Late Summer

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

Advertisement

TreeBay

Fred you're JOURNALing in the forum again again. Get with it and get yourself one!



Regards,

Matt

__________________

Want to be a seller on bonsaiAUCTIONS? Get authorized today!

bonsaiTALK: Over 100,005.36 Megabytes Served this Month!

Walter_Pall

Fred,

I have an apprentice since about three months. After this big convention with Kimura in Munich this young lad came to my house and asked to see my trees. He is a beginner. But he is so immensly interested that he spent US$ 300 for the ticket for three days. He actually set there for three days and watched Kimura and others and me doing the speaking and moderating.

He asked whether I take apprentices. I said, yes, but only if they really want to learn and only if they relly want to work. And only if they are ready to work without any payment. Simply because I cannot afford it.

Since then he spends every free minute here. He had three weeks of vacation which he spent here.

Now what keeps him going. Why is bonsai work such a joy to him and to me. Although it is often very hard work, always dirty, seemingly dull sometimes.

We have discussed this at length (I found that he is mainly here for me to have a listener). We came up with the conclusion that the wonderful thing is that one can have such a lot of success experineces within a short time span.

While we all know, as you describe it, it is a long process, there are sudden changes every day. Certainly in a big nursery. One picks this neglected ugly tree, cleans it of weeds, puts some fine soil on the surface, goes through the tree with some scissors about half an hour, maybe applies some wire and then - what a dramatic change! This little ugly duckling is a beautiful swan, or rather tree all of a sudden. What a joy! And you have made this happen yourslef with your own hands!

In spring we would repot trees, cutting them back severly. He was quite worried about the 'cruel' things I did to the trees. Now, only three months later they are on the work bench again. After about ten minutes working on the tree - what a dramatic change. It is hard to belive that this should be the very same ugly broom from this spring.

And on and on. This is what keeps us going. This llets us forget the long hours and the hard work. It also lets us forget the unevitable losses along the way. Not everything workes as we thought. But in general it did.

Then one day I take this rather precious pine tree and say to him ' you do it'. He cannot believe it. But after a full day he has done the whole cutting, wiring, putting into shape and then here is the finished tree. I give it a few slight touches and then I see teh glitz in his eyes.

This was only three months. Now imagine twenty years. What a tremendous source of joy and pleasure to see what has become of all these trees and what has become of an apprentice.

This is bonsai for me. The rest is just decoration.

best regards
Walter Pall

FredL

Walter, thank you. I wish somebody would do a book on "Bonsai People" to set besides the books on "Bonmsai Trees" on my bookshelves!

Fred

Lesley

Fred,
I too am at the stage you are. I have been working with my collection for 3 years and I'm just starting to understand and see basic results. Sometimes, I still have troble with branch development and how to get them to have growth where I want it! I just wanted you to know that I share alot of the sentiments that you express when you post on various topics. You are not alone and sometimes you help us with your voice because we are too new to know how to say it. This has become a satisfying lifestyle for me too! Thanks for putting it to words!
Lesley =('):

__________________
Ladybug