A Kentucky Scots Pine and the Hands That Shaped It
I bought this Scots pine from Tommy McCurry as rough stock. Akio Kondo set its bones, Peter Tea and I refined it, and after the ABS/BCI convention it…
Matsu Bonsai · Louisville, Kentucky
Rooted in tradition, growing with purpose.
Honoring the art of bonsai through mindful cultivation, inspired design, and shared wisdom. Whether you’re a beginner or a show artist, we’re here to guide your journey.
Read the tree
Tap a numbered marker to learn what you’re looking at.
Candle
The new growth extension of a pine, a vertical shoot covered in tightly packed, emerging needles. Its length and strength compared to others on the same tree is the primary diagnostic tool in black pine development.
Pad
A mass of foliage and fine branching that reads as a single design unit within the silhouette. Pad shape is refined late, after the branch structure beneath it is set.
Ramification
The progressive division of branches into finer sub-branches. In black pine it is built through repeated cycles of candle work and needle pulling over many seasons.
Nebari
The surface root spread at the base of the trunk. Good nebari, wide, radial, and gradually tapering, is a development priority from the earliest stages.
Japanese black pine, Pinus thunbergii.
This season at the bench · Japanese black pine
The tree’s signal leads. The date follows.
Calibrated for USDA Zones 6–7. If your spring comes earlier or later, shift the whole calendar with it.
Bud and nebari grafting
Signal
Scion dormant; stock’s buds swelling, before candles extend
Zone 6–7 check
Late winter into early spring
Repotting
Signal
Bud swell
Zone 6–7 check
Late February to early March
Winter protection comes off
Signal
A gradual transition as buds swell
Zone 6–7 check
Around bud swell
Systemic insecticide
Signal
New growth beginning
Zone 6–7 check
With the first feeding
Fertilizer: build
Signal
The tree is running; 4–8 weeks after a repot
Zone 6–7 check
From mid-March, every 2–4 weeks
No wiring
Signal
Candles and needles still soft
Zone 6–7 check
All spring
Fertilizer: stop
Signal
30 days before the planned cut
Zone 6–7 check
About mid-May
Decandling, with needle balancing
Signal
New needles at roughly half the length of last year’s
Zone 6–7 check
Mid-June to early July
Show-balanced cut
Signal
Only if the tree will be shown; decided at this cut
Zone 6–7 check
Same session
Second flush: reduce each bud cluster to two
Signal
Buds visible at the cut
Zone 6–7 check
6–8 weeks after the cut
Needle pulling for light
Signal
Second flush hardened
Zone 6–7 check
Late summer
Wiring window opens
Signal
Growth hardened, candles set
Zone 6–7 check
Late summer, through dormancy
Fungicide rotation
Signal
Needle cast infection window; spray around rain
Zone 6–7 check
Late summer and autumn
Autumn needle work on a show tree
Signal
Second flush hardened
Zone 6–7 check
Before the show
Fertilizer: taper and stop
Signal
Before dormancy
Zone 6–7 check
Through autumn
Soji, the seasonal cleanup
Signal
Fertilizer debris and overwintering pests to clear
Zone 6–7 check
Late autumn or early winter
Winter protection goes on
Signal
Fully dormant, after a run of hard frosts
Zone 6–7 check
I protect around 28°F
Wiring continues
Signal
Dormant
Zone 6–7 check
Through dormancy
Water under cover; ventilate on bright days
Signal
Soil dry; closed structure heating in sun
Zone 6–7 check
Through winter
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Our mission
“We believe in the quiet power of trees to teach patience, balance, and beauty.”
At Matsu Bonsai, our mission is to honor the timeless tradition of bonsai through thoughtful cultivation, education, and design.
Crafted foundations
From jitas to hand-built stands, our pieces are made to elevate your trees and your practice. Rooted in tradition, built to last.
Inspired materials
We grow and offer quality pre-bonsai stock: pine, juniper, and maple, each selected for its potential and beauty. Start strong, shape well.
Carry it forward
From accent plants to wearable art, we celebrate bonsai in all its forms, with ways to share the tradition and stay connected.
Our roots
Decades in the making
Each tree, each stand, each display tells a story of time and tradition.
- 2002A first house, a yard, and the start of serious study.
- 2004Joined the Greater Louisville Bonsai Society.
- 2007–08Served as president of the Greater Louisville Bonsai Society.
- 2008Founded Matsu Bonsai as a workshop for handcrafted stands and jitas.
- 2009Graduated from Boon Manakitivipart’s Bonsai Intensive, the twelfth student to complete it.
- 2011Helped bring the American Bonsai Society Learning Seminar to Louisville.
Seasonal notes from the bench
New articles and a short note when the season turns. No spam, and you can unsubscribe anytime.