Bonsai a Japanese art that enables you to grow trees in small pots and make them look like full-size trees. Although mastering this art requires patience, practice, and dedication, it is easy for beginners. Bjorn Bjorholm, the bonsai artist/educator, is my guest to explain the basics.Bjorn is the proprietor of Eiseien Bonsai Garden located in Mount Juliet (Tennessee), on the east side of Nashville. He was born in Knoxville, Tennessee. After completing a double bachelor’s degree, in Japanese language and business, at the University of Tennessee, he moved to Japan where he completed a six-year apprenticeship at Keiichi Fujikawa’s Fujikawa Kouka–en Nursery in Osaka. Bjorn returned to the United States in September 2018 to open his own nursery. He remained for a few more years as a bonsai expert. In September 2018, Eisei-en officially opened.
Bjorn now offers online and in-person bonsai training. He has a YouTube following with more than 200,000 subscribers. Bjorn claims that Bonsai involves 70 to 80% science, horticulture, and art.
While you are here, I wanted to remind you of a new book, The Vegetable Growing Book: Your Complete Guide to Growing an Ethical Organic Garden from Seed to Harvest. It is full of tips and information that will help improve your gardening skills and overcome challenges.
My new Online Gardening Academy premium course, Organic Plant Gardening, is available for this year. Join the waitlist
How Bjorn Bjorholm became a Bonsai artist
Bjorn was introduced to Bonsai by watching the Karate Kid films in the 1980s. You may recall that Daniel-San’s mentor in karate, Mr. Miyagi was also a bonsai artist and used a bonsai plant for his logo. Bjorn thought the bonsai trees featured in the films looked incredible, so he asked his parents to get one for him for his thirteenth birthday.
He received a Japanese green mound of Juniper from his parents. It was probably already dead when he got it. He recalls that the soil had rocks stuck to it and the little mudmen were underneath. It was brown within two weeks after I placed it on my nightstand. The art was so captivating that I was hooked.
He bought a tree a few weeks later and had 100 plants within six months. Bjorn began to read books about Bonsai while the internet was still a new medium. He was already teaching beginner classes in his parents’ yard by age 15.
When he was 16, Bjorn was invited to participate in a Panasonic cultural exchange program. He spent two weeks in Osaka. His host family took Bjorn to Fujikawa Koukaen Nursery. Fujikawa gave Bjorn a card and told him to provide him with a phone call if he ever needed an apprenticeship.
Bjorn kept that business card all through high school and college. He returned to the nursery when he returned to Japan as a junior in college to finish his language program. Fujikawa didn’t remember Bjorn, and was reluctant to have an American apprentice. So, after returning to the United States, Bjorn sent an email every three to four weeks for months.
Fujikawa believed that Americans didn’t have the work ethic necessary to be his apprentice. He also thought Bjorn’s Japanese language proficiency was not sufficient. But Bjorn persevered and was eventually accepted for a trial period of three months. At 22 years old, he started his apprenticeship within one week after graduating college.
Bjorn was not the first American to study Bonsai in Japan, but he is among a select few Americans and Europeans to have done so. Bill Valavanis was an American who studied in Omiya Bonsai Village, Tokyo. Kathy Shaner was the first non-Japanese woman to be certified by the Nippon Bonsai Association’s professional bonsai grower branch.
Japan’s bonsai season begins in November. Bonsai artists in Japan start prepping in October, and don’t take any breaks for up to four months.
Bjorn says, “We’re talking about 7 in the morning to usually 6, 7, 8, 8 at night depending on the circumstances.” Completing an apprenticeship is nearly impossible if you aren’t fully interested in Bonsai.
Apprentices are typically paid room and board, but not salary. Bjorn had a small apartment five minutes away by bicycle from the nursery. His teacher was known as “oyakata,” which means “parental figure”.
He says, “Basically, you are like an adopted family member.” They cover your medical expenses, your food, and your apartment.
He would set aside a portion of his monthly food budget to go out with his girlfriend, now wife. He could only afford one date per month.
Most apprentices quit when they have opened their nursery. But Bjorn and his wife, who were born in China but moved to Japan at the age of 19, needed more money and were curious if they wanted to return to Japan. Fujikawa agreed to allow him to stay and work longer, but still have the opportunity to travel. He traveled the globe for 250 days per annum over the next three years to attend conventions, visit clubs, and do private work. He was one of a few bonsai professionals who traveled the world, including Mauro Stemberger (the founder of Italian Bonsai Dream).
Bjorn and his wife fled Japan when he was unable to get another visa. They moved to Nashville to start a bonsai garden. He knew the city well from his grandparents’ time there. There would be less competition than the established bonsai nurseries on West Coast.
Bonsai trees for beginners
Bjorn suggests that beginners in Bonsai choose the same conifer species as he had first: Juniperus Procumbens “Nana”, the Japanese green mound Juniper. They are usually sold in 1-gallon pots and can be found in almost every garden center. These can be trimmed into interesting shapes using very little wire.
Japanese maples make a great beginner bonsai. Bjorn states that Japanese maples are very forgiving. They are also slow-growing, so they’re not as hardy as Chinese elms, which means you won’t have to prune them 30 times per growing season. It can be pruned once, once, or twice per growing season, and that’s it for the year.
Although Japanese maples can take some time to grow into beautiful trees, they are one of the most easy to maintain and develop.
Bonsai soil for beginners
A standard potting mixture is recommended for beginners. For soil, beginners should stick with a standard potting mix. The Akadama mix may contain humus, river sand, and kiryu for bonsai farmers.
Although large particles may mean that bonsai trees need to be watered three to four times per day to encourage growth and quench their thirst, this is too much for beginners. The moisture in conventional potting mixes will last longer so you will only need to water once or twice per day in summer and once or two times per week in winter.
A second thing you should know about Akadama is that it can be broken down into smaller pieces after a few seasons. This leaves less space in the growing medium to allow oxygen to penetrate the roots. Akadama of high quality is not overfired, but it’s still high-fired to ensure it doesn’t break down quickly.
Growing Bonsai Trees in Cold and Heat
Climate will play a major role in bonsai care. Zone 7 growers like Bjorn in Nashville can grow a wide variety of bonsai trees. Many trees can withstand temperatures up to 15 degrees Celsius in winter and 90deg in summer. shade cloth will be beneficial to certain species that are high up. In winter, cold frames could be used to protect frost-susceptible plants. In cold weather, Bjorn often moves more fragile trees such as Japanese maples or trident maples into his insulated workshop. A garage that is not heated can be ideal.
Bjorn states that most temperate trees are fine as long as they keep above 20deg in winter and get some afternoon shade on 90deg summer days.
Watering Bonsai
According to Bjorn, watering bonsai plants is the most difficult part.
He recalls that Fujikawa-san, the man who started his apprenticeship — possibly the second or third day I was there — handed me the hose, the watering wand, and said, “This is going to be the most difficult thing throughout your entire apprenticeship.”
Bjorn found it difficult to believe this, but soon realized the complexity of watering Bonsai.
He says that each tree has a unique need every day, which will change depending on the weather. It’s not only that Japanese maples require this; white pines and junipers need it. It’s possible to have 15 junipers next to each other, all of which are cuttings from the same parent tree. However, each one will dry at a different pace during the day.
This could be due either to the plant’s health, such as the presence or absence of fungus in roots.
Bjorn’s nursery houses 500-600 plants, ranging from nursery stock material up to six-figure bonsai tree trees. So you must water them regularly.
