Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu While this podcast grew from my current work on a large number of pines, it applies to all work you do on your bonsai regardless of the species. I have made a checklist of things to look out for, how to do certain tasks as well as a mindset I use when working on my pines in this late Autumn/early winter period. And watering at this time of the year can be very tricky so I let you know what I am doing and what to look out for. Freedmen's affairs radio This program ...
May 19, 2024•48 min•Season 6Ep. 19
Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu There is one major consideration you must take when working on young stock for the future. I chat about my approach and offer a few tips to make it a little easier in the long run. Also bonsai isn't always about world class trees being on display, most times it's the mundane tasks we must undertake that really make the difference. Things can and do go wrong and it's what you do with at these times that can make a massive difference to the future of your bonsai and...
May 12, 2024•28 min•Season 6Ep. 18
Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu So an idea has grown into reality with the first Annual Olive Bonsai dig hosted by the South Australian Bonsai Society and all the details are in this podcast. What it is, how you can get involved and when. Get your hands on some true, legal Yamadori! If you are interested then you must register your interest via email - secretary.sabonsai@gmail.com Also, I think it's never too late to start something with your bonsai. Now is much better than never. Things to watc...
May 05, 2024•40 min•Season 6Ep. 17
Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu This podcast follows from a recent question at a demonstration/presentation I made and it really was refreshing to go through the process for myself and I think you'll enjoy it too. It provided reminders for me for how I care for my bonsai now and some thing we all need to focus on. It's never too late. Freedmen's affairs radio This program will focus on political, social and cultural concerns for descendants of... Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify Support the sho...
Apr 28, 2024•49 min•Season 6Ep. 16
Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu I love meeting bonsai people! And recently I've been meeting a lot, at the Bonsai Open on the Central Coast and then in Sydney. I talk about how I judge a bonsai and what are the components of the trees that combine to make them a winner. I review the Bonsai Open and the great work that was done up there as well as chat about a demonstration for the Sydney City Bonsai Club that was really interesting. And I talk about what is the foundation of all good bonsai in m...
Apr 21, 2024•33 min•Season 6Ep. 15
Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu How good is bark! It is the one true symbols of age on a tree and it cannot be rushed. I love it and it needs to be protected. I also outline my process for protection techniques for major bending. Serious bends need serious protection to help the tree thrive after the bend is made. And I also cover my approach to deadwood on bonsai and why I am in no rush. Waiting gives a far superior result. Freedmen's affairs radio This program will focus on political, social a...
Apr 14, 2024•32 min•Season 6Ep. 14
Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu CODIT stands for the Compartmentalisation of Decay in Trees and I find it really interesting how this relates to bonsai. It just shows how smart and special trees really are and know this process helps us with wound management and repair. As bonsai lovers we could learn a little from this process too for ourselves... And now is the time (or close to) for deciduous pruning to occur prior to winter dormancy. I chat about the how and why in this timely reminder. Free...
Apr 07, 2024•40 min•Season 6Ep. 13
Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu We are heading towards a significant time for pines and their design and balancing work. Part of this is needle removal and I'll run through the 2 techniques I use and how they apply to various pine species. As a follow on from the previous podcast where I talked about the visual weight of the foliage on your bonsai, I feel it is important to also discuss knowing when it is time to put your scissors down. Overworking your bonsai is a serious issue that affects us ...
Mar 31, 2024•38 min•Season 6Ep. 12
Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu So this is the Bonsai Design podcast. The Visual Weight of your bonsai is a very important consideration when it comes to your design. If it's too big or dominant do you need to change it? And a debate rages on about Bonsai Designs and if bonsai is a static art form. I'll give you my opinion and some more reasons why I love bonsai. When designing your bonsai, I have 4 key factors I like to consider which I'll let you know. Freedmen's affairs radio This program wil...
Mar 24, 2024•39 min•Season 6Ep. 11
Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu Well it's that time of the year again to start the fertilising engine! While the smell of fertiliser may upset your nearest and dearest I guarantee your bonsai will love you for it. I discuss my methods and processes as well as if we should be fertilising Japanese Black Pines at the moment after decandling. Sometimes yes and sometimes no. I also focus in on when is the right time for working on your pines, what are signs we should wait and when can we just get sta...
