- SEAN VINING
LEARNS
- BASIC BONSAI
VIA IWP-8
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The best way to learn bonsai is to teach it. To those with enthusiasm,
able to take good photographs, and willing to allow publication in the
Fuku-Bonsai website, I invite them to join our study group to get
special, personalized instruction. The members of this study group have
largely been responsible for the great progress being made. Many
articles are posted on the website which has grown and will print out to
over 1,000 pages. Their progress is slower than ours due to our ideal
growing environment, superior potting media, and professional skills
and techniques although some get outstanding results when using strong
supplemental light. The greatest difference is that most hobbyists have
great difficulty in the very early training stages.
When I first began teaching bonsai, students had a very difficult time
even finding suitable bonsai starter stock and formulating their own
potting media. But they experienced rapid progress when we supplied
prepared bonsai stock and our potting media. This is also currently
true and customers are very successful when they work on our
professionally prepared plants and use our potting media and Nutrient
Granules. Whether potting up our potted bonsai into larger conversion
kits or putting together our workshop packages, there’s quicker and
greater understanding of the basic principles when we provide the plants
and all supplies.
Recently I had an
opportunity to assist Sean Vining. He had sent me a link to a forum
posting of his efforts to create prepared bonsai stock using plant
materials he had purchased locally. He seemed to be doing okay but I
can’t help thinking that the small amount that he saved was not worth
the long road that he had ahead of him. I invited him to join our study
group and here’s his first report. I think he will progress rapidly and
have asked him to photograph and document progress and send updates
every three months. ~~~
David W. Fukumoto
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INTRODUCTION BY SEAN VINING
I am writing to you from Gainesville in sunny north-central Florida!
Several months ago, curiosity got the best of me when I learned my
houseplants were a suitable species for bonsai and I began research.
The Fuku-Bonsai website stood out from all other sources of
information. I was fascinated to see such premium stock developed into
high-quality bonsai at such a young age. Inspired by what I saw, I
immediately set out to transform my houseplant material into a
masterpiece! There had to be some way of accomplishing this …right?
Having decided that my houseplant was too tall and leggy, I set up a
small growing area using trimmed-down, untrained nursery stock which was
a bit older and had thicker trunks. The gravel-filled humidity trays
and supplemental fluorescent lighting would give me that ‘edge’ on
growth I needed to develop these plants into bonsai. Several weeks went
by, accompanied by new growth, and I decided to try my hand at wiring to
begin training branches into the positions I wanted them. I learned a
lot about pruning to encourage new growth, and my confidence grew as I
became more familiar and accustomed to working with the plant material.
I was off to a good start and devoted a great deal of time to
carefully studying the Fuku-Bonsai website. I began to realize that my
efforts with these particular plants weren’t going to develop
masterpieces I had envisioned! Wiring really reduced the plant’s vigor.
I was uninspired by the unnatural-looking bends and weak trunks bases
appeared to be telephone poles sticking out of the ground.
Since then, I’ve completed a Fuku-Bonsai Introductory Workshop
Package and I can’t stress enough how important it has been to work with
Fuku-Bonsai prepared bonsai stock and materials!
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SEAN VINING ASSEMBLING
THE FUKU-BONSAI INTRODUCTORY
WORKSHOP PACKAGE
1. Even though I didn’t get a photo of the packing materials,
the plant’s excellent condition clearly speaks volumes about the care
that went into the preparations made prior to the long trip. The rest
of the materials were neatly bundled and organized along with the True
Indoor Bonsai Introductory Workshop instructional materials. |
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2. Here are the 10 components included in the package. I have
never before come across such a complete “bonsai kit”! It includes a
prepared bonsai stock plant with lots of character 2” nursery pot and a
larger, bonsai pot. In addition to the detailed instruction pamphlet
and three separately packed and premeasured grades of potting media, the
kit also includes several key items: pre-configured tie-down wire,
plastic separator for enhancing root management and drainage, accent
rock to accentuate trunk-root base character, supply of low
nitrogen/high phosphorus ultra slow release nutrient granules. All
combine to make this a great value and maximizes chances for success! |
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3. The bonsai pot will accommodate the bonsai with room to allow strong
growth and facilitate training into its future shape. The first step is
to prepare the pot with the tie-down wire. This is actually two wires
pre-configured into an “X- shape,” which completely eliminates
guesswork! It’s more straightforward than my makeshift “U-shaped”
wiring which I used previously. Because they are already connected, the
wires can be inserted into any of the multiple drain holes and any two
wires can be tied together. This allows the plant to be very
well-secured! |
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4. Next form a mound in the center of the pot using all of the
pre-measured coarse media. It is a bit difficult to tell from this
angle, but this layer is piled as high as possible and formed into a
tall mound to help ensure proper drainage. This material is much larger
than the drain holes, which is vital in preventing clogging. The coarse
aggregate is a very porous material which achieves the sought-after
delicate balance of an “evenly-moist” yet “well-draining” potting media
recommended for tropical plants. This potting media component is FAR
superior to any of the drainage layer materials I have ever tried, which
all slipped through drain holes and lacked the type of moisture
regulation properties and balance achieved with the Fuku-Bonsai
aggregate. |
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5. A plastic separator is placed on top of the mound to prevent
body mix from clogging drainage. Folding it in four gives it the ‘tent’
shape which makes it easier to position. Prior to visiting the
Fuku-Bonsai website, I have never seen such a ‘separator.’ I can
appreciate the logic for its use in this situation; particularly when
combined with the tall mound formation of the coarse drainage layer.
