Standing back looking at my trees

scrubpine

So now that I've done many hours of research, I've been looking at my trees and wondering If they might all do better with a season or two in the ground. In the mean time I have decided to get experiance with actual bonsai purchased from bonsai nurseries that way once I've been able to keep them alive I can begin to work on my own. So then when I feel I'm ready to make my own, my current trees will be bigger. What are your guys thoughts. A full size pic of all my trees can be found in my gallery.

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shh!! I think the yak just moved!

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bnsaijim

Recognizing that bigger is not always better, unless it's the size of my beer, most of your trees are on the immature side with regards to taper, etc.

One useful exercise I did in my earlier days was to develop a plan for each tree- what were it's defects, strong points, etc- what style... then how do you get there... growth rates, development techniques...

This will drive what you do. Some may not be worth it- i.e., you have boxwood in there? Probably take you 50 years to really bulk it up. I'd make it a shohin or mame.

The other idea is that 1-2 years will have no visible effect. For most trees, the first year the roots are getting established. Maybe late in the first or into the second year you'll see more vigorous growth. The third year things get moving... Bottom line is probably more like 5 years to really see results. 8-10 for conifers (I thought I saw a pine in there...)

BAsed on what I see inyour gallery- I'd agree with your approach. You sound like you're at the next stage of development.


jim

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Jim Stone
Seki Bonsai Studio
sekibonsai.com
Santa Fe, TX

scrubpine

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shh!! I think the yak just moved!

Joanie

Pottery doesn't change and grow, pottery doesn't die. Buying a bonsai that someone else worked on is not like buying pottery or a painting, or anything else finished.

The main thing is learning how to take care of your trees. Then, if you want to get bigger trees, go back to the nursery and buy bigger TRUNKS. Yes, just trunks. Ignore the top of the tree entirely. Ignore anything in 1 gallon or less pots. Go to the back where the big trees live. Look for spreading roots (not twisty, tortured roots... that isn't bonsai. Roots should spread to grip the ground, like wagon wheel spokes) Look for some taper from the ground to about one foot up. Buy that. Then chop it off (in the proper season) and grow a new top and branches.

There's a lot of information on trunk chopping, and nursery shopping. Search this site for the articles and posts. It's an in-between method. For fifty bucks you won't get a really decent bonsai, but you can get an awesome trunk. Then you have something to work on. In the mean time, stick your little guys into the ground and forget them except for watering and feeding. Let them go. You'll be surprised how quickly time passes. There are articles here and at evergreengardenworks.com about how to grow trunks in the ground, apply those methods to your current trees.

Good luck!
Joanie

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scrubpine

so what your saying is..when I went out on my 30 acre, been unused for 15 year, farm and looked for 1 to 2 foot tall trees to make into bonsai, I was wasting my time. So now if I go out and look for trees with trunks as wide as a baseball bat to chop I will have better luck?

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shh!! I think the yak just moved!

Joanie

Yes

Joanie

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scrubpine

when chopping a trunk, do i need to leave leaves on the tree or will it be old enough to sprout back?

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shh!! I think the yak just moved!

BrianBay9

Here's an article that might help.

Cheers
BB9

http://www.evergreengardenworks.com/trunks.htm

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There's a difference between taking your art seriously, and taking yourself too seriously.