flip video camcorder

Keep a short flip video of your pruning techniques

Can’t remember how you trimmed your bonsai tree last year or even a few months ago? I found a simple solution to that problem, its recording your pruning technique with a small camcorder call a flip ultra video recorder.

Many bonsai beginners have this problem. The shape of the tree seems to have changed and doesn’t look as good as it did six months ago. And the worst thing is you cant remember quite how you pruned it and don’t want to make the same mistake. Do what I did and make a short video recording while you are trimming your tree. The flip ultra video recorder allows you to simply upload it to your computer so you can keep a diary of what you did wrong but more importantly what you did right.

Where to buy:

There are a couple of flip mini’s to choose from. Flip video mini camcorders are available in white, black, orange, pink and green.

• Flip UltraHD Camcorder, 120 Minutes (White)
• Flip Ultra Camcorder 2nd Generation, 120 Minutes (White)

Personal flip video recorder review

Its size and simplicity mean it can go where most camcorders can’t.

It’s a very small easy to use video recorder that is the size of a thin digital camera. There are no tapes or discs, so you must offload the videos to a computer when the memory is full, 30 to 60 minutes, depending on the model you choose.

You turn it on, and it’s ready to start filming in two seconds. You press the red button once to record and once to stop and then press the play button to review the video. If you want to re-shoot the video just press the trash button to delete the clip. This is a pretty simple electronic device. Keep it in your purse or coat pocket, take it every where you go, even underwater that is if you add the waterproof case. The video and audio is very good, it has been reviewed to be very close to a TV’s resolution. Flip ultra video recorder also has exceptional low-light ability.

House plant watering cans

It is that time of the summer when plants get very hot especially juniper Bonsai. If you have a fairly new bonsai then you need to keep very close attention on your watering habits.

If your tree seemed to be healthy until recently and the leaves or needles are turning yellow or brown, it is most likely a water problem.

Normally you only need to mist the tree from the tips to roots everyday and then water once a week. But in the hot summer this is not enough.

Yellow leaves are from over watering, then if it gets direct hot sun the yellow leaves dry and then turn brown. Not giving a bonsai tree enough water will also turn the leaves brown. Many bonsai trees like to dry out inbetween waterings but but not for days at a time.
This is a common problem for many house plants as well. Sometimes we water the roots and forget to mist the leaves or the opposite happens – misting and then forgeting to water the roots. Read more

Japenese Bonsai Tree Care

Now that you have had your bonsai tree for awhile its time to clean it up and have it looking its best. Spring is a good time to do this in the cooler climates or if you are in the southern states where it is warm all the time you can follow this procedure anytime.

Preparing your bonsai to display as a specimen of a healthy tree.

There are a few simple steps to follow in order to have your bonsai tree looking its best. First lets clean up the soil and roots.

1. remove a very shallow section of the top soil and old moss without hurting the roots.

2.Cut any old dead roots or thin crossing roots that are lying on top of other roots. You can either cut them off or what is best try to reset them straight into the soil.

First take away any debris, weeds or moss that has grown there. If their are weeds growing and they seem to go down fairly far you can use a thin stick like a chop stick to carefully loosen the soil around it and then pull them out so you don’t damage the small tree roots. If there is a hole left, fill it in with more bonsai soil mix. Replave the top part of the soil, only about a 1/2 to 1 inch depth with a grit, like very coarse sand. An alternative to this which I like best is to remove about an inch of soil and replace it with the same type of soil mix that your bonsai tree is growing in. Brush the excess soil away from the trunk area.

To clean the trunk I like to use a small soft wire brush. After this many growers like to cover the soil of outdoor bonsai trees with moss, to emulate small grassy mounds. Just remember to remove it in the winter months because it can hide pests. In the spring you need to keep an eye on it because birds like to take it to build nests.

Your pots that the tree is growing in is the next part that needs to be taken care of. A dirty bonsai pot looks untidy and takes away from the whole look of the tree. Wipe the pot down with a damp cloth removing dust and dirt. Apply a thin coat of olive oil or vegatabel oil to the pot with a brush being careful not to get any on the tree or into the soil. This will give your tree a neat shiny polished look.

If your outdoor or indoor bonsai tree is older you may want to re-pot it in a nicer bonsai pot and add a new soil mix with fertilizer. I never change the entire potting mix, I like to remove only 2/3 thirds of it so that the tree doesn’t think it is being replanted and go into a temporary shock.

If you need more Soil mix go here.
If you would like to see other pots that are available go here.