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My name is Eric. I’m a dork who loves bonsai…
by Eric SchraderDo what Jim said…
Apr 19th: If there is one thing that stuck in my mind from the Yamadori-style juniper workshop that Jim Gremel provided for our April general meeting it's this quote: "one experiment is worth a thousand opinions." Of course this is nothing new to many people; you can poll all the bonsai experts in the world and get little consensus on what the best way is to grow a bonsai, fertilize, collect, or water for that matter... read more »
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by Eric SchraderThe problem with root aphids.
Feb 8th: When you pull a tree out of a pot to work on the roots, or to transplant it into another pot people often see a white fuzz and assume that they have beneficial mycorrhizal fungi. But without looking closely you are just as likely to have an infestation of Root aphids.
Root aphids are just like aphids that feed on the top of the plant except that they are white and leave a network of fuzzy white stuff in the middle of your roots... read more »
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by Eric SchraderA few new images of my trees
Aug 10th: Sometimes I berate myself for not taking more photos of my trees. Mostly it is the photos before I started working on them that I miss, I remember the trees vaguely, but I always seem to forget to take a photo before any styling has happened. It is only once I see that the tree will be something that I like that I start taking photos.
I've actually started taking photos professionally again which is something that I hadn't been doing for the last three years... read more »
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by Eric SchraderBonsai is work, don’t fool yourself
Aug 9th: If you really want your bonsai to be great you will have to do one thing: work. Bonsai takes time, not just waiting time, but working time. When a tree puts on new growth it is time to get out the wire and scissors and harness that growth to further your artistic goals.
Work comes in many forms where bonsai is concerned: repotting, pinching, trimming, wiring, unwiring, styling, bending, cleaning, fertilizing, watering, transporting and probably ten more things... read more »
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by Eric SchraderStop Accumulating, Start Growing
Apr 23rd: It is a common theme heard among bonsai enthusiasts that they already have too many trees to take care of and not enough time. There is something in bonsai that makes it like collecting baubles or trinkets. People think, maybe I need a Crabapple, I don't have one in my collection, or "I need a cascade style tree." Before long our yards are filled with material and we start selling the trees that we don't like to make some room... read more »
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by Eric SchraderThe Story of Two Show Trees
Jan 21st: This year I had two trees in the Bay Island Bonsai exhibit and in each case a lot of work and time went into getting the trees to show quality. But the trees are only one part of the story.
Four years ago, only about a month after I had become president of the Bonsai Society of San Francisco, club members went on a collecting trip to Tiburon where an old Japanese Garden was being removed to make way for a large house and swimming pool... read more »
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by Eric SchraderMaintenance versus Show Prep
Nov 24th: I've been working on pine trees more and more in the last few years and after four years of care I finally have one tree that I have shown and now will be setting aside for a year for the sake of improving the tree further. Once a tree becomes refined enough to have a full canopy refinement doesn't stop. But if the canopy is allowed to remain full with no light penetrating to the interior and lower buds then the refinement will not progress but rather regress... read more »
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by Eric SchraderAn excellent article…
Oct 5th: I was looking around on the internet when I found an article like no other that I have ever seen...I highly recommend that you all read it despite the length:
Aims in Bonsai: A Psychological Perspective
Here is an excerpt; please click the link for the entire article:
Why do some trees in the wild look like bonsai?
I think there is often perhaps some confusion between the object (the tree) and the subject (our ideas concerning trees)... read more »
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by Eric SchraderOak Fungicide?
Oct 5th: I wrote about this last summer, because I have an annual battle against powdery mildew on maples and oaks in my yard. But I just wanted to update everyone since I have found that milk did more to attract yellowjackets than it did to deter powdery mildew. I was interested to find that it did make the leaves take on a nice sheen but otherwise didn't really slow down the spread of powdery mildew. This year I started using neem oil instead and I have had much better results... read more »
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by Lawrence LeClaireFog City Bonsai August 2007 Issue
Aug 2nd: Here is your online version of Fog City Bonsai for August 2007.
This issue features:
July Meeting Notes - Suiseki: A Skyline of Small Mountains
August Meeting Announcement - Tim Kong and Ficus
July Field Trip to Sonoma County
Pine Pitch Canker - What it means to me - Eric Schrader
Pieces of Bonsai - Sharp Tools and Bonsai Cuts - John Boyce
From the Prez - John Edwards
Upcoming Events, Meetings, and Announcements
Your Late Summer Bonsai Care Calendar BSSF
Download Fog City Bonsai August 2007 (5MB) read more »
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