The kind folks at the local Fox news affiliate here in DC stopped by and did a little report on the Fall Bonsai Exhibit. I tried to embed the video in this post but was unable to figure out how. You’ll have to click here to watch it. Hope you enjoy it.

Fagus Sylvatica display

Upon return home from Australia I discovered that we did not have our typical brilliant autumn colors upstate New York is famous for. The colors were beautiful, but not like in the past years. In fact, many of my deciduous bonsai still have green leaves, even though it snowed a couple of time. Yes, I’ve had shoveled too.

There are several factors which affect the coloring of deciduous bonsai foliage in autumn. Of course the reduced daylight actually triggers the onset of dormancy. I’ve watched as it actually noticeable in late July. The daylight gets shorter each day and the foliage changes from a bright green to dull green.

In addition to the reduced daylight, I’ve learned that watering and feeding the bonsai will greatly affect the autumn coloring. If a bonsai is stressed by not providing adequate water, especially in late summer, the colors often are…

My Raft is a lovey red in it’s autumn colour.

I don’t recall this tree going just as red as this last year!

The leaf size is coming down nicely, coming along Peter?

I’ll start with a couple caveats: I’m not the pots expert…studying, yes, but no hopes to be the savant who proofed this post before it landed; thanks again Ryan Bell, for your expertise and continued research. This is an aggregation of what I’ve found out there, because I like Koyo pots.

I believe Koyo pots will become more collectible as his production wanes, although he has been a prolific potter, so the scarcity isn’t the same as Tofukuji’s work.

First, a bio from Potterie Du Monde.

“Born Aiba Kouichirou, July 26, 1944
He opened his kiln, known as ‘the garden pottery Kouyou’ in 1970. Thereafter, in 1972 he won an award in the technical section and design during the first organization in the prize * Chouza. He also won in 1981, the prize of encouragement during the first design competition.

He shows his work focuses not only around the…

October 31 – November 3, 2013

Marriott Convention Center, Burbank, California

Before returning home from my successful teaching tour throughout Australia, I stopped in California for the 36th annual convention of the Golden State Bonsai Federation, one of the best in the United States. Many old friends were met and surprised to see me here, especially in a boot cast and on my scooter for my sixth broken foot. I told them, just think what I cold have done if both my feet were not broken!

The convention started on Halloween and there was a special “Halloween Costume Bus Tour Party” in Hollywood passing many historic movie/TV studios while watching thousands of Californians enjoying the holiday, in all types of costumes. Some were traditional, many were unusual while most were exotic and revealing. Everyone in our group dressed up and we all had…

Here’s one for the nerds of bonsai—‘How to create an apex’ is unlikely to raise the ardor of those with a passing interest in bonsai. But hopefully those who are dangerously close to being nuts about bonsai will appreciate the following photos:

Next Post: Photos from my teaching trip to Johannesburg, South Africa!