bonsaiTALK Community - View Single Post - New Bald Cypress Trees. HELLLLP!!!

This is ideal forest material, and actually creating a bonsai forest is much easier than making a single specimen bonsai. All the defects (lack of root buttress, no discernible low branching, etc, can be a feature here. Later you can separate trunks.

Knock together a box about 5 inches deep out of 1x lumber or you might use some 2x4 with a decorative trim on top. The box is usually slightly wider than the tallest tree is tall and about 2/3 as deep. But please see the notes below. I don't think you will be using nearly the full height of these trees in the "final" design:

Designate your thickest tree as #1, and mark a point about 3/4 of the way up the trunk and plan to cut it back to that point. You can jin the top to a point, either now or after you cut the top off, or maybe you want to layer it off, doesn't matter.

Put it off center and a bit forward of an imaginary center line.

Tree #2 goes on the opposite side. Plant a small , probably #4 or #5 trunk fairly close to the #1 tree. Within a couple inches.

One your air layerings or cuttings have filled in, you can backfill with that newer materal material next year.

I would style the forest generally as shown in the immature bald cypress form. You could use the mature form and create a forest of that type, but you would really need to understand the way cypresses grow to pull that off.

Gary Marchal has some info on bald cypress - you can type his name into bonsaiTALK Links or type try "bald cypress" there for more info. Another source is the Greater New Orleans Bonsai Society (www.GNOBS.org) webpage. You will see a bald cypress in the mature style on their homepage. This form doesn't appeal to everyone, because many people can't relate to it. The immature form has pretty universal appeal.

Meanwhile, you can develop some low branches and have a really neat planting. If it looks too stark in the beginning you can add some moss, a little aquarium gravel and a couple interesting stones. Once the lower branches form it will be very nice. You won't get the lower branches unless you cut the apexes, though.

Regards,

Matt

25-Mar-2002	#4
TreeBay Tips:5¢ Advice:Free *MODERATOR GROUP* Join Date: Aug-2001 Location: Silicon Valley Country: USA USDA Zone: 9 AHS Heat Zone: 4 Posts: 9,745	Re: New Bald Cypress Trees. HELLLLP!!! This is ideal forest material, and actually creating a bonsai forest is much easier than making a single specimen bonsai. All the defects (lack of root buttress, no discernible low branching, etc, can be a feature here. Later you can separate trunks. Knock together a box about 5 inches deep out of 1x lumber or you might use some 2x4 with a decorative trim on top. The box is usually slightly wider than the tallest tree is tall and about 2/3 as deep. But please see the notes below. I don't think you will be using nearly the full height of these trees in the "final" design: Designate your thickest tree as #1, and mark a point about 3/4 of the way up the trunk and plan to cut it back to that point. You can jin the top to a point, either now or after you cut the top off, or maybe you want to layer it off, doesn't matter. Put it off center and a bit forward of an imaginary center line. Tree #2 goes on the opposite side. Plant a small , probably #4 or #5 trunk fairly close to the #1 tree. Within a couple inches. One your air layerings or cuttings have filled in, you can backfill with that newer materal material next year. I would style the forest generally as shown in the immature bald cypress form. You could use the mature form and create a forest of that type, but you would really need to understand the way cypresses grow to pull that off. Gary Marchal has some info on bald cypress - you can type his name into bonsaiTALK Links or type try "bald cypress" there for more info. Another source is the Greater New Orleans Bonsai Society (www.GNOBS.org) webpage. You will see a bald cypress in the mature style on their homepage. This form doesn't appeal to everyone, because many people can't relate to it. The immature form has pretty universal appeal. Meanwhile, you can develop some low branches and have a really neat planting. If it looks too stark in the beginning you can add some moss, a little aquarium gravel and a couple interesting stones. Once the lower branches form it will be very nice. You won't get the lower branches unless you cut the apexes, though. Regards, Matt __________________ Want to be a seller on bonsaiAUCTIONS? Get authorized today! bonsaiTALK: Over 100,005.36 Megabytes Served this Month!