust and thin out. Partly defoliation is an important technique to control growth and balance. Learn how to defoliate and keep your Japanese maple balanced.
31:45
Seasonal Vlog 2018-19
WINTER
Follow the seasons – February. We are half through winter. The importance of winter watering and exchanging gasses in the soil. Winter care and looking ahead towards spring.
14:43
Bonsai seasons. It is time to bring in trees for the winter, and to do some deciduous trimming. Deciduous trees are much easier to design when leafless. Branch structure can be viewed in detail when the naked truth is exposed. Therefore winter time is a great opportunity to work on these. In this episode an older Shohin Chinese Cork Bark Elm is corrected, and weak spots are pointed out for future development.
21:30
AUTUMN
Bonsai seasons. Autumn sets through with bright yellow and red coloured maple leaves. Morten Albek looks in to the caretaking of Shohin and preparing them for the dormant season. A Shohin Yew is pinched to develop new growth, and detailed explanations of controlling growth and energy is part of this November edition of the seasonal report from the bonsai garden.
27:30
Bonsai seasons. October shows the beginning signs of autumn where deciduous shifts from green to yellow, brown or red leaves.Removing the wire from a bonsai in training, should not be made in one go, but in steps. Finally I arrange a Kusamono planting with dry tolerant grasses and plants.
29:38
FREE
Bonsai seasons. Slowly the trees are preparing for the dormancy season. Correcting foliage at a Shimpaku Mame bonsai, and finishing with a bonsai social meeting. Enjoy the September edition of the vlog.
24:45
SUMMER
Bonsai seasons. In this episode: Summer trimming Japanese maples. Introducing what is probably the longest and slowest bonsai demo in the world. Starting from this episode.
26:26
Bonsai seasons. Next step in th journey of the Potentilla is taken. And setting up a summer display that should turn our minds into some cooler weather this hot summer.
15:23
SPRING
Bonsai seasons. In this episode: New bonsai garden area established for a better viewing experience. Adjusting energy flow at deciduous, fertilizing and improving an old bonsai with one cut. And more…
17:06
Bonsai seasons. Springtime in the bonsai garden. What to take care of after the winter, applying mosses, repotting and dividing accent plants, aftercare of bonsai styled earlier.
21:27
WINTER
Bonsai seasons. February 2018. Refining a Shohin bonsai Juniperus chinensis developed from raw nursery material, and winter pruning a midd-sized Crab Apple.
26:25
Bonsai seasons. Exhibition, contest, traders area and International Demonstrators at the China Jue December 2017.
13:14
Introductions and basics
NB: Some of the content in this section is also available as part of the Bonsai Empire Shohin course.
Theme + Q&A 2018
NB: Some of the content in this section is also available as part of the Bonsai Empire Shohin course.
Q&A. I have collected a tree. It has shown signs of weak growth. How do I take care of it during winter?
3:34
Q&A. I have a nice Lonicera nitida shohin tree. Can you clarify how this should be leaf pruned? Some suggest clipping often and others suggest letting it grow before clipping as with most bonsai.
4:46
