Tips, Tricks, and Bonsai Techniques
Because Everybody Likes To Save A Buck, Or Three
I hope to use this page to share some of the tips, products, and techniques that I use to create bonsai. This is by no means the only way to accomplish any one of these ideas or tasks but just how I have worked things out. Some of them are established bonsai techniques and some are things that I have "borrowed" or learned from others, if I can recall who I learned or borrowed them from, I will mention them in the article. Other techniques may be purely my own.
Latest Articles
I hope you find them useful...
IKEA FINDS
Since bonsai is my main hobby and passion, I seem to always have my eyes peeled for everyday items that would lend themselves to bonsai. Recently, Favorite Minion and I went on a little excursion to Jacksonville, Florida and while there visited...
Category: Tips and Tricks
USING A BOARD TO IMPROVE NEBARI AND ROOTS
This isn’t anything new and not my idea or innovation, but it is, however a great way to improve the nebari and roots on your bonsai. What is “nebari”, you ask. Well for those who aren’t familiar with the term, it is a Japanese term, and simply...
Category: Tips and Tricks
WHAT ABOUT NAPA FLOOR DRY?
If you read the post on Optisorb (if not, read it here), you know that I have been shopping around for a replacement for pumice in my soil mix. I have read in various places on the net that a lot of people are using Napa Floor Dry so I found some...
Category: Tips and Tricks
A LOOK A OPTISORB
Since I am having a difficult time sourcing pumice in the Heart of Dixie, I have been looking at alternatives. I read about Optisorb on my favorite bonsai forum, www.bonsainut.com, and found out that it was available a Oriley's for $16.99 for a 25...
Category: Tips and Tricks
NEW TRIMMERS
Up for review is the thinning shear by Corona. I have used Corona tools before, I found a pair of shears that were very "bonsai" tool-like years ago at target and they ended up being the best pair of shears that I have ever owned. They are...
Category: Tips and Tricks
REPAIRING TRUNK DAMAGE AND ROT WITH EPOXY PUTTY
Trees are amazing forms of life and like humans have the ability to heal themselves. Like humans, severe wounds will often leave a bad scar, have trouble healing, or not heal at all. Luckily, trees respond to wound treatment and with a little...
Category: Tips and Tricks
SEALING WOUNDS ON BONSAI
If you post the question, “Should I seal the wounds on my tree after I prune?” or, “What wound sealer do you use?”, you will get many different opinions. Anything from, “I don’t use any at all, it is not needed.”, to, “I seal everything.” What...
Category: Tips and Tricks
BONSAI SOIL, HEART OF DIXIE STYLE
No bonsai site would be complete without bonsai soil article, so here is what I use and it works great, your mileage may vary… Mention bonsai soil on any of the bonsai forums on the internet and you will virtually start a war! Everyone has their...
Category: Tips and Tricks
A MONEY SAVING TIP FROM THE HEART OF DIXIE
As I had mentioned earlier,I hope to use the pages to show some of the tips that we use in the Heart of Dixie. There are a lot of "ordinary" items that can be purchased that can be substituted for bonsai things.
Category: Tips and Tricks
YOU SPIN ME RIGHT ROUND, BABY...
If you have been in the bonsai game for any length of time, you have probably discovered that a turn-table comes in very handy when styling your trees. I have tried several over the years, but none seemed to last, so I made my own.
Category: Tips and Tricks
WIRE STRAIGHTENER
If you have been in the hobby any length of time and wire your trees, you will soon collect a large amount of used wire. I usually unwire by hand and only use the wire cutters for the larger wire, say 5mm or more for aluminum or 14 gage for...
Category: Tips and Tricks
WINGADINGS
Wingadings, I know, it is a strange name, but what else are you gonna call them, in one word? There are as many ways to secure screen to the drain holes in your pot as there are bonsai soil recipes. Wait, you are using screens over your drainage...
Category: Tips and Tricks
WATERING WANDS
Over the years, I have purchased many different watering wands from various places. It doesn't seem to matter where you buy them, Lowe's, Home Depot, Walmart, Kmart (if you can find one, I miss me a good blue light special), they are all of the...
Category: Tips and Tricks