Problem tree: shimpaku prebonsai

bonsaial1

Did you notice the third scale from the left, there is a spider mite smiling for the camera. Cool close up!

I like your solution. This will be a cool tree in time. There is a style like this that I love. It involves making the branch sort of turn in on itself with the branches showing on the top and the foliage on the bottom. If I find the pic I will post it. Pics are worth a thousand words.

Bonsaial

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Carl_Bergstrom

What do you mean, macro shots? This baby's got a 14" caliper.

Seriously, though, I'm hardly one to do a tutorial, since - not being a juniper or pine person - this is the first time I've ever tried it. I wish I had taken a picture of the shape of the bend without the notch, though, so people could see what a difference it makes.
Next time I do one I'll take better pictures, but don't hold your breath. This juniper and one other 4" mame juniper are the only ones I have. That, and I've got exactly zero pines save for a dwarf bristlecone that I plan to begin training sometime around the year 2040.

On this one, I cut a rather inelegant wedge about 2/5 of the way through the trunk at about at 45 degree angle (the angle was bit wider than I intended, actually).

Al: thanks. I'd love to see the picture - hope you find it.

Out of curiosity - anyone know if you can get away with this sort of thing on a cedar?

All the best,
OMC.

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David Chauvin

OMC, Good call. I much prefer this over the trunk chop. In a couple of seasons this will be a fine little tree.

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Jay

OK... attached is a different tree, obviously it is not a conifer. It is one of mother natures handiwork. As best as I could see this is not a chop but a simple (yea, right simple) redirection. OMC sort of how you are going!

Attached Images

bend.jpg (69.5 KB, 236 views)

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Carl_Bergstrom

David: Thanks - that means a lot, since I've seen some of your junipers.

Jay: Wow! Not much else to say, there!

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GaryS

Crow,
It was worth the effort. I'll bet it turns out to be a nice miniature given a couple of years.

With shimpaku like this I usually just put then in the ground or a 2 gallon pot and let then sit and fertilize then for 5 years, a few cuts here and there every year and 5 years later you never know what they'll look like. I have a bunch of em.

Actually some of them are getting some character.

You done good.

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stephentoddpope

hey, omc, can we get an update to this tree, curious to see how it is coming!

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stephentoddpope

ummmm,. well, here is my guess

Attached Images

shimpaku_bent_small.jpg (46.4 KB, 110 views)

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"A Bonsai! A Bonsai! My kingdom for a Bonsai!"

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zeb

Good job, Old Mister!
I really like what you've done so far. Are you looking forwards for a literati/bunjin style? If you are, here's my suggestion for the future of the tree.

I've only shaped the foliage and simulated a "back-bounce" of the trunk after you remove the bending stuff. Oh, and I potted in a pot I found at David's pot collection for virtuals (thank you, David).

I think the pot should be a bit bigger and the tree could be tilted to the right some.


Regads,
Zeb

Attached Images

virtuaalikataja6.jpg (32.6 KB, 92 views)

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