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My name is Eric. I’m a dork who loves bonsai…
by Eric SchraderIt was a great show…
Mar 20th: I have to say that I enjoyed myself greatly while in attendance at the show, both during setup and while the exhibit was open. This was the first year that I was able to spend a lot of time there because my work had previously prevented it. I did five demonstrations on the stage in the exhibit...and the most often asked question was: "do you have to prune the roots?" followed closely by "do they have to be kept outside... read more »
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by Eric SchraderSeeds
Mar 7th: Well, it's that time of year again -time to start some seeds. I actually think that I should have started a month ago. Oh well, the trees will just be a little smaller. On the left is a bag of Japanese Black Pine seeds and on the right is a bag of Green Atlas Cedar seeds. I've never started either from seed, but last year I started a California native pine, the Knobcone, from seed as well as about 50 oaks... read more »
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Tag: seed | 2 Comments »
by Eric SchraderFertilizer Balls
Mar 3rd: I made my own fertilizer balls out of a mixture of Alfalfa meal, bone meal and fish emulsion over the winter. They look like little hay bales after I chopped them up and dried them. They don't smell too bad, as I had heard that most home-made ones do, but with all of the heavy rain that we are having they are quickly disintegrating.
I hadn't put out too many before the last round of storms, but with new spring growth on almost all of my trees now I couldn't wait any longer... read more »
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by Eric SchraderWinter then spring…
Feb 22nd: Winter is always a time of some trepidation for me. I have this tendancy to think that all my trees have died. Well, at least some of them. After repotting and root work it is always a relief to see the buds opening and the new foliage emerge. This past fall I repotted a pine tree that is about 120 years old, originally imported from Japan for the 1915 Pan Exposition here in San Francisco. I bought it from a gentleman who's grandmother had purchased it there... read more »
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by Eric SchraderHiking around California
Jan 31st: I have been going to the gym all winter in preparation for the coming hiking season. In the past I have managed to go on a few short hiking trips each spring or summer. These serve as inspiration for bonsai styling since I try to go places where I think that I will encounter high mountian trees or other interesting specimens.
If anyone from the club is interested in going please let me know. I would love to bounce destination ideas off people and I think it would be fun to have a group of more than two people on a hike... read more »
Posted in Hiking & Nature, Observations |
Tags: Hiking, Junipers, Wilderness | No Comments »
by Eric SchraderRain Rain Go Away…
Dec 28th: I'm stuck sitting inside gazing out at my trees instead of going out there to enjoy the fresh air and winter silhouettes. And...I'm worried about all this rain causing root rot on some of my less healthy trees. I tilted a couple of pots up so the bottom is sloped, but with all this rain I'm not sure that it will be enough. And as I sit here typing, the sun is peaking through for a moment. Storm breaks bring beautiful lighting sometimes... read more »
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