Zen is not some kind of emotion, but concentration on our usual daily routine.” (Shunryu Suzuki) The relationship between spirituality and Japanese bonsai culture is rooted in the deep cultural connection that the Japanese have with nature and in certain philosophical principles that influence the practice of bonsai: Wabi-sabi: The concept of wabi-sabi, fundamental…
“Let your food be your medicine , and let your medicine be your food.” Hippocrates For the good growth of our bonsai we need (in order of importance): the right temperature (for most trees the optimum is between 15ºC and 25ºC), adequate lighting (between 43,200-108,000 lux for evergreen trees and between 27,000-81,000 lux for…
According to Tatemori Gondo, the cultivation of Satsuki azaleas was not allowed to common people in Japan until the Edo period, 1603-1867. At first they were cultivated only for their flowers, in their natural style, until the availability of wire during the Taisho period, 1912-1926, allowed their formation in any style. The most common style…
A bonsai is a wonderful factory for the production of sugars, which serve both as an energy source and as building blocks to grow new tissues. As in any factory, its production capacity is equal to the production capacity of the least productive element of the assembly line, which is the limiting element. For example,…
In my last letter I committed the imprudence of promising an article about the fertilization of bonsai. In order to center the shot I asked Professor Google in Spanish about “bonsai fertilization”: 63,100 results. In case they were insufficient I searched in English “bonsai fertilization”: 273,000 results. Decidedly the world of bonsai does not need…
When people find out that I grow bonsai they often respond: “Bonsai trees are very weak, I got an indoor bonsai once; and it died to me. ” No, bonsai are not that weak, they try to cling to life with all their strength. If we help them they will reward our care by showing…
As many bonsai fans I love to make trees from seed, in fact at Hatoen we do it professionally in order to facilitate the access to trees at reasonable price that allow our customers to carry out their projects. When you start the project of a tree you have to take into account what you…
Plants produce by photosynthesis the carbohydrates they (and the animals that depend on them) need, from solar energy and atmospheric carbon dioxide (C02). C02 is absorbed by plants, and stored in the form of organic matter (biomass-wood). The cycle is completed when C02 returns to the atmosphere by the respiration of animals and plants, or…
Our nursery has a typical continental climate, with cold winters and hot summers. In January, the average minimum temperature is 0,0° C; in July and August the average maximum temperatures of 32.2 ° C. The annual rainfall is 447.0 mm and is usually about five days of snow on average per year. This climate hardens our…
During the month of December 2015 the bonsai master Pablo Comesaña (Tarde Ou Cedo) spent a few days in our facilities, allowing us to enjoy his always friendly personality and learn a lot of his technical mastery.