This attention to detail sets apart Fuku-Bonsai from other companies.
It’s a testament to why they are second-to-none when it comes to
producing and offering such high-quality prepared bonsai stock AND
taking all reasonable steps to maximize chances of success for their
customers. |
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6. Roughly half of the body mix is added around the plastic sheet.
Gradually add a little bit at a time until the edges of the plastic
sheet are covered and held down by the body media. This body mix easily
exceeds the quality and functionality of anything I have ever used. My
earlier potting mixes were overly-rich and moisture retentive; even
after amendments recommended by local nursery personnel to ‘correct’ the
problem! The Fuku-Bonsai potting media is a FAR superior product which
removes guesswork and needless experimentation --- a true recipe for
success! |
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7. A spoon is then used to tamp down the media and level it off.
Tamping the material down prior to adding the plant and before
watering is important --- it helps to create uniformity throughout
the mix and deter the formation of large air pockets which can
actually cause roots to dry out and die. Note the remaining body
mix (in the background) which will be used later.
(A note from David: It’s almost impossible to firm the bottom media
once the plant is positioned. If the dibble method is used, you’ll
only succeed in shifting down the fine material and raising the
coarse which defeats the purpose of carefully creating and
protecting the drainage layer.)
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8. Remove the plant from the nursery pot. The roots are the
lifeline of the plant, so carefully ‘wiggle’ the trunk back and forth
while very gently pulling it upwards until the plant emerges from the
pot with minimal effort. We don’t want to ‘decapitate’ the plant by
pulling too hard and ripping the trunk apart from the roots! Patience
and gentle handling throughout this step will also go a long ways in
reducing the risk of hurting the leaves or even snapping branches. |
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9. Removing some soil around the root ball to examine the roots.
Gently ‘tease’ the media from between the roots using a chopstick or
similar implement. I tend to rely heavily on my fingers! A careful
assessment determine which roots to remove. This important step
provides an excellent opportunity to see if roots are healthy.
Regrettably, in the past I obtained nursery plants locally with dark,
slimy roots with a foul odor with the soil in the middle/lower portion
of the root mass sopping wet; even when the surface was relatively dry!
The roots were drowning and rotting! In contrast, firm,
white/light-colored roots with an abundance of fine hair roots indicate
good health. This illustrate the importance of Fuku-Bonsai’s superior
potting media. |
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10. I probably cut off more roots than I should have, but a foliar
reduction should offset any shock or major loss of vigor. Shorten
excessively long roots. When done with the mound of coarse drainage
media and plastic separator, these steps will achieve the highly sought
heavy surface roots and trunk-root buttressing needed to create quality
bonsai. Fuku-Bonsai’s prepared bonsai stock is advanced and beyond any
other source. In my extensive search for quality starter material, I
have seen an abundance of plants with the appearance of telephone poles
sticking out of the ground which were routinely priced higher---just for
the plant itself---than Fuku-Bonsai’s entire Introductory Workshop
Package! |
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11. Plant is positioned and placed firmly atop the plastic
separator sheet and then fastened down using tie-down wires. Wires from
opposite ends of the pot are simply overlapped over one another and then
twisted together. The kit wire is copper covered aluminum wire
which is bendable, sturdy and user-friendly. Note that the wires---which
are barely noticeable on our plant to begin with---can be neatly tucked
down and under/into the soil to make for a neater presentation. This
photo provides a good view of the stout trunk and strong lower branching
which are the traits I was looking for when requesting a ‘Sumo’ style
plant. |
(A note from David: Sean went back after completing pruning to
reposition the accent rock so photo #12 is a bit out of order.) |
12. The accent rock was placed to accentuate the strong base of
the plant. The shape of the rock allowed me to snug it right up to the
lower right-hand side of the trunk so that it was almost ‘hugging’ it.
