Bonsai Stuff

In this podcast, I discuss what I would tell my younger bonsai-self to make my journey far more enjoyable and successful. We all know you cannot put an old head on a young body but it would be nice to provide a shortcut through the bonsai mistakes I made when I was younger. From tools, to stock purchasing, fine tuning my bonsai skill set, bonsai pots, tie down your bonsai and the really big one, the thing I should have been told before being allowed to even touch a bonsai...Support the showBecome a podcast supporter and show the Bonsai Love (it's really appreciated) ❤️https://www.buzzsprout.com/263290/supportWhere to find Bonsai Matsu:InstagramFacebookYouTube Web

For me to be successful with my bonsai, it is very important that my actions are easy, repeatable, measurable, accurate and predictable. This podcast discusses why this is so crucial. Also, does this piece of material have potential? In short, yes. This is an interesting podcast and I chat about my processes and thoughts after repotting has been completed. And it's time to start thinking about chinks in your armour as we head towards Summer. Support the showBecome a podcast supporter and show the Bonsai Love (it's really appreciated) ❤️https://www.buzzsprout.com/263290/supportWhere to find Bonsai Matsu:InstagramFacebookYouTube Web

Have you thought about your fertilising strategy for every one of your bonsai? This podcast discusses the thinking behind developing this strategy and why it is so important. I also want to acknowledge the owners of highly refined Japanese Maples and all the dedication and time involved in their care, especially at the start of Spring! And have you ever heard about working on your bonsai on the hottest day of the year? So, it's quite common and I give my thoughts on the timing. I hope you enjoy the podcast and it provides another link in the chain to brilliant bonsai for us all.Support the showBecome a podcast supporter and show the Bonsai Love (it's really appreciated) ❤️https://www.buzzsprout.com/263290/supportWhere to find Bonsai Matsu:InstagramFacebookYouTube Web

The joy of moving a developing bonsai from a plastic container to a bonsai pot cannot be underestimated! Does it make you actually treat your bonsai differently too? I discuss the 1%ers and how your attachment to a bonsai will make you give it move love. It's nearly the start of Spring in Melbourne, Australia so I cover off on some of the necessary tasks we should all be considering. It's a great episode and I hope you enjoy it!Support the showBecome a podcast supporter and show the Bonsai Love (it's really appreciated) ❤️https://www.buzzsprout.com/263290/supportWhere to find Bonsai Matsu:InstagramFacebookYouTube Web

When considering your bonsai and you are leaning back, reviewing the design, ask yourself, does it add to the design or distract from it? I chat about pots, branch placement, negative space and other design considerations you need to consider. I also cover the importance of good education and the you don't know what you're not shown. I have  found some really interesting facts about an Australian Native species the Eucalyptus. It's an interesting listen and I hope you enjoy it!Support the showBecome a podcast supporter and show the Bonsai Love (it's really appreciated) ❤️https://www.buzzsprout.com/263290/supportWhere to find Bonsai Matsu:InstagramFacebookYouTube Web

What a change for Bonsai Matsu! Scott is now a 100% Bonsai Professional and ready to explore the world of bonsai. In this episode I talk about root growth versus water retention and why your ficus needs to change as well as the results you can expect. I also talk about building an apex on your bonsai, repotting season and my continual learnings, pot choice and plenty more.Support the showBecome a podcast supporter and show the Bonsai Love (it's really appreciated) ❤️https://www.buzzsprout.com/263290/supportWhere to find Bonsai Matsu:InstagramFacebookYouTube Web

Autumn is a busy time, with work commencing on Japanese Black Pines and a clean up on deciduous species as well as maintenance work around the yard. It's very easy to get too busy and lose sight of what you enjoy about bonsai. This podcast reminds you to find beauty in the detail and it's the small things that make the biggest difference. Support the showBecome a podcast supporter and show the Bonsai Love (it's really appreciated) ❤️https://www.buzzsprout.com/263290/supportWhere to find Bonsai Matsu:InstagramFacebookYouTube Web

