The winner of the conifer class was Bob Savage with a superb White Pine. In second place was Malcom Driffield with his Juniper and in third place was Chris Jefferys with his Pine tree.
The winner of this class was Mike Fieldhouse with a stunning maple and it also won the Challenge Rose Bowl for the Best Tree in Show. In Second place was another maple owned by Malcolm Driffield and in third place was a Korean Hornbeam owned by Chris Jefferys. Congratluations to everyone who entered a tree in this class though as they were all good examples of the species.
Congratulations to everyone who went to the Wessex Bonsai Show today, it was another great bonsai show and competition. The diversity of different trees on display was excellent and the overall condition and quality was also very good.
Repotting is an essential part of bonsai. Often an overlooked element but one that is so crucial. To the long term health and sustainability of your trees. It is worth taking the time to ensure that your trees have a well developed root system, able to support the tree and the development of the tree, over time. It is also essential that you check the roots annually. Even if you do not carry out a full repot, as this is often where problems can start in the soil or with the roots. There are many mediums to grow bonsai trees in and it is important that you find the right soils for the species of trees you have as well as the conditions you grow your trees in. The growing medium may need to change over time as the root system develops as the requirements of the different root types can vary and by ensuring the correct growing medium is used will encourage an efficient root system which in turn aids with the overall growth and development of the whole tree. Below are a few examples of repotting by our club members from this year.
The fifth Grittleton Plant and Food Fair will be taking place on Sunday 28 May 2017. Set in the stunning surrounds of Grittleton House, plant lovers and ‘foodies’ are in for a real treat, with the chance to browse the many stalls selling plants from specialist nurseries,
Last year I added a large pumice drainage layer to the bottom of my bonsai pot, to see what difference it would make to the root development of some of the Ginkgo bonsai trees. The soil mix used was medium to small graded Akadama with 25% Kiryu, mixed in with a layer of large pumice for (improved) drainage. The results were that the roots within the smaller grade Akadama / Kiryu mix were smaller and denser in formation, creating a very fibrous mat or root plate. Those growing towards the bottom of the pot within the larger pumice layer, were larger diameter roots, with even larger root tips. The health of the tree has been excellent, as previously the root development was all one and an even size. It is amazing to observe the changes to the roots – with only a minor change in soil – how healthy the overall root system is with a free draining mix.
Repotting is nearly over for most species of trees now that Spring is finally here and hopefully all your trees are doing well. Lots of activity has been going on behind the scenes for everyone who owns a bonsai as it is a busy season ensuring that all your trees requiring repotting are carefully repotted. One of our Club members bought in a Korean Hornbeam to demonstrate his repotting technique and here are a few images of the process.
1st place, PB Pussy Willow
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- 2nd place (joint), GS Acer
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- 2nd place (joint), DA Crab Apple
3rd place, SM English Elm
10th anniversary of the Zen Bonsai Club and upcoming bonsai show in Neuville St Remy, north France. 22nd & 23rd April 2017
This was a busy show. Visitors were streaming through the door constantly all day at Sutton’s Show. This is an excellent time of year to hold a show. All the trees are pushing hard, the foliage looks fresh or the buds are swelling and the trees looks full of promise.
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