Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu The final step of any bonsai trip I make is to summarise my learnings, this podcast details the key point from my trip to Osaka and includes movement and positioning, growing cycles, inner buds, watering, wire contact and so much more. It was the start of my bonsai muscle memory that is used to this day and you should find it very interesting. I also discuss the technique Angle Change when repotting your bonsai. We can avoid straight, either vertical or horizontal...
Feb 19, 2023•43 min•Season 5Ep. 6
Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu I studied in Osaka at a bonsai nursery called Kouka-en under Mr Fujikawa and Bjorn Bjorholm in 2013 and I learnt a great deal there. This episode of the Bonsai Stuff Podcast chats about some of that as well as discussing a concept that has been playing a lot in my mind lately as I work through quite a few junipers on the work bench which should be interesting and relevant to all bonsai enthusiasts. Freedmen's affairs radio This program will focus on political, soc...
Feb 12, 2023•46 min•Season 5Ep. 5
Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu Happy, healthy bonsai are the result of you fulfilling their core needs. There are five basics that I discuss in this podcast, fertilising and the supply of nutrients is one of them. This podcast focuses on my approach to feeding, why, when and how. I also look at Soil Air and why it is essential plus I let you in on a really simple approach to fertilising. As always, it must be easy and repeatable. Freedmen's affairs radio This program will focus on political, so...
Feb 05, 2023•37 min•Season 5Ep. 4
Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu Summer can be tough on bonsai, really tough and there's a lot to learn from any misfortunes you suffer, it's not all bad. Planning for the worst and all the actions you take with your bonsai provide you the best protection. And when something goes wrong, you need to be able to learn from the situation, take the correct steps and look to prevent a reoccurrence. I also wrap up my first study trip to Japan in this episode and it was a great experience looking back on...
Jan 29, 2023•36 min•Season 5Ep. 3
Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu My bonsai memories always make me smile and this podcast details one of my most amazing experiences I had on my first trip to Japan. Kokufu-ten is an incredible bonsai show in Japan and I was able to see behind the scenes with its setup as well as the Green Club. This story is etched on my brain and will be a very fond memory for the rest of my days. Freedmen's affairs radio This program will focus on political, social and cultural concerns for descendants of... L...
Jan 24, 2023•33 min•Season 5Ep. 2
Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu Welcome to 2023! It's going to be a great year for bonsai for us all. To ensure it is, we need to do some goal setting. I discuss the various aspects to consider in this podcast as well as a few of my own goals for the year. I also wrap up the Design Fundamentals series and discuss where do you find your connection to trees? We all love them but where do we connect with them? Freedmen's affairs radio This program will focus on political, social and cultural concer...
Jan 18, 2023•38 min•Season 5Ep. 1
Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu In this podcast I discuss the importance of your Bonsai Support Network, how to contribute and build it and why it is so important for you and your bonsai. I also chat about some really important learnings from my Japan saga and how my love of bonsai pots started as well as more Design Fundamentals. That's a wrap on 2022 which was a great year for bonsai and I cannot wait for 2023!! Freedmen's affairs radio This program will focus on political, social and cultural...
Dec 19, 2022•51 min•Season 4Ep. 12
Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu It's Japanese Black Pine decandling time for me so I wanted to talk about why we can use this technique and when you shouldn't more importantly. I also chat about Colour and Space and how I use them in designing bonsai. Then I continue with my journey and evolution in the world of bonsai with my first trip to Japan. There's lots to cover and so much to learn. Just life changing! Freedmen's affairs radio This program will focus on political, social and cultural con...
Dec 09, 2022•1 hr 4 min•Season 4Ep. 11
Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu Movement and Balance in bonsai design are considered by me to be some of the most important design elements and I discuss them in this podcast. I also continue with my journey to Japan where it all began. I still believe it to me an amazing adventure and learning experience that I'm sure you'll enjoy listening to. Freedmen's affairs radio This program will focus on political, social and cultural concerns for descendants of... Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify Supp...
Nov 23, 2022•1 hr 5 min•Season 4Ep. 10
Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu This is an interesting podcast, I start with a bit of history on myself and my bonsai journey, discuss what I call the Good with the Bad and bonsai and also start discussing the Fundamentals of Design and how I see they apply to bonsai. So this podcast is the first of a short series that will expand and grow over the next few podcasts. Freedmen's affairs radio This program will focus on political, social and cultural concerns for descendants of... Listen on: Apple...
