Softening Copper Wire for Bonsai Use

Every year, at this time, I prepare my copper wire for use in the coming year. I buy 'annealed' copper wire but it is never soft enough so I go through the annealing process myself, in Winter when it is safe, and cold enough, to sit around a fire.  I have always heated the prepared coils to a 'dull red' and quenched the coils in water. Quenching in water is not necessary for the softening process but helps blow off some of the oxide that forms during annealing;  giving the wire a really natural look that blends well with the bonsai.

I generally use 1.22mm, 1.63mm, 2mm, and 4.1mm copper on my bonsai.  After softening even the 4.1mm wire is easy to apply. !!

700mtrs of Copper Wire ready for the annealing process

Kunio Kobayashi - Bonsai School

Now wouldn't it be a dream-come-true to be spending a season at Kobayashi san's Shunka-en Bonsai Museum.

I posted a story almost two years ago about the opportunities to enroll in the International apprenticeship system at Shunka-en.  I still have this on the top of my 'Bucket-List' and it is great to see that the cost of these apprenticeships is still very low.!!

The Shunka-en website, has all the details.  HERE

I snapped this shot of the workshop at Shunka-en in 2016..... still wishing.!!!

Locally Made Akadama

The Australian Bonsai Gallery has been making it's own Akadama for some time now.  We have found that it passes the Dispersion Test and can be used in mixes for all species of bonsai. 

We make two sizes and use the smaller size in our Swamp Cypress soil mix.  Our Swamp Cypress never suffer from leaf burn and actually thrive in our Akadama.

The old Swamp Cypress forest, pictured here, is planted on a rock slab and grows rapidly with little fertilizing and in full sun.

Anyone who has access to volcanic soil in their area should experiment with soil taken from varying strata...... give it a go. !

For some further information go to the video clip HERE

Few High Quality Bonsai remain For Sale

The Australian Bonsai Gallery has very few High End bondai left for sale. 

There has been an unpresedented demand for our bonsai, particularly over the past few months.

This old Swamp Cypress, developed by us from 1981 tube stock, has been waiting for the right buyer for some time now !!

We have just completed Winter pruning and wiring - ready for the Spring flush.

It is availabe on our   For Sale page.

Fig Bonsai are selling well.

This old ficus 'Yamadori', collected in 1981 and rock planted in 1998, has gone to a good home today.  The Gallery has sold quite a number of our old ficus, particularly over the past 2 weeks.!!

Important Winter Bud Selection on Deciduous Bonsai

The Japanese Maple in this clip was purchased from The Koreshoff Bonsai Nursery in 1977.  It was only a basic nursery stock plant back then but the Autumn colour was very good.  It has been re-worked to improve the basic branch structure and to facilitate future ramification.

The Liquid amber is from 1985 nursery stock and, like the maple, was field grown for many years.  I have been working on the ramification for a few years now.  The results have been good with the resultant leaf size being reduces significantly. 

Bud selection should be done well before the Spring so that growth can be directed only to important structural bud-points on the tree.  Selecting two buds from each terminal will help to accelerate good ramification.

Large Kuromatsu bonsai Stock

I was adamant that I was not going to start any more new bonsai projects...... that was until I saw these two large Japanese Black Pines.! .

At just over 20cm at the base, they are fantastic material to start with.  Looking forward to the transformation to bonsai.   'Fatty', it's your fault !

At the risk of repeating myself, I like to wire and shape my deciduous bonsai in early Winter.  The branches are bare and it is easier to make design changes.  Branches are still pliable enough to make significant bends.

Swamp cypress branches are particularly pliable and easy to shape.  They are a great subject for both the novice and professional bonsai artist.  Quick to develop some character and very forgiving of mistakes.  They can be significantly carved without many problems. They will bud very well on old wood.

All the Swamp Cypress bonsai in the gallery have been developed in the open ground.  They grow rapidly in the ground so you must keep a close watch on them when developing a good nebari. 

Time to work on refinement of our deciduous bonsai.

I like to work on our deciduous tree refinement late Autumn to early Winter.  The branches are, generally, still pliable enough to wire and it is easy to bud select and prune

What a difference a year makes. 

This old Kuromatsu has been in the collection since the mid 1980's.  It was field grown for many years.  We have finally had time over the past year to start some serious refining.  It is only now starting to show some results with better branching, bud development and very small needles.  It will be re-potted in the following Spring..... and will require many hands. !!