FredL

It is late Summer here in the Ozarks and I'm not doing a whole lot with my trees. This Spring, I worked furiously at potting and repotting the large flock of trees that I collected, bought at Walmart end-of-the-year sales and started from seed the previous two years and late in the Spring and earlier in the Summer, did lots of work on trees previously potted. I also moved trees from my vegetable garden to a new, Bonsai Starters only bed in another area of my yard. But, now, I can't figure out much to do other than water them that I think will actually do more good than harm.

I'm only beginning to understand seasonal effects on bonsai pruning and shaping. I think I've pretty well "gotit" as far as when to collect, pot, transplant and repot, but it's a mystery to me when to pinch pines and when to clip or wire. I think I've done some things out of season but I'm finding that try things and learn is the way to go and am happy with my work, even that which turns out badly.

I have been thinking about Ron Martin's comments to the effect that there are books for beginners and books for advanced students but precious little in between. I'm finding that I get most of my insparation from the articles in "Bonsai Today". When I work on my trees, I try to make them look like the various pictures in BT at the stage of development that a particular tree is in. Well, I'm making plenty of mistakes, but my flock of trees does seem to keep moving along in the direction of becoming a "Bonsai Collection" What I'm finding is that ALOT of development is required to get a tree from where I'm starting them to becoming a Bonsai, but as long as I can see PROGRESS, I am content and life is good.

Myself, I'd like to see more emphasis on Bonsai as a lifestyle, or as an important part of a satisfying lifestyle and the satisfaction on seeing your trees progress and less on the importance of completing world class finished products. Although I do like that, also. But.......to each his own and Bonsai is a big enough world for lot's of different "Bonsai Ways".

No doubt, if I had a large collection of world class trees, I'd feel differently.

Fred

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