Bonsai Today

Online magazine for Bonsai lovers

needle pinching

Step by Step

Options for a Pinus sylvestris

The Scots pine is a very popular pine variety to work with. It's a vigorous grower and is tolerant to bending and wiring...


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Masterclass

The crazy rock

Something completely different: Mauro Stemberger creates the rock pine


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Masterclass

THE GIANT LOOP

Mauro Stemberger styles a massive Scots pine with a loop shaped trunk


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Styling

The Azuma pines

Daiki, the third generation Abe, works on seed-grown pines


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Styling

First steps

Pinus Nigra - From raw material to bonsai in 7 years.


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Masterclass

Out of the box

The pine called 'Okou no kyosho' is brought back into shape by Master Kunio Kobayashi


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Grafting

A ‘needle wrap’

Grafting is a very useful technique for conifers such as junipers and pines.


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Propagating

A corky type

The challenge is to create bonsai from scratch How to create bonsai from cuttings, grafting and other methods using interesting and unusual species. With the help of illustrations we will see how to take a piece of material through to completion. This time we work with cuttings of the Nishikimatsu,…...


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Technique

Is this too right?

The challenge is to create a finished tree starting from scratch Here’s how to make bonsai with rare, interesting and promising species through the process of taking cuttings. The complete process, from selecting the material to maintenance after taking the cutting, is clearly explained. This time we work with Cryptomeria…...


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Masterclass

The final test

Andrei Bessonov’s final work as an apprentice to Master Kimura After six years of apprenticeship under Mr Kimura, this is the ‘final test’ for Andrei, with a tree that was obtained specifically for this purpose. Multiple trunks on this aged old white pine give it a very scenic feel. The…...


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Step by Step

Short cut

Why are black pine needles so short? With the guidance of shohin expert, Hiroki Miura (Miura Baijyu-en, Osaka) the Japanese popstar, Ayaka Yamamoto, learns how to shorten needles on pines. In comparison to larger trees, why are the needles on bonsai black pine so short? For a tree in nature…...


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Masterclass

Two Masters, one pine

Marco Invernizzi reworks a very old mugo pine, which has a story to tell. Marco Invernizzi fell in love with the remarkable shapes of this Italian mugo pine (Pinus mugo). Although already touched by another Italian Master, Sandro Segneri, he felt challenged to work on it. In Alexandre Escudero’s studio…...


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Tree guide

Picea glehnii

How to create a twin trunk style tree with a ‘Yatsubusa’ ezo spruce, Picea glehnii ‘Yatsubusa’. In this series we look at creating bonsai from cuttings, grafting and other methods with interesting and unusual species. With the help of illustrations we will see how to take a piece of material…...


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Masterclass

As one with the tree

Hiroaki Suzuki becomes as one with the tree during the styling of a pine Young artist Hiroaki Suzuki takes on the challenge of transforming and displaying a five needle pine. The aim is to change the front to enhance the natural, and rustic beauty of a white pine. It has…...


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Summer

Pulling the final needle

Learn the basic technique of candle cutting by Master Nobuichi Urushibata Nobuichi Urushibata of Taisho-en, Japan, guides you through the work of candle pinching and needle pulling pines. The basic technique of candle cutting does not change dramatically from tree to tree, so we will look at the basic techniques…...


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Masterclass

On the edge

Creative genius, Ryan Neil, turns bonsai upside down You can give Ryan Neil almost any kind of material to work on and he will create something special from it. Here Ryan is confronted by an extremely chunky yew that appears to have only faults. Ryan’s creative eye soon sees possibilities…...


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Styling

The masterplan

An impossible pine just perfect for a cascade Giacomo Pappalardo likes the dramatic moves of the cascading pines you encounter in the mountains. An unsightly pine with a very long pale trunk seems to be just perfect to transform into a cascade. Taking it step by step, it took almost…...


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Styling

Rocking the pine

Todd Schlafer works on a Scots pine With a background as a rock musician Todd’s career as a bonsai artist is a big hit. We met Todd during Michael Tran’s Generation Bonsai event l and asked him to work on a yamadori Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) I ‘ve a degree…...


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Masterclass

The knot of El Tim

Like smooth machinery, El Tim (The Team, consisting of Leo, Alberto and Luis) work on amazing material and produce stunning bonsai. Initially, the Scots pine specially donated by Michael Tran’s Minoru bonsai, looks like a bunch of tangled branches. Teamwork on a Pinus sylvestris El Tim Alberto tends to serve…...


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