Summer has come and gone and Autumn has just started. This is the first podcast for 2022 and I discuss priorities in bonsai. Priority is health, not the design process. When we get busy, focus on the bonsai! Also as Summer comes to conclusion I conduct a review of my practices and whether I have done the right thing. Where have I passed but more importantly where have I failed. What needs to change?What is the Australian Bonsai Style? Does it exist? And why should we use natives for bonsai, will this mean not keeping exotics? It's an interesting point that should be considered by all bonsai lovers. It's great to be back and 2022 is going to be a brilliant bonsai year. Enjoy the podcast.Support the showBecome a podcast supporter and show the Bonsai Love (it's really appreciated) ❤️https://www.buzzsprout.com/263290/supportWhere to find Bonsai Matsu:InstagramFacebookYouTube Web

In this episode I let you in a what I think are the two most important learning points are that I've had in developing great bonsai. Also a yearly wrap up review on my thoughts on bonsai in 2021. This year has taught me to think about what matters to me, and bonsai is more important than ever. Support the showBecome a podcast supporter and show the Bonsai Love (it's really appreciated) ❤️https://www.buzzsprout.com/263290/supportWhere to find Bonsai Matsu:InstagramFacebookYouTube Web

Coming towards the end of Spring here in Melbourne, Australia and how best to harness the initial burst of new growth prompted me to focus on the goals I had set for every single one of my bonsai and to not just automatically start tearing into them and pruning wildly. In this podcast I discuss my focus and how I use this to set a bonsai plan for development. I also discuss beauty in bonsai and where we find it. Having a plan to develop the best bonsai in the world is a good start for any bonsai!Support the showBecome a podcast supporter and show the Bonsai Love (it's really appreciated) ❤️https://www.buzzsprout.com/263290/supportWhere to find Bonsai Matsu:InstagramFacebookYouTube Web

Spring is definitely in the air and our bonsai are loving it! In this podcast I discuss the fear or hesitation of exactly what to do and what the impact of procrastination is on your bonsai. Remember, doing something is far better than doing nothing! I also discuss fertilising approaches to bonsai at different stages and most importantly the correct application of good techniques while always keeping your bonsai's health as your primary focus. There's always lots to do with bonsai in Spring and one of the most important is watering. I chat about a technique I called particle loading which sould be interesting. Enjoy and happy bonsai!Support the showBecome a podcast supporter and show the Bonsai Love (it's really appreciated) ❤️https://www.buzzsprout.com/263290/supportWhere to find Bonsai Matsu:InstagramFacebookYouTube Web

I've been thinking a lot lately about bonsai development as I come to the end of my main repotting season. Primarily about how the development of bonsai happens best when they are the strongest and that their strength comes from their roots. So my focus for the last two months has been on ensuring I do the very best I can to ensure my bonsai reach the next stage in their development. In this podcast I go through some of the lessons I've learnt over time and some that I'm still learning. I also chat about 'Forced Resdesigns' and how you can manage that and yourself through the process. I hope you enjoy and Happy Bonsai!!Support the showBecome a podcast supporter and show the Bonsai Love (it's really appreciated) ❤️https://www.buzzsprout.com/263290/supportWhere to find Bonsai Matsu:InstagramFacebookYouTube Web

In this podcast I chat about refinement work as opposed to the initial development work on a new bonsai. Is Refinement work boring? Sure it's essential but is it satisfying? Also, how do you prevent yourself from changing the development path for your bonsai so they can eventually reach their full potential. So much to discuss... There's an interesting perspective on wiring and how it's used as a badge of honour. Enjoy and Happy Bonsai!Support the showBecome a podcast supporter and show the Bonsai Love (it's really appreciated) ❤️https://www.buzzsprout.com/263290/supportWhere to find Bonsai Matsu:InstagramFacebookYouTube Web

This episode is a bonsai chat between three Australian Bonsai professionals. Sam Thompson who's based in Canberra, Jarryd Bailey (from the last podcast) near Hobart, Tasmania and me in Melbourne, Victoria. We all have different climates and environments we care for our bonsai in so we manage them differently and the timing for key work must happen at different times of the year. So we dig into that a little to give you a new perspective and maybe help provide an insight as to why. It's a freindly, interesting podcast that I'm sure you will enjoy!Support the showBecome a podcast supporter and show the Bonsai Love (it's really appreciated) ❤️https://www.buzzsprout.com/263290/supportWhere to find Bonsai Matsu:InstagramFacebookYouTube Web

