Craig Coussins has generously
allowed BonsaiCollector.com to display the following text and
images from his book, "Bonsai for Beginners"
published by Sterling Publishing Co., Inc..
To obtain this, or Craig's most recent book, "Bonsai
School", please visit our Books
page.
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These are the trees in their original setting.
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| When I got them home, I was a little concerned about the scale of the task.
Maples can be cut right back to the stump, and this had to be
done simply to fit them into their containers. |
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Using a 50-50 mix of grit and potting compost,
we planted them into large buckets. Six months later, they had
started to sprout.
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| We will
now look at one tree's development over the following ten years.
It had to be trimmed back completely to enable me to start allover
again. |
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Year 1: I cut off all of the main branches. It
was hard to believe that this would ever be a bonsai! |
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| I hollowed out the edges of the cuts
so that the cambium (bark) would grow over them correctly, without
creating a lumpy edge. |
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Two years later, the tree was budding all over
the trunk. |
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| This is the tree after four years.
The branches now need placement, as they are too wide. |
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After wiring, the tree now has a bonsai shape.
This took three hours. |
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| After nine years the bonsai has come of age in 1997. |
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Although it is a little large for a bonsai, in
1998 it is still a very impressive tree. |
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© Craig Coussins
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