Bulging root bound Japanese mapleWell, my dad would be doing back-flips in the
Big Bonsai Land in the Sky. His collection of bonsai trees he left me have been neglected for more than 20 years and have become leggy, mis-shaped and root-bound. Over all these years, they have sat in my backyard surviving only by the miracle of the irrigation system on a timer. I lost a few, but 13 of his plants survived over two decades of neglect.
I have finally met a bonsai-master who committed to helping me re-pot, prune and re-shape (and salvage) these poor trees that my dad pampered and raised from little seedlings, some more than 50 years old.
The bonsai-master is Alvin Lee, a friend of a friend, who I met through my cycling circle of friends. He has been raising bonsai trees for more than 25 years. He and two other members of the local bonsai club -
Bonsai Sekiyu Kai - came over and spent 4 hours showing me how to repot, prune and reshape the plants.
Three big buckets of various sized potting soil were used
Part of the leggy, mis-shaped and root-bound bonsai collection needing help
Bonsai-masters at work - George Sakurai, Ron Krause, and Alvin Lee
First step is to remove the plant from the pot and remove the old soil. Alvin uses an old wooden chop-stick to pick away the soil.
George picks away the soil
After washing away most of the soil, Alvin trims back the roots. The key is to remove the big roots and retain the little ones. The little roots will eventually generate healthy new roots.
The grove of Japanese maples will have to wait until Feb/Mar before it can be safely repotted
New soil placed into pot and tree ready for repotting
Wire is run through the holes in bottom of pot and wrapped tightly around the base of plant to keep it securely in place
Adding soil mix to top of roots
George positioning plant back into pot. Note wires to be wrapped around base of plant.
Pulling the wires around the roots and securing plant into pot
Assembly line going full bore!
Bonsai Masters - Ron Krause, George Sakurai, and Alvin Lee
Finished product - repotted, pruned and looking good
Another repotted pine
Thanks guys! Now, if I can only keep them alive . . .
Robert Mondavi Performing Arts Center
Robert Arneson sculpture on campus
Beautiful naked buckeye (above and below)
The new wine school
Neat little garden at wine school
Lanquid pond at Sac National
The boidin' gang - Jeff, me, Cheryl, Dawn (Kathy in front), Larry, Eric, Scott, and Heather
We meet at the parking lot by the visitor center. While we gather and get ready for the walking tour, we watch literally thousands of snow geese flying overhead.
Neat V-formations of snow geese fly over (above and below)
Quiet ponds on the walking tour
Norther pintails where here by the thousands
Another beautiful pond on the walking tour
There's snow on Snow Mountain. I hiked it last year (see 6/15/08 entry in archives for hike blog entry).
The observation tower at the Refuge. Unfortunately closed to visitors.
Veeery intense viewing searching for the great horned owl. It was well hidden in a willow tree.
You can barely see it with the spotting scope.
Butt Crack Ridge overlooks the Refuge
Snow geese and long-bill dowitchers (in foreground)
Snow geese and Snow Mountain . . . how appropriately named
A couple red-tail hawks
Wheee!! Ducks or mosquitos!!?
The great lift-off . . .snow geese by the thousands
Owl watchers
Mom with yungin'
A tall guy
Bulging root bound Japanese maple
Three big buckets of various sized potting soil were used
Part of the leggy, mis-shaped and root-bound bonsai collection needing help
Bonsai-masters at work - George Sakurai, Ron Krause, and Alvin Lee
First step is to remove the plant from the pot and remove the old soil. Alvin uses an old wooden chop-stick to pick away the soil.
George picks away the soil
After washing away most of the soil, Alvin trims back the roots. The key is to remove the big roots and retain the little ones. The little roots will eventually generate healthy new roots.
The grove of Japanese maples will have to wait until Feb/Mar before it can be safely repotted
New soil placed into pot and tree ready for repotting
Wire is run through the holes in bottom of pot and wrapped tightly around the base of plant to keep it securely in place
Adding soil mix to top of roots
George positioning plant back into pot. Note wires to be wrapped around base of plant.
Pulling the wires around the roots and securing plant into pot
Assembly line going full bore!
Bonsai Masters - Ron Krause, George Sakurai, and Alvin Lee
Finished product - repotted, pruned and looking good
Another repotted pine
Thanks guys! Now, if I can only keep them alive . . .
