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  1. crhabq

    tools for collecting

    gavin, Consider getting a ditching shovel if you are going to be digging in rocky ground. http://www.razorbackprofessional.com/products/detail.aspx?ProductId=1695&FamilyId=125&LineId=124 Ray
  2. crhabq

    Chinese elm Drunken Sailor

    Atilla, Thanks, wedge-bending maybe a better solution than trunk chopping. Don't know why that didn't occur to me. Guess two heads are better than one. Ray
  3. crhabq

    Chinese elm Drunken Sailor

    Vance, If this tree was first field grown and has then spent 21 years or so in a pot, I'd think that the bark would be considerably more corky than this if it were a Siberian elm. Landscape Siberian elms develop quite a corky bark. I'd think that pot culture would slow down the development of...
  4. crhabq

    Crab Apple questions

    Vance, I seem to remember from the book Botony for Bonsia, that root pruning encourages flowering, new root tips producing auxin and thus procuding more flowering. An Ohio State University web page on growing wisteria also states that root pruning will encourage more flowering. If the crab...
  5. crhabq

    Japanese Maple

    Vance, That is a very nice, well proportioned, maple. A very nice rounded canopy. I'm looking forward to seeing the fall wardrobe, but I'd like to see her naked this winter too. You've had her for 18 years so I'm sure a nude shot would be on the up and up. Looking forward to the pics...
  6. crhabq

    Needle Plucking VS. Needle Cutting

    buffrider, I've very little experience with this, but from what I've read it also depends upon how the bark reacts to having needles plucked. If the bark tears and then bleeds sap then it is better to cut the needles down to about 1/8 of an inch. Then the cut needles will turn brown and fall...
  7. crhabq

    DIY Section

    Joedes3, I've posted this on another thread here, but this is my (well, not originally mine) contribution. It works quite well. I looked at branch benders and found it hard to justify the cost a "real" branch bender when I couldn't foresee it being used anytime in the future, except for this...
  8. crhabq

    Extreme weather and Rock Juniper.

    Brian, Thanks for your advice. Here in my locale, late winter (damn those winds) and early spring (damn those spring frost, aka false springs) These are the real killing times for my trees I've found. FinallY, I think I've figured it out and won't kill so many trees. Now to just get off my...
  9. crhabq

    Sumo shohin boxwood

    Mike, Very nice. Any plans to do carving on the large branch on the left? I like the carving on the sumo trunk. Looks very natural. I assume this is collect from an old hedge. Any idea how old it is? A 16in. base I would think that it would easily be 100+ years old. Thanks for...
  10. crhabq

    Trident clump.

    rich, 2nd on the not bothering to airlayer and 2nd on the turtleback style. You may find Smokes post on developing a sumo trident of help in developing the turtleback style. http://bonsainut.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3149 Hope this helps, Ray
  11. crhabq

    Procumbens disease

    tadakun, When I saw the tread title I was almost sure the answer was spidermites. But I think this link may help you.http://pep.wsu.edu/hortsense/scripts/query/displayProblem.asp?tableName=plant&problemID=416&categoryID=1 Hope this helps. I don't have a tree that I've had for 13 years but I...
  12. crhabq

    Styling ideas

    barry, I'd think that with the right shari on the trunk the 180 degree turn would give the impression of an old collected juniper that has struggled with the elements. Just my 2cts. Ray
  13. crhabq

    Outdoor bonsai area suggestions

    tmmason, Brent has an article on his blog about making pvc houses. Search on evergreen gardenworks and search thru his blog. He gives good directions and I believe a parts list. Good luck with your project. Ray
  14. crhabq

    Two Golden Chamys

    Grouper, The lower left branch looks much improved and more convincing now. Good work. Ray
  15. crhabq

    Harry Hirao Arb. Demo

    Neil, Just a guess on my part but I'd bet that in the dryer climate of CA akadama would not be a problem at all, while in the wetter climate of DC it might start to be a problem. Perhaps the Nat. Arb. just tried to replicate the original potting mix when they used akadama? As well, pumice may...
  16. crhabq

    California juniper

    Mike, Very nice tree. To me this looks like the tree has survived a near death event and has recovered from it. I think it tells a good story and maybe only needs a bit more extension of the branches, but without upward movement. I do like the tightness of the foliage and I think that the...
  17. crhabq

    Say hello to my little (JBP) friends

    JC, The first pine you posted looks to have exceptional nice root flare and basal taper (or maybe I'm trying to say the same thing twice). Care to share a bit about how you developed this? I just find it hard to believe that this just happened on its own without you having a plan and a good...
  18. crhabq

    Amur maple forest

    rockm, I like the profile of this forