Newbie- Hinoki Cypress Nursery Stock-wants To Be Initiated, Ideers?

Happy Gilmore

Please let me know if I've posted this in the wrong forum/area thanks. I'm a bonsai newbie eager to work on some projects.

Lately I've been reading LOTS of threads on this site on most any topic and truly enjoying the array of opinions and knowledge being offered to all. Thanks for having such a fine online bonsai home!


I've got garden shears, bonsai scissors, and some other small tools. Tomorrow I'll be picking up some bonsai soil as well.

I picked up some nursery stock as described/pictured in the URL at the bottom of this post.



I understand now is a good time to prune evergreens (mild Vancouver). I'd like to start on any of the above referenced nursery stock's but have pictured the one below for initial discussion (ideas on others at that URL welcome).

Any overall shape or style come to mind for this interesting (to me anyhow) false cypress? It has compact growth, interesting trunk and I quite like the fan-like sweep of the foliage. I've seen some amazing 'virtual' discussions and would appreciate even just some discussion as to perhaps an appropriate direction with this project? I'm wide open to most any style/form at present. (and will likley try to grow any sizable cuttings off this stock as well).

Thanks in advance!

hinoki picture - cedar picture - white pine - azalea

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JohnB

I would say...
Wire the trunk and wait until it stays in position.
Then when that's done, plant it in the ground. Root prune every 2-3 years until the trunk is thicker.
They fatten up faster in the ground. whenyou're satisfied witht the trunk. pot it up in a container and train the branches.

FredL

Happy, you've picked one of the more difficult species to work with. Not that it can't be done, but from what I've seen, it is difficult to apply many of the better known design techniques to this species. I tried working with an Arbor Vitae, which has similar foliage and growth habit and ended up totally frustrated. I just could not get my head around the special challenges this sort of tree offers. Much worse than Pines, which are already difficult enough.

I've found Junipers, particularly J. procumbens much more responsive to my modest talents and experience. If it were me, I'd step back from this challenge for a few years and start with a species or two better known for being beginner-friendly.

Fred

David Chauvin

Happy,

Welcome to the forum. Hinoki is great for bonsai. Follow this link to see what's possible from 5 year old cuttings! Fred...for beginners, I don't see why they should not be used like procumbens. They are flexible, have many small branches and back bud profusely. I haven't repotted many, so maybe there is a difficulty there?

http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/a...last=1059663459


Happy....when taking photos for advice, always show the base where the trunk meets the soil. This is one of the most important pieces if info needed when making bonsai. If possible, pull the tree from the nursery pot and clean the debris from the top of the rootball and take a photo against a plain backdrop. There are a few trunks on this tree, so the first step is to decide which one(s) to keep.

Best Regards,

David

__________________
"With the death of the Shamen, artists are the last interpreters of the Divine." Joseph Campbell

Happy Gilmore

Thanks for the quick replies all. Today I took a couple hours to expose the roots on the hinoki ('elegans'?) as well as my azalea.

Here's the Hinoki pics. (I have a present vision for how I can see it progressing but want to hear others thoughts). I'll just post pics first, then I have to run and buy some bonsai soil (90 minute round trip) before they close so I can play with these plants this week.

I've never untangled rootballs before and I hope this won't kill them but it was the only way to get the roots exposed the way they were tangled. I kept the entire plant misted/moist and it's now back in it's nursery pot.

Can the root crossing left to right in centre of this pic be straightened out?

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Happy Gilmore

Above pic being #1, here's #2 with opposite view of roots/trunk

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Happy Gilmore

Possible semic cascade (as best I can hold with one hand)

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Happy Gilmore

opposing view

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Happy Gilmore

So I'm thinking in immediate pic above (if I can straighten that one root?) of having major left branch drop right down to start a semi-cascade and then one of the others either going to the right with a cloud of foliage formed above it, or bending back to the left right over to form a cloud of foliage up almost directly above the cascade (if that makes any sense).

Open to any and all ideers! It has some nice new buds near the base of the multi trunks which encourages me as I understand they don't bud back easily on old wood. So at present I don't plan on trimming any of them. I can plat it in the ground as suggested above, but it turned out a few inches of nice/thicker trunk were buried in the pot/soil and I would now plant this as exposed if OK for the plant.....still suggest in the ground or container OK?

I'll start my azalea 'exposed' thread when I get a chance, thinking side of mountain/feather rock with that one.

Thanks in advance!