I collected this Chinese privet, Ligustrum sinense, during the winter and put it directly in a bonsai pot. While this is not something you can do every time, if you’re fortunate enough to collect a suitable trunk you can eliminate a preliminary step in creating a nice bonsai. What do I mean by a suitable trunk? It’s one that has sufficient taper from the base to the chop point to allow you to build the basic structure of the bonsai before the first repotting comes along. With a small enough trunk diameter at the chop point, you can grow out a leader and thicken it sufficiently to make the tapering transition satisfactory right in the bonsai pot. And by the time you’re ready for the first repotting, the root system is already used to growing in a confined space.

 

From January till today, roughly the span of two months, this privet has thrown a nice set up shoots for me to work with. Though it’s a bit early, there’s no reason not to go ahead and wire some branches and the new leader.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There’s not much to this bonsai-to-be now, is there? But I have branches that are going to grow out and thicken, along with a new leader in position. In about a month, I’ll most likely need to remove this wire and rewire everything. Regardless, this bonsai is on its way.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have been fascinated with Ginkgo, Ginkgo biloba, ever since I can remember. A good bonsai friend gave me a handful of small specimens last year, and I left them alone to continue growing out. A couple spoke to me and said they’d like to have their own bonsai pots, so I accommodated. This is the second one I’ve potted up this year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We have our share of Trumpet Vine, Campsis radicans, hanging around the house. And hanging on the house. Although it produces beautiful flowers, it also tends to insert itself into any crack between the boards on your house. I probably don’t have to tell you what happens next.

And so, the obvious answer is to grub up the monster vine and make a bonsai out of it. Once again straight to a bonsai pot – why bother with an intermediate nursery pot? And now I wait to see how it wants to grow.

If you have an interest in a Privet, Ginkgo or Trumpet vine bonsai, these trees will be available a little later this spring. Email me for pricing and/or to put you name on one.