Video – Kisetsu-en - Shohin Bonsai Europe

From 2021 all new videos will be with available subtitles in English, German, Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese (BR) and Polish language.

Q&A+ for next episodes

SPRING

Kisetsu-en Bonsai Magazine – April. Temperatures are rising and soon the leaves will pop.

This month we look into the ongoing seasonal caretaking and continue investigating how to feed bonsai.

HEADLINES

Specie of the month: Yew.

Air layering techniques.

Mixed forest.

Seasonal care.

Almost Friday - episode 2

Bonus. Almost Friday is this time looking at the aftercare of the surface soil at the recent established large forest.

Almost Friday - episode 3

Bonus. Repotting is dominating the time used at Kisetsu-en these days. In this episode I take one of the smallest bonsai within the collection to repot.

Almost Friday - episode 1

Bonus. Almost Friday are bonus episodes added to the Monthly Bonsai Magazine. Selected episodes are free to watch, but most will be for Kisetsu-en members.

Almost Friday shows small seasonal stories from the garden and occasional extra content. And then some.

Kisetsu-en Bonsai Magazine – March.

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.

HEADLINES

Seasonal care.

Deadwood at deciduous bonsai.

Tool care is part of keeping your bonsai fit.

Seasonal care for deciduous and flowering bonsai.

Repotting and 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.

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.

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.

Total duration: 1 hour and 40 minutes.

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.

Duration: 1 hour and 43 minutes.

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.

Duration 30:15

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 2 – we continue the progress in the second part of the Scots pine development.

Styling based on the first work done in episode 1, and bringing the pine closer to the future look.

Wiring techniques and focus on telling a story with the bonsai design is on the workbench in this expanded episode.

Designing a bonsai demands a vision in your mind, not just shaping it like all bonsai. Find the soul within the tree and express it through the way the bonsai is styled.

Duration at 41:31

Yamadori Scots pine part 1 - needle pinching and controlling growth before styling

Continuing the evolution of a Yamadori Scots pine (you can also watch the first styling process “Styling a yamadori Scots pine”) of this tree.
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.

Duration 21:46

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

Fertilization of bonsai in autumn preparing flowering in spring and dormancy strengthening trees is one of two topics in this episode.

Using organic fertilizers, how and when and for what purpose.

Fertilization of bonsai in autumn preparing flowering for spring and dormancy strengthening trees is one of two topics in this episode.

Using organic fertilizers, how and when, and for what purpose.

When is the best time to repot a Chojubai, Quince?

The second subject is about repotting Quince, also based on our member’s questions. Showing step-by-step how to repot, soil types, and fertilizing.

Duration 32:12

Q&A - Yamadori aftercare - training young pines - Juniper growth

Autumn arrived. This is often the season for tree hunting. Yamadori.

This week is dedicated to our members questions, and one of the bg ones to answer is about Yamadori aftercare. How to get your trees collected from nature or gardens securely and healthy through the firsts stages.

We also dig in to Juniper care and early training of young pines.

42:32

SUMMER

Healing scars at deciduous bonsai

Get the proportions and aesthetics right.
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.

In this episode, a shohin and a large Japanese maple are worked on, with two different approaches.

23:51

Creating a Saika

Saika is probably best described as a mixture between Kusamono, Saikei (landscape portrait), and a touch of Ikebana.

Saika is a modern and light feeling of a landscape presentation often mixing young trees, with soft plantings and even decorative gravel.

Used in Japan to attract younger people to the art of bonsai.

In this episode, we look into upgrading the way of developing the modern Saika in a context relating to the traditions of bonsai.

A nice and beautiful summer feeling to your bonsai collection.

22:33

Maple summer care + Q&A

Summers might be hot and maples, especially Japanese maples, needs extra care during this time.

Controlling the inner growth is in focus, and we take a good look at how you can let the light reach the weaker areas of your bonsai, strengthening these parts. With the right techniques, we pre-develop the growth of the coming season and renewal of branches.

Also, the health of the tree is on the table, during periods with hot weather and demanding water flow.

Update on small Japanese Shohin forests is included.

Plus answering some Q&A. Please enjoy.

29:16

The creative bonsai display

For a long time, Morten Albek has studied the art of displaying bonsai. Especially Shohin bonsai displays have puzzled him and he often thought about doing something a little different. Still in respect of the origin.

In Japan burning the surface of the wood is used to preserve the wood for different constructions. Burned wood has a beauty of its own, showing both the details of the structure within the wood, as well as it has a special kind of black color soaking up the light.

In many Western countries, Shohin bonsai are displayed at the same exhibitions as the large bonsai. Often making the Shohin drown a bit among the large trees.

In this episode, we explore and get insight into the art of displaying and try out a new direction of displaying Shohin-bonsai.