Quick question on wiring/potting a conifer

rowan57

Matt, there is another place, near wakefield, http://www.johnhanbybonsai.co.uk/
thats where i go and its really great, everyones real friendly + the stock is great, + the teaching is great.


Regards
Rowan

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In literary and art criticism there are two criteria, the political and the artistic....

Words and actions should help to unite, and not divide, the people of our various nationalities

I often talk to myself because i am the only one who truly understands me.

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susieq

I have something to ad to the moss on the trunk problem.
This week I was doing the usual Tuesday morning gig at the home of my late teacher. There are still a few things there that need care. One little juniper, probably a Parsoni, had moss growing up the base of the trunk so I began removing it... Roots had sprouted from the base of the trunk under the moss.
An accidental air layer I guess... They had made quite a bump in the trunk at that point. Would have been very unsightly. So I made a make shift collar to put around the trunk at that point and filled with soil. At some point next year will see if it flourished and cut off the old roots. Learn something new every day...
susieq

MINATOR

Rowan, Thanks again for the great info! I am sure this will help me no end!!
I am greatly looking forward to a visit to this place, the website is giving me a great impression (the gallery does show some amazing tree's!)

A note on 'Air-layering', I had also noticed new root growth under the moss on the base, but in the removal process I am sure some of them might have been damaged, but still this could be a good way to form some impressive rootage on the lower trunk if properly controlled!

Many Thanks!
-Matt

rowan57

The nursery is great, im off to the ginkgo awards in belgium with them in a couple weeks time

__________________
In literary and art criticism there are two criteria, the political and the artistic....

Words and actions should help to unite, and not divide, the people of our various nationalities

I often talk to myself because i am the only one who truly understands me.

MINATOR

The ginkgo awards sound great!! Some of the classes he teaches do sound really useful and would be well worth visiting

The nursery does look outstanding, compared to anything I have seen before

MINATOR

Rowan, Thank you very much for Louis Hawksby's details!
Speaking of him been very close by, he is literally in the next village to me, a mear 5 minute drive and I have passed his house many times but I had no idea about him!
I thought I was one of the youngest to bonsai, but I am mistaken! You are In the same year as me at school and there is ment to be some even younger enthusiasts!

Vance Wood

In your original question you asked about wiring. You could start wiring now, but you have to consider why you are wiring, and what goal does that wiring shoot toward in your mind. Many beginers start throwing wire on a tree just because they think they have to. The idea behind wiring is to cause the branching to grow in a particular direction that achieves some sort of stylistic goal for the tree.

How much wiring have you done? Do you understand how to wire properly? Do you have an idea what you want this tree to look like when it is developed? How far from what the tree or trees look like now will your ideas for them be? In other words, are you developing an upright bonsai from upright stock, or from stock that spreads out and almost lays down? There are a lot of things to consider in the process and if you lack experience here, it is a good idea if you could get some help from an experienced grower, a club or, some books at least.

If you think you understand all of this then its OK to wire them now, or at least start wiring them. The problem with wiring many trees is the tendency for the wire to cut into the bark on most decidious trees and Pines. However, Cypress and Juuniper thicken slower than the others mentioned and can be pretty much wired almost any time. I know there are those who adhere to the concept of winter wiring. I personally do not because in many cases the wood becomes brittle and easily broken, especially with Junipers.

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The only finished bonsai is a dead one; me 1992 MABA Des Moines Iowa

rowan57

I have wired (Kind of) 2 trees. One i helped with and one i attempted on my own. I learnt my lesson when i tried on my own, the wire bit in real fast and i lost a couple branches, but the one i helped with on a course lasted a lot longer without wire bite. My advice would be, get some classes or workshops booked with Louis or John and learn how to wire, some people can just do it but personally i have to learn off someone and i think its a lot less risky, + if you are wiring in a class then there is always someone to help when it goes wrong, whereas if you try doing it at home then you can have a go, but i found that when it went wrong i was really stumped.

And like Vance said, dont be in any rush to repot + rewire, spend a long time looking at the tree and making decisions, sketching, visualising, i spent 6 months looking at the tree i wired for about 2 hours a week before i had a go and even then i had to ask for help on the forum. It turned out alright and i think has a good future but i wish i had of waited just that bit longer and done a couple more classes before i did it as i may be further along with the design than i am

Louis was recommended to me by JonnyD of this forum, i have been to him but he's meant to be great, John is my teacher and is definitly great, the lessons are good fun and you learn a lot. In fact, at Newstead, (www.johnhanbybonsai.co.uk) there is a Beginners course on October 30th that is really great, its in 2 parts and you arrange a date for the second part during that class. I styled my first tree there about a year and a half ago, and its still going strong today!!

Hope some of that helped.
Regards
Rowan

__________________
In literary and art criticism there are two criteria, the political and the artistic....

Words and actions should help to unite, and not divide, the people of our various nationalities

I often talk to myself because i am the only one who truly understands me.