This adds a visual strength to the base without distracting away from
it, and visually ground or anchor it to the earth. I uses it to help
anchor a prominent aerial root located at the back of the trunk (shown
inset in upper-right corner of photo) which wasn’t quite reaching all
the way down to the potting media on its own. Guiding roots down to the
media leads them to the moisture they are seeking for healthy growth.
Fuku-Bonsai is really on top of finer details, and the accent rock is
yet another example. It adds a nice touch to the overall presentation.
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13. Note the detailed instructions on using the Nutrient
Granules. Normally I would water prior to (and then immediately after)
adding a new batch of fertilizer, but the roots were trimmed down so
much that I wasn’t worried about causing damage. In fact, the roots may
need to grow and extend a bit before the plant can fully benefit from
the nutrient granules, but I still decided I wanted to add them prior to
watering and adding the finer top dressing. These are a special
slow-release formula which will provide the young bonsai with a constant
supply of vital nourishment without burning the delicate root system. |
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(A note from David: Our body mix
includes some Nutrient Granules and usually none is used while
putting the Introductory Workshop Package together with first
fertilizing 3-6 months later. But because of it’s very low nitrogen
and ultra slow release, there should not be a problem.
But NEVER add any other type of
fertilizer during a potting session!)
14. A chopstick helps make it easier to add the Nutrient Granules
without disrupting the soil. Simply create a hole deep enough to
allow the granule to be buried, place it into the hole, and then
cover back up with the body mix. I made about a half-dozen of these
small holes around the base of the plant and added one granule to
each one.
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15. Time to saturate the planting in a shallow dish of water for
about half an hour. The entire pot is submerged up to a point just
below its rim. This is a critical watering procedure which lets all
parts of the potting media become completely saturated. At the end of
the saturation process the plant is lifted out of the water and is
allowed to drain freely. Because saturation filled all air pockets with
water, a new exchange takes place as this water drains out and fresh air
rushes back in to replace it. This is a vital step for the long-term
health and vitality of the plant, and Fuku-Bonsai has included and
places emphasis on this set of protocols in their care instructions. |
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16. After watering, the body media is once again tamped down
with a spoon prior to adding the finer top dressing. This helps to
prevent any large gaps from forming and ‘swallowing up’ the attractive
top layer! It also is a chance to see if it is necessary to backfill
any area which lacked enough body mix that sunk down in or below the
roots. |
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17. A much better view of the newly-potted bonsai with the top dressing
in place. It might be tempting to leave as-is, but there is still work
to be done! Remember that big chunk of root mass removed earlier? This
left the plant with roughly 50% of its roots remaining, which really
isn’t enough to properly provide energy to the rest of the plant. In
order to compensate for this, it is now time to make at least a
proportionate reduction (roughly 50%) of foliage. That way the
newly-trimmed roots can recover without being overwhelmed; which in turn
will give the root system a chance to put out new growth. |
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18. Before moving forward, a careful assessment is done to help
determine what to remove. Start by recognizing which elements to
include: 1) removing leaves, 2) trimming back branches, and 3) pinching
off leaf buds and/or growth tips wherever necessary. What is removed is
dictated by: 1)the health of the plant, 2) the grower’s styling
preferences, and 3) future goals for the plant. In this case my top
priority is on thinning foliage while still retaining an overall
pleasing shape. I want to lessen the burden on the newly-trimmed roots
as much as possible, but don’t want this to come at the expense of
butchering top growth! With this in mind, I have taken the photo and
indicated where the branch trimming will take place. |
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19. I removed a substantial portion of the foliage! I
removed all but 2 or 3 newest leaves on each growing branch. This helps
to thin out and allow light to penetrate into the lower sections to
encourage strong development of a powerful trunk and strong lower
branching. In keeping with this objective, I also ‘pinched off’ the end
of the primary apex (growing tip) of the plant, which will help to force
growth to the other less-developed branches. The branch removal from
the previous step accomplishes several things: 1) reduces the ‘load’ on
the newly-trimmed roots; 2) helps to balance the presentation/aesthetics
of the bonsai; and 3) provides a cutting which can be rooted and trained
into another bonsai! |
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20.
