The Bonsai Files
Your free access to general and how-to articles, The Bonsai Files. Detailed and filled with bonsai pictures, Zach shows you step-by-step how he designs bonsai and provides before, during, and after images.
The Bonsai Files
How To See The Trees In The Forest
As you read bonsai literature about forest plantings, you're likely to run across the widely accepted idea that bonsai forests are the natural habitat of lousy trees. When I think of this I picture a busy forest scene, with the trees trying to hide behind one another...
The Wonderful Cedar Elm, And A Lesson On How To Gauge Success
Cedar elm, Ulmus crassifolia, is one of the very best species for bonsai and especially for beginners. They are "sturdy" trees, not being bothered by much in the way of pests and diseases. They'll take a good bit of abuse and neglect without objection. They grow...
Bad Roots Or No Roots? How To Make Your Own
Happy Fourth of July! There's nothing like grilled meat, potato salad, watermelon, and the rest of the fixins followed by some fireworks. Except for bonsai, of course. Today I want to tackle what makes a lot of bonsai folks cringe, but which when you master it will...
Bald Cypress In July – How To Speed Up Development
Bald cypress, Taxodium distichum, is one of the best species for bonsai and one I believe every beginner should have. They grow very fast, even in a small container. And the fast growth makes them quicker to train to showable condition. This specimen was...
The Humble Crape Myrtles Are Pretty Happy
Bonsai is high art, but it's also a learning process. You and your trees, cooperating to make something that's more than the sum of its parts. You'll learn something on every tree that comes into your care. And not just the big collected specimens that are all...
I Just About Killed This One, But It Taught Me A Good Lesson
Who can forget this image? Back In March I lifted this Live oak, Quercus virginiana, from my growing bed with the intention of putting it directly into a bonsai pot. The tree had a nice structure with a good set of branches that would allow me to create a...
My Tropics Dream – The Tropicals Will Have To Do For Now
Well, it's officially summer and if we ever get out of this rainy pattern it's going to heat up and the spring breeze will be O-ver. This means we get tropical temperatures without any of the other benefits of the tropics. No white sand, no crystal clear blue-green...
Crape Myrtles From Humble Beginnings
Crape myrtle, Lagerstroemia indica, is one the very best species for bonsai. They take to pot culture very well, root like gangbusters and flower freely in captivity. In the world of bonsai, you'll encounter Crape myrtles of many varieties, sizes and stages of...
Parsley Hawthorn Literati – Going In A Great Direction
Just over a month ago I decided it was time to do an initial styling on this Parsley hawthorn, Crataegus marshallii. There was never any doubt about the future for this bonsai-to-be - it was going to be a literati. The literati style is, for lack of a...