Nov 09, 2022•58 min•Season 4Ep. 9
Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu In this podcast, I discuss what I would tell my younger bonsai-self to make my journey far more enjoyable and successful. We all know you cannot put an old head on a young body but it would be nice to provide a shortcut through the bonsai mistakes I made when I was younger. From tools, to stock purchasing, fine tuning my bonsai skill set, bonsai pots, tie down your bonsai and the really big one, the thing I should have been told before being allowed to even touch ...
Oct 31, 2022•45 min•Season 4Ep. 8
Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu For me to be successful with my bonsai, it is very important that my actions are easy, repeatable, measurable, accurate and predictable. This podcast discusses why this is so crucial. Also, does this piece of material have potential? In short, yes. This is an interesting podcast and I chat about my processes and thoughts after repotting has been completed. And it's time to start thinking about chinks in your armour as we head towards Summer. Freedmen's affairs rad...
Sep 27, 2022•43 min•Season 4Ep. 7
Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu Have you thought about your fertilising strategy for every one of your bonsai? This podcast discusses the thinking behind developing this strategy and why it is so important. I also want to acknowledge the owners of highly refined Japanese Maples and all the dedication and time involved in their care, especially at the start of Spring! And have you ever heard about working on your bonsai on the hottest day of the year? So, it's quite common and I give my thoughts ...
Sep 19, 2022•38 min•Season 4Ep. 6
Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu The joy of moving a developing bonsai from a plastic container to a bonsai pot cannot be underestimated! Does it make you actually treat your bonsai differently too? I discuss the 1%ers and how your attachment to a bonsai will make you give it move love. It's nearly the start of Spring in Melbourne, Australia so I cover off on some of the necessary tasks we should all be considering. It's a great episode and I hope you enjoy it! Freedmen's affairs radio This progr...
Aug 31, 2022•35 min•Season 4Ep. 5
Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu When considering your bonsai and you are leaning back, reviewing the design, ask yourself, does it add to the design or distract from it? I chat about pots, branch placement, negative space and other design considerations you need to consider. I also cover the importance of good education and the you don't know what you're not shown. I have found some really interesting facts about an Australian Native species the Eucalyptus. It's an interesting listen and I hope ...
Aug 06, 2022•37 min•Season 4Ep. 4
Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu What a change for Bonsai Matsu! Scott is now a 100% Bonsai Professional and ready to explore the world of bonsai. In this episode I talk about root growth versus water retention and why your ficus needs to change as well as the results you can expect. I also talk about building an apex on your bonsai, repotting season and my continual learnings, pot choice and plenty more. Freedmen's affairs radio This program will focus on political, social and cultural concerns ...
Jul 30, 2022•46 min•Season 4Ep. 3
Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu Autumn is a busy time, with work commencing on Japanese Black Pines and a clean up on deciduous species as well as maintenance work around the yard. It's very easy to get too busy and lose sight of what you enjoy about bonsai. This podcast reminds you to find beauty in the detail and it's the small things that make the biggest difference. Freedmen's affairs radio This program will focus on political, social and cultural concerns for descendants of... Listen on: Ap...
May 08, 2022•40 min•Season 4Ep. 2
Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu Summer has come and gone and Autumn has just started. This is the first podcast for 2022 and I discuss priorities in bonsai. Priority is health, not the design process. When we get busy, focus on the bonsai! Also as Summer comes to conclusion I conduct a review of my practices and whether I have done the right thing. Where have I passed but more importantly where have I failed. What needs to change? What is the Australian Bonsai Style? Does it exist? And why shoul...
Mar 06, 2022•53 min•Season 4Ep. 1
Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu In this episode I let you in a what I think are the two most important learning points are that I've had in developing great bonsai. Also a yearly wrap up review on my thoughts on bonsai in 2021. This year has taught me to think about what matters to me, and bonsai is more important than ever. Freedmen's affairs radio This program will focus on political, social and cultural concerns for descendants of... Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify Support the show Become a...
Dec 22, 2021•48 min•Season 3Ep. 9
Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu Coming towards the end of Spring here in Melbourne, Australia and how best to harness the initial burst of new growth prompted me to focus on the goals I had set for every single one of my bonsai and to not just automatically start tearing into them and pruning wildly. In this podcast I discuss my focus and how I use this to set a bonsai plan for development. I also discuss beauty in bonsai and where we find it. Having a plan to develop the best bonsai in the worl...