As I look ahead, drawing a sketch of the plant and then tracing or
making a photocopy to create another “future vision sketch” is extremely
helpful! I drew a sketch of the plant immediately following trimming
(left). I then added my vision of a future shape (right sketch).
Fuku-Bonsai’s instructional materials place emphasis on the importance
of developing a vision for a future bonsai shape and this is very
rewarding! |
A NOTE FROM DAVID
Every so often I get contacted by a person who has the
enthusiasm, writing and photo skills, and a very obvious desire to learn
bonsai! I try to help all customers and invite them to join our
Fuku-Bonsai Study Group for continuing long-term assistance. Their
articles and reports are an outstanding part of this website.
I always ask the members of the study group to point out areas
for improvements. Sean’s report is very helpful as he has invested a
lot of time to study our website, purchased untrained plants from
others, and created his own potting media from materials available
there. It is obvious that he has searched the Internet and knows a lot
about what’s available and at what prices.
So Sean is in a good position to compare and evaluate our products and I
appreciate the very high marks he’s given us.
His report really shows how far we’ve come! We post photos when a
product is introduced. Carefully study the Introductory Workshop
Package plant (and the #17 Size Premium Keiki Bonsai Workshop Package)
in the photo above and compare it to the plants in
GIFTLIST #3
on our website, you’ll see that we ship a far higher quality plant than
the photo standard!
The #17 Size Premium Keiki Bonsai Workshop Package is becoming our
“Advanced Workshop” and this can be trained toward Sumo, Roots, and
Root-Over-Rock specimens. Sean will next attempt a “Roots” challenge
and others (including those taking Fuku-Bonsai workshops in Kurtistown)
are providing us with content as we put together a new Advanced Workshop
Handbook. I appreciate everyone’s support as we again grow for the
future!
~~~DAVID W. FUKUMOTO
Kurtistown, Hawaii
July 2, 2009 |
CONCLUSION TO THIS INITIAL ARTICLE
In comparing the assembly of the Introductory Workshop Package
to my earlier efforts, I conclude that there’s no substitute or
shortcuts for the superior quality prepared bonsai stock developed by
Fuku-Bonsai.
With this complete kit and outstanding prepared stock I
immediately can work with a plant that already has a lot of character,
use superior quality materials, and have clear written instructions, all
at an economical cost. The kit taught me the basic principles that
would have taken me many years if I had continued only on my original
path. By comparing what I was using with the Fuku-Bonsai components, I
learned of many changes I can make for vigorous growth.
From a cost standpoint, the $24.95 price for the Introductory Workshop
Package is an excellent value. The $12 FedEx shipping cost is very
reasonable; especially considering how well the plants and materials are
packed, sent out, and delivered on time; and shipping is free when three
or more items are sent to the same address!
But the greatest bargain is personalized assistance via email! David is
a rather busy fellow with important responsibilities as he constantly
makes improvements at Fuku-Bonsai. I know of no other bonsai source
that maintains such high standards while devoting so much time and care
to help customers.
David Fukumoto is an exemplary role-model who is willing to generously
share and impart the knowledge he has developed and refined over the
course of decades so future generations will benefit from the continued
advancement of the hobby and pass it down from one generation to the
next. He has begun writing quarterly articles for the
American Bonsai Society Journal,
and these are to culminate in a book to coincide with David’s
celebration of 50 years in bonsai. I look forward to these
publications, and I sincerely congratulate David for his
accomplishments!
As you can see from the photo, I now have a fully enjoyable hobby and
this includes leveraging into an advanced Premium Keiki Bonsai Workshop
in the near future once David and I have had a chance to critique what
I’ve done to get all educational benefits and to address any questions
remaining.
I will take photographs every 3 months to show progress. Perhaps one
day, the untrained nursery stock I have been working on might achieve
the status of “prepared bonsai stock,” but remains to be seen whether
they will ever meet the high standards set by Fuku-Bonsai. In the
meantime, I will be doing a complete overhaul of my potting media.
Compared with Fuku-Bonsai components, I recognize that it is inferior to
an extent that my plants will likely never thrive as they should!
In closing, I am looking forward to a critique that David promised and,
after further study, look forward to the next major challenge!
SEAN VINING
Gainesville, Florida
July 1, 2009 |