Mar 17, 2024•34 min•Season 6Ep. 10
Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu Cedars make brilliant bonsai! There is so much to love about them and they should be part of every bonsai enthusiasts collection, no excuses. They have certain requirements and I chat about their characteristics and techniques I use. Then there is the bud conveyor, one of the most important concepts in bonsai and everything we do with our bonsai will be to feed the bud conveyor. I chat about this concept and how we can use it to maintain our bonsai design integrit...
Mar 10, 2024•46 min•Season 6Ep. 9
Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu The love of bonsai is growing worldwide and so too are the online learning platforms. Oscar Jonker is the founder of Bonsai Empire which has become a household name for anyone with an interest in bonsai. But you don't often hear much about Oscar. I was fortunate enough to get to have a personal chat with him about bonsai all around the world, about Bonsai Empire and the piece of the bonsai puzzle that is online learning as well as what the future of bonsai may loo...
Mar 03, 2024•43 min•Season 6Ep. 8
Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu When something goes wrong with your bonsai, you take action. But how do you know if what you have done has worked or if it's getting worse? I've got a process that will help. Also we have a connection with our trees, some more than others and Autumn is on the way, might not always feel like it with the final kick of Summer still in the air but it is. What can you expect, what should you do and what shouldn't you do? I'll chat about it. Freedmen's affairs radio Thi...
Feb 25, 2024•37 min•Season 6Ep. 7
Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu I seriously love bonsai in New Zealand! And what an amazing place too, just so beautiful. Having just returned from a short trip I look back on my experiences, the native stock I came across and the people I met. One of my key objectives is to get and keep people involved with bonsai and to do this it needs to be simple, clear and inclusive. And you will not believe the story about my watering system failure.... Freedmen's affairs radio This program will focus on ...
Feb 18, 2024•35 min•Season 6Ep. 6
Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu How did your bonsai fair over Summer? Now is the time to review. I chat about what to look for and how to strengthen your system to make continual improvements as well as let you know where my system failed. And when working on bonsai, we all have the experience of indecision regarding a tricky section on the tree. I let you know how I manage this and move forward. Also, you know that feeling you get when the plan comes together? That ah-hah moment? I love it and ...
Feb 11, 2024•38 min•Season 6Ep. 5
Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu Our Australian Natives make brilliant bonsai, I've said it before and I will say it again. They need to be a part of your collection without a doubt. I talk about the pruning process I use on them and what to look for to avoid swelling at branch junctions. Figs or ficus are also being worked at the moment. And as I head off to New Zealand for demonstrations and workshops I detail the process I go through in preparing to work on a tree for a demonstration. It is al...
Feb 04, 2024•35 min•Season 6Ep. 4
Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu This is the tree lovers podcast and I like this time of the year to prune my junipers. In this podcast I discuss a technique I use for pad development. It is also a good time to check the wiring on your trees and make sure it isn't causing too much damage, remove it if needed. And if you are going to wire your bonsai please be careful. Mid Summer is a time where you will identify those trees that are struggling and this is normally a signal that they need to be re...
Jan 28, 2024•40 min•Season 6Ep. 3
Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu This episode of the podcast is about my love for Australian Bonsai and Australia and why I honestly believe we have the capability to be the best in the world. And we are well on our way. We have the most incredible native species we can use that are unique and that develop so quickly. Link that with an annual bonsai show called the Bonsai Open that has some serious prize money on offer and it's in our backyard. Freedmen's affairs radio This program will focus on ...
Jan 21, 2024•43 min•Season 6Ep. 2
Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu Welcome to 2024! This is going to be an amazing year for bonsai and it's great to start the year with a review. In the podcast I chat about a collection review as well as a bit of self reflection. Personal skill and technical improvements will make a massive difference to your bonsai. And look at your collection, the good, the bad and the ugly. I discuss why the ugly are so important. There is also a new Bonsai app on the market from Bonsai Empire and I do a revie...
Jan 14, 2024•45 min•Season 6Ep. 1
Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu Well that's 2023 done! What a great year and so much has been covered in the podcast and I go over a few of the important ones as well as throw in another surfing-bonsai connection. Thank you for all of your support and encouragement throughout the year and bring on 2024!! 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 podcast supporter an...
