Did you know that:

Rooting hormone: Instead of rooting hormone in Asia onion is used. When applying airlayer rub onion where  you ring barked the tree.

Tip given to me by Noryadi Norrudin

Onion as rooting hormone used by Noryadi Norrudin. Picture courtesy of Noryadi Norrudin

For cuttings old European remedy used instead of rooting hormone is Honey. Bottom end of the cutting is dipped in honey as mild fungicide, and root growth promoting balm.

Use 1:3 ratio of honey to water (this can be adjusted as necessary).

• 1 cup honey
  – Pure, or raw, honey is said to be better than regular store-bought honey (which has been processed) and yields the greatest results.
• 3 cups boiling water
  – Mix the honey with your boiling water and allow to cool. Place this mixture in an airtight container (such as a mason jar) until ready to use, storing it somewhere away from light.
• Dip your cuttings in the syrup and you are ready to plant them.

Another thing that is used as root hormone is willow twigs chopped and soaked in water. After digging yamadori, it is a good idea to add some chopped willow twigs in the water, and soak them for few days.

I just found this article about willow water:

http://www.bonsai4me.com/AdvTech/ATwillow%20water%20page2.html

Some people mix honey into willow twig water mix.

Cinnamon is good to apply on roots that are cut during transplanting against root rot and fungus.

Dispine is used to soak yamadori for several days up to a week, or when transplanting/repotting trees. Soak it for 15 minutes while you are prepare the pot.

1 disprine for 15 liters water.

• Leave branches to grow unchecked near a trunk chop or other wounds, so they heal faster.

• Do not fertilize pine, on a developed trees, until the needles have hardened off if you dont want them to elongate but remain short.

• Did you know that the Japanese grow trunks on maples in the ground, by letting branches grow and chopping them back every year, and do the same with any leaders.? They do that some time for as long as 40 years, or more.

This article will be continued and many more interesting things added.

This is something you must red, if you want  less headaches and to loose less trees.

http://bonsaiotaku.com/2012/02/29/the-seven-states-of-bonsai-part-one/