AndrejBonsai

07/06/2026

The full article is now available on my website andrejbonsai.com.

Spring maintenance on junipers.

Clean the tree so you can actually see it.
Remove seeds so it doesn’t waste energy.
Understand where it’s strong and weak.
Then cut with purpose, not guesswork.

Scale junipers need precision to build density.
Needle junipers need stronger cutback to control growth.

Finish by balancing strength, density, and silhouette.

Do it in the right order, and the tree doesn’t just look better, it becomes easier to manage every year.

31/05/2026

Full video is now up on my website: andrejbonsai.com

This Itoigawa juniper belongs to one of my Oyakata’s customers, who asked us to improve the tree.

We started by refining and extending the shari to make it feel more natural and better match the movement of the trunk. After that, we changed the angle and selected a new front to improve the overall composition. Structural cuts helped simplify the tree, and finally we wired it into a completely new design.

23/05/2026

This itoigawa will be featured in next week’s episode.

The tree belongs to a customer who asked us to wire it and improve the shari a bit.

In the video we go step by step through the whole process. Working on the shari, adjusting the front, selecting branches and wiring everything into place.

Full video coming next weekend on andrejbonsai.com

19/05/2026

18/05/2026

Ahojte, radi by sme vás pozvali na bonsajový workshop, ktorý sme pre vás pripravili

Workshop povedie Andrej Dojčinovič, ktorý je momentálne v poslednom, piatom roku svojho učňovského štúdia v japonskej bonsajovej záhrade. V auguste príde na Slovensko a pri tejto príležitosti sme sa rozhodli zorganizovať tento celodenný workshop.

Stretneme sa 22. augusta 2026 od 9:00 v Botanicafe v Košiciach (Mánesova 23). Workshop bude trvať celý deň a zameriame sa na praktickú prácu na Vašich stromoch.

Čo si priniesť:
– vlastný strom, na ktorom budete pracovať
– vlastné náradie a drôty
– dobrú náladu

Počet miest je obmedzený na maximálne 10 účastníkov, aby bol zabezpečený individuálny prístup ku každému.

Cena workshopu je 50 € na osobu.

Rezerváciu na tento workshop si môžete urobiť keď pošlete email na [email protected]. Spätne Vám príde potvrdzujúci email s inštrukciami.

Tešíme sa na vás

Tím Botanicafe a Andrej

17/05/2026

Full article is now available on my website: andrejbonsai.com

From garden bush to bonsai.

In this article, I show the full development of one of my collected yews, focusing on how primary structure is built step by step, before any refinement begins.

This is the practical follow-up to my previous theory article, showing how the right decisions at the right time shape the future of a tree.

15/05/2026

Maintenance and removing some branches from front to open the trunk a bit more.

Still need to take off wires and clean Shari

13/05/2026

Development of a trident maple I call “Mushroom”

First photo shows the tree as it is today and I think the name explains itself. Short, thick, and a bit funny looking. Just like a mushroom.

Second photo is from 2023 when I bought it.

In the third photo, I defoliated most of the foliage so I could clearly see the structure. At that stage, the tree had almost no taper in the middle of the trunk, branches were too long, and growing at poor angles. Overall, not a strong foundation.
So I made a big decision.

Fourth photo shows the cut back to almost nothing.

In the fifth photo, you can see what was left. Only small parts of branches were kept to rebuild the primary structure. This completely changed the proportions and set the tree up to become much more powerful in a smaller size.

Sixth photo shows the strong regrowth. I also left one sacrifice shoot at the apex to help heal the large cut where half of the trunk was removed.

Seventh photo is after setting the secondary structure, and from there it develops into the tree you see in the first photo.

I made many mistakes on this tree, but that’s exactly why it’s so important to me. Rebuilding it from a weak, tall tree into a compact chuhin taught me a lot about developing deciduous bonsai.

If you want to learn everything I know, you can join my learning platform at andrejbonsai.com

10/05/2026

Full article available now on my website: andrejbonsai.com

Building structure vs refinement.

One of the biggest mistakes in bonsai is starting refinement too early. A tree can look detailed and “finished”, but without a strong foundation, it will never feel natural.

In this article, I explain why structure always comes first, and how doing the right work at the right time changes everything in bonsai development.

08/05/2026

Balance on this juniper was quite off.

The main branch had become very weak, while the rest of the tree kept pushing strong growth. If you leave that unchecked, the imbalance only gets worse over time.

So I made a decision that might seem harsh at first. I cut back the stronger branches quite a lot, reducing overall density and slowing them down. At the same time, I didn’t touch the main branch at all.

The goal is simple: shift the energy back where it’s needed.

Now the tree has space to breathe, light can reach deeper, and most importantly, the main branch has a chance to recover and regain strength.

Sometimes improving a bonsai is not about adding more, but about removing the right things at the right time.