Dec 30, 2023•27 min•Season 5Ep. 47
Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu Well Merry Christmas!!! To help you celebrate Christmas this year I have put together a Decision Making Checklist for working on your bonsai. There are 6 questions I ask myself every time I work on my trees and in this podcast I run through and explain them all. 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 podcast supporter and show the ...
Dec 24, 2023•33 min•Season 5Ep. 46
Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu So you've decandled your Japanese Black Pine, what do I do now? Or more importantly what don't you do. We remove the fertiliser at the time of decandling but when and when does it get reapplied. And while I'm talking about fertilising, some Australian natives have specific requirements and not getting it right can be quite disastrous. A really common species and often seen as one for the beginners is the Ficus. And I love them! They should be for everyone. They ar...
Dec 17, 2023•42 min•Season 5Ep. 45
Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu There is a sad but all too common tale that crops up time and time again. Watering System Failure...I chat about a recent occurrence as well as a success story and a few pieces of advice to help avoid some tears. Decandling season is upon us (well for me anyway) and I have a few technique reminders that should help anyone that is planning on decandling. Remember the 1% does matter. And is it ok to hold off making a change to your bonsai? Sometimes yes it is. I tal...
Dec 10, 2023•35 min•Season 5Ep. 44
Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu Let me tell you why I love Australian Natives as bonsai in conjunction with non native species! They are perfect in so many ways and need to be celebrated. And in Australia we are creating history with our bonsai. We are the foundation for something pretty special and should be very proud too. We all have our own bonsai journey or path we follow and there needs to be a turning point that I call Bonsai Maturity. It's when your perspective changes and it's crucial t...
Dec 03, 2023•44 min•Season 5Ep. 43
Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu With Japanese Black Pine decandling season just around the corner, now is the time to decide IF you are decandling or not. And if you are not, what should you do? Also following on from a recent Intensive weekend, I run through a deadwood creation checklist I use for junipers and I also chat about what my process is if an air layer hasn't produced the results I wanted. So much Bonsai Stuff to talk about... Freedmen's affairs radio This program will focus on politi...
Nov 26, 2023•39 min•Season 5Ep. 42
Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu Every year I pride myself on fine tuning my watering system and I've done it again this year. Although this mod has nothing to do with the watering. A common issue at this time of the year is the yellowing of foliage, in this podcast I may put your mind at ease. And as we edge closer to Summer it's defoliation time for your deciduous that you choose to undertake this task on. There's a few things to be aware of and we'll chat about them too. Freedmen's affairs rad...
Nov 19, 2023•36 min•Season 5Ep. 41
Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu Bonsai Care Guides are like a cheat sheet! But use them with extreme caution, there are always other considerations that you need to make and I run through them in this podcast. I also chat about the design concept of framing and how it is so strong to draw in the viewer's attention to our trees. And what I believe to be the single most important skill we can develop as tree custodians...patience. To allow your bonsai (and you) to reach your full potential with yo...
Nov 12, 2023•34 min•Season 5Ep. 40
Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu We all love to source new stock for our bonsai collections! I chat about a few key elements that need to be first and foremost when you are acquiring new stock that will make your choice a little easier. Also, how do you know what to prune when you have a cluster of growth? Where do you start? I run through a process of elimination I use that makes the task much easier. And there's also a bit of a review of the recent Intensives program and where it really worked....
Nov 05, 2023•34 min•Season 5Ep. 39
Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu It's often difficult to know when is the right time to do that work on your bonsai, is it strong enough? Will I kill it by doing this work now? This is a really common worry and I discuss strategies and what to look for. I also delve into a few histories on some bonsai I've worked with very recently. And I love that this podcast encourages everyone to be passionate about their bonsai!! Our Bonsai Network is so important and I talk about why we need it and how you ...
Oct 29, 2023•37 min•Season 5Ep. 38
Contact Scott from Bonsai Matsu When planning for this podcast and working on bonsai, a common thought kept running through my head. Balance. It's how we reach perfection with our trees. This podcast is pretty much dedicated to that thought and process. I also chat about my new Intensive program and what the idea behind them is and also what to expect. Going to be very exciting! Freedmen's affairs radio This program will focus on political, social and cultural concerns for descendants of... List...
Oct 22, 2023•39 min•Season 5Ep. 37
