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 Four seasons of Shohin-bonsai
Blog by Morten Albek
Regularly notes will be published here about small and large events in my bonsai garden of Shohin-bonsai throughout
the year.
 2007
April 26
Warm spring and friendship through bonsai
The friendship between bonsai enthusiasts are as important for me as the bonsai art it self. Today I was paid a visit by a Danish bonsai friend, for a peaceful and enjoyable bonsai talk. As you can see at the pictures below Erling
Klysner had some serious thoughts about the possible design of one of my Yamadori Shohin Pines. The tree is still in very early stages. It is the fourth season after collecting from the mountains, and it has just been repotted into a small container. Depending on the growth I will start the styling in a year or two. The present wire you
may notice is for a slight adjustment of the main branch begun last year. It is to early to make any further styling now, to secure the health of this tree. 
Erling Klysner 
April 6
Springtime
New leaves are opening for the coming season. If you haven’t wired during the winter or earlier spring it is now the time to wire deciduous trees, before the buds open and develop new leafs. When wired, keep an eye on the branches
when the leaves develop. Young branches may need the wire removed after a few weeks, because the branches swells when leafs unfolds and the water takes up more water than during the winter.
Thicker and especially older branches need the wire on for a longer time, before they will be in position when the wire is removed.
Wiring branches with leaves already fully developed the risk for damaging the fragile leaves is greater, so be careful if this is necessary.
Japanese maple, Acer palmatum
Prunus incisa `Kojou-no-mai`
Molinia caerulea `Variefata`
Hawthorn, Crataegus laevigata
March 26
Its springtime and time to repot
 The first trees are already repotted due to the very warm and early spring that has taken place this year.
Take care though to protect recently repotted trees against frosty nights, because frost may kill new tender roots.
This season I have bought some new pots for some trees. The pot is very important to the expression of the tree, and dealing with Shohin-bonsai makes it even more important. The small trees displayed together makes it
possible to use much more colourful pots than compared with larger bonsai. The smaller pots tones down the bright or shiny colours of the pots, especially when these are set up in combination with other trees at the display table.
When preparing Shohin for a show i.e. pots are sometimes replaced for specific trees. The original pot is measured with a measuring tape, to see if the new pot will fit. Roots are not pruned or only pruned ver lightly to fit
the pot, but often the tree is simply moved to a pot that fits with the other trees wanted for the display.
February 26 Spring has started – nearly
 The unusual mild winter weather at this latitude makes the growing season expand. Already a month before usual business some trees are showing well developed buds, which nearly open and unfold the new leaves for the season to come.
At this moment temperatures are around five to ten degrees Celsius in daytime and near zero degrees or warmer some nights. The mild winter obviously makes the trees start the active growth much earlier than expected. It is good for the growing of bonsai, allthough not good
and worrying when it is caused by global warming. Nevertheless we have to take care of our bonsai, and protect them against late frosts in spring, because this can be harmful for the development of flowers i.e.
If the mild weather continuous without sudden disturbing dropping temperatures, the growth will be good this year. It makes it difficult though to time the flowering i.e. for exhibitions, but nature decides how it will turn out.
 Today I finished the job correcting small details on my Mame Shinpaku Juniper (9cm heigh) that is now repotted.
A lower branch was turned into a jin because I find the foliage was two unstructured. I wanted a simpler image, and now I am waiting for the canopy to fill in more, especially at the left side. It will probably take another two years to accomplish this task.
Shinpaku juniper - Juniperus chinensis Shinpaku
Pre-bonsai from the nursery of Saburo Kato, Mansei-en, Japan. In my training since 2005. Age app. 1995.
Height of tree: 9 cm. Pot: Bigei - Tokoname.
February 21 Spring comes closer. It is time to repot some trees, as spring is coming closer. Still frosty nights may occur, and
if so the trees must be protected against frosts to avoid root damage. A new pot has been chosen for a Mame-bonsai, Shinpaku Juniper. The pot is made by Bigei - Yokoname. I will follow up on the repotting and
small improvements on the tree in a few days.  
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