In this podcast I interview Jarryd Bailey from Montane Bonsai  based in Tasmania, Australia. We discuss Jarryd's bonsai path as well as the development of his nursery. Yamadori and the use of Australian Native species as bonsai are hot topics. This is a really enjoyable podcast with one of the truly knowledgable and nice blokes of Australian Bonsai.Support the showBecome a podcast supporter and show the Bonsai Love (it's really appreciated) ❤️https://www.buzzsprout.com/263290/supportWhere to find Bonsai Matsu:InstagramFacebookYouTube Web

The beauty of any artwork is from the perspective of the viewer. In this podcast I discuss the  perspective of not just you but other bonsai artists and enthusiasts and how we can use this to not only improve our bonsai but view them differently too, in a positive way. Sometime familiarity with design techniques can lead to simply brushing off an artists work as repetitive but it's not. It simply means the approach to the design process is consistent. I don't think there is a right or wrong, just a different perspective. BUT, when it comes to design and horticultural principles, horticulture always wins. Enjoy the podcast!Support the showBecome a podcast supporter and show the Bonsai Love (it's really appreciated) ❤️https://www.buzzsprout.com/263290/supportWhere to find Bonsai Matsu:InstagramFacebookYouTube Web

Welcome to 2021 and welcome back to the third season of the Bonsai Stuff Podcast. In this podcast I discuss my processes and thoughts while performing the yearly maintenance on a Shimpaku Juniper. This is a very common species for bonsai and I break down exactly what I do and why.  This is like a 'Show and Tell' podcast and you can see the Shimpaku here -https://www.instagram.com/p/CLC39Yzjrf2/?igshid=1hlhrmfmca037https://www.facebook.com/bonsaimatsu/videos/823975471514459Support the showBecome a podcast supporter and show the Bonsai Love (it's really appreciated) ❤️https://www.buzzsprout.com/263290/supportWhere to find Bonsai Matsu:InstagramFacebookYouTube Web

So 2020, what more do we say? It's been a year of learning for me and I break it down for you. I also discuss the issue we all come across eventually, the 1 to 2 Conundrum. Every year the basic guide is 1 branch turns into 2 branches. So the amount of work effectively doubles year on year on year...and do you have the time needed to maintain that many branches? I've got 6 options for you to work through.Record taking for your collection made easy too. What I do and why it works and how it helps with my styling choices. And I work through my plans right now and where my focus is.Finally, my New Year's resolution! Bring on 2021.Support the showBecome a podcast supporter and show the Bonsai Love (it's really appreciated) ❤️https://www.buzzsprout.com/263290/supportWhere to find Bonsai Matsu:InstagramFacebookYouTube Web

This episode is raw and exposing. Sometimes the best lessons in life are the ones that are learnt the hardest. So as a snapshot for this podcast, I'd been to Japan in 2012 and returned home to practice the skills I'd been taught. Racing in head strong and focusing on the process and not the impact, I paid the price, well the Japanese Black Pine did unfortunately. I don't think there has been another tree that has been more beneficial to my development than this bonsai. Taking it to the brink and bringing it back over and over and over has reinforced the need for determined patience and perfect application of good techniques. Any way, this is me, exposed and vulnerable and just like everyone else that love bonsai. Enjoy!Support the showBecome a podcast supporter and show the Bonsai Love (it's really appreciated) ❤️https://www.buzzsprout.com/263290/supportWhere to find Bonsai Matsu:InstagramFacebookYouTube Web

What's on the bench this episode is the Scots Pine and how brilliant they are as bonsai. I also chat about the turbulent times in bonsai, jumping from one season to the next and the commitment and maintenance needed. As repotting comes to an end, I always like to reflect on the season that was and look at what was done right and what needs improvement. Bonsai has come a very long way in the last 20 years but is all progress necessary? When should we stop the search? Can we be better? The thought of 'Is Progress Negative?' is discussed too. Enjoy the podcast and thanks again!Support the showBecome a podcast supporter and show the Bonsai Love (it's really appreciated) ❤️https://www.buzzsprout.com/263290/supportWhere to find Bonsai Matsu:InstagramFacebookYouTube Web