Deciduous bonsai look their best in their winter silhouette, there is no where to hide! Use this opportunity to identify areas for improvement before the foliage returns in the near future. And if you have over worked a bonsai, what should you ...

We all have scars from our past, it makes us human and our bonsai history is scattered with ‘things I wouldn’t do again’. You can learn from these scars but don’t let them hold you back from achieving something pretty fantastic. Winter is upon ...

We are all busy! But your bonsai need you. How and where do you allocate your time for them? You need to look at what is most important right now and prioritise that task, whether it's weeding or pruning, repotting or fertilising. By using your...

Seeing the end target for your bonsai in the developmental stage can be challenging. Breaking the development of your bonsai into bite size chunks can be so helpful in keeping everything on track. Perspective in any form of design is so importa...

After recently visiting a bonsai show and seeing some amazing bonsai that were collected trees or yamadori, I think it is important to chat about expectations when comparing these nature impacted trees with nursery or 'man grown' stock. Can we ...

Right now is a very important time for your bonsai, they are heading towards dormancy and how you manage their needs is critical to their future development. It is also a time to be neck deep in needles while styling your conifers. I have a sty...

What an experience! I was fortunate enough to spend some one on one time with the Italian bonsai master Salvatore Liporace in Milan in the north of Italy at his property. Salvatore, who originally studied under Mr Kimura in Japan, has travelled...

Is too much of a good thing bad for you? Maybe if it’s chocolate, but does that apply if it’s bonsai?? I don’t think so…and there’s a good reason for that too. Every tree provides you with the opportunity to learn and develop both personally an...

How do you overcome the fear of working on your bonsai? One backward step can shatter your confidence but you must get back on the horse and keep moving forward. Bonsai confidence comes with experience and seeing the results of your hard work o...

Your bonsai are only as good as the tools you use and the maintenance you undertake. Over time your tools will deteriorate and you can feel it as it happens. I run through the maintenance of my tool kit and how to ‘test’ your tools for wear and...

It’s time for a mid Autumn or Fall check in. There are lots of jobs that need to be done at this time of the year and plenty to keep an eye on too. I like to run through a final checklist before it’s too late to make a difference. Cedars as bon...

Understanding when to commence the Autumn/Winter work on your pines as well as the work to undertake is extremely important if you are going to manage their needs correctly. There are also considerations to make if you plan on showing your pine...

There is nothing I enjoy more than letting my creative bonsai juices flow! It is never at the expense of the tree in front of me but it’s nice to think outside of the square every now and then. What is the story behind your bonsai? Does it have...

Branch cutters are an essential tool when it comes to bonsai but they are commonly abused and misused. I love them and have them in a range of different sizes and shapes. I want to run through how I use them to get the best results. And the old...

Bonsai wire and bonsai go together like Vegemite and hot buttered toast! We use wire for design and horticultural requirements for our bonsai and quite honestly I believe we would be lost without it. In this podcast I chat about all things wire...

Autumn is a brilliant time for your trees. They may be starting to show some colour or they may not but they are already working very hard to become a better version of themselves and they need your care and assistance. Understanding the proces...

Autumn or Fall is an extremely important time for your bonsai and you have a key responsibility to ensure you do your bit. Fertilising is really important and now is the time to get started. The why, how and my strategy for fertilising is reall...

As we head towards the end of the southern hemisphere Summer period, it is a great time to pat yourself on the back for helping your bonsai make it through another tough period. Have a look at what has done well and accept the satisfaction as t...

Carving and bonsai seem to go hand in hand. I think everyone I have ever spoken to about bonsai over the years has mentioned carving at one time or another. And carving, good carving, takes skill and technique. Texture, the need to appear 'natu...

So what got you into bonsai initially? I bet it's not what keeps you in bonsai now. I find it is important to reflect back on the start of your journey as you can sometimes lose sight of what make you happy. Do the maintenance! And do it first!...

We are in the last month of Summer and while there are certain trees I will fertilise, there are also trees I will not. I run through my program right now and how it could apply to your bonsai garden. I also have a tale of a poor pomegranate th...

One of the most iconic Australian species of tree is the grand Banksia and there are 173 different species (according to natureaustralia.org.au). They make the most magnificent bonsai and there are 'rules' to their successful care and I think e...

When you are working on any of your bonsai, at any stage of their journey, you need to have focus. There are some key areas of my work I give particular attention to and they make all the difference. Remember it's the 1% that can have a massive...

Welcome to Season 7 of the Bonsai Stuff podcast! 2025 is going to be a brilliant year for bonsai and to kick things off I'll let you know my 3  step simple plan for the year and my bonsai commitment. Post holidays it is time to dust off th...

Well 2024 is done and there has been so many highlights for me personally as well as with my bonsai. I chat about a few of my podcast favourites and how small incremental improvements with my bonsai make me happy. During the year I travelled fo...