Nov 24, 2021•48 min•Season 3Ep. 8
Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu Spring is definitely in the air and our bonsai are loving it! In this podcast I discuss the fear or hesitation of exactly what to do and what the impact of procrastination is on your bonsai. Remember, doing something is far better than doing nothing! I also discuss fertilising approaches to bonsai at different stages and most importantly the correct application of good techniques while always keeping your bonsai's health as your primary focus. There's always lots ...
Oct 06, 2021•43 min•Season 3Ep. 7
Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu I've been thinking a lot lately about bonsai development as I come to the end of my main repotting season. Primarily about how the development of bonsai happens best when they are the strongest and that their strength comes from their roots. So my focus for the last two months has been on ensuring I do the very best I can to ensure my bonsai reach the next stage in their development. In this podcast I go through some of the lessons I've learnt over time and some t...
Aug 26, 2021•58 min•Season 3Ep. 6
Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu In this podcast I chat about refinement work as opposed to the initial development work on a new bonsai. Is Refinement work boring? Sure it's essential but is it satisfying? Also, how do you prevent yourself from changing the development path for your bonsai so they can eventually reach their full potential. So much to discuss... There's an interesting perspective on wiring and how it's used as a badge of honour. Enjoy and Happy Bonsai! Freedmen's affairs radio Th...
Jul 03, 2021•38 min•Season 3Ep. 5
Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu This episode is a bonsai chat between three Australian Bonsai professionals. Sam Thompson who's based in Canberra, Jarryd Bailey (from the last podcast) near Hobart, Tasmania and me in Melbourne, Victoria. We all have different climates and environments we care for our bonsai in so we manage them differently and the timing for key work must happen at different times of the year. So we dig into that a little to give you a new perspective and maybe help provide an i...
Jun 15, 2021•57 min•Season 3Ep. 4
Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu In this podcast I interview Jarryd Bailey from Montane Bonsai based in Tasmania, Australia. We discuss Jarryd's bonsai path as well as the development of his nursery. Yamadori and the use of Australian Native species as bonsai are hot topics. This is a really enjoyable podcast with one of the truly knowledgable and nice blokes of Australian Bonsai. Freedmen's affairs radio This program will focus on political, social and cultural concerns for descendants of... Lis...
May 16, 2021•1 hr•Season 3Ep. 3
Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu The beauty of any artwork is from the perspective of the viewer. In this podcast I discuss the perspective of not just you but other bonsai artists and enthusiasts and how we can use this to not only improve our bonsai but view them differently too, in a positive way. Sometime familiarity with design techniques can lead to simply brushing off an artists work as repetitive but it's not. It simply means the approach to the design process is consistent. I don't think...
Apr 01, 2021•44 min•Season 3Ep. 2
Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu Welcome to 2021 and welcome back to the third season of the Bonsai Stuff Podcast. In this podcast I discuss my processes and thoughts while performing the yearly maintenance on a Shimpaku Juniper. This is a very common species for bonsai and I break down exactly what I do and why. This is like a 'Show and Tell' podcast and you can see the Shimpaku here - https://www.instagram.com/p/CLC39Yzjrf2/?igshid=1hlhrmfmca037 https://www.facebook.com/bonsaimatsu/videos/82397...
Feb 08, 2021•55 min•Season 3Ep. 1
Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu So 2020, what more do we say? It's been a year of learning for me and I break it down for you. I also discuss the issue we all come across eventually, the 1 to 2 Conundrum. Every year the basic guide is 1 branch turns into 2 branches. So the amount of work effectively doubles year on year on year...and do you have the time needed to maintain that many branches? I've got 6 options for you to work through. Record taking for your collection made easy too. What I do a...
Dec 25, 2020•37 min•Season 2Ep. 9
Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu This episode is raw and exposing. Sometimes the best lessons in life are the ones that are learnt the hardest. So as a snapshot for this podcast, I'd been to Japan in 2012 and returned home to practice the skills I'd been taught. Racing in head strong and focusing on the process and not the impact, I paid the price, well the Japanese Black Pine did unfortunately. I don't think there has been another tree that has been more beneficial to my development than this bo...
Oct 23, 2020•44 min•Season 2Ep. 8
Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu What's on the bench this episode is the Scots Pine and how brilliant they are as bonsai. I also chat about the turbulent times in bonsai, jumping from one season to the next and the commitment and maintenance needed. As repotting comes to an end, I always like to reflect on the season that was and look at what was done right and what needs improvement. Bonsai has come a very long way in the last 20 years but is all progress necessary? When should we stop the searc...
Sep 01, 2020•38 min•Season 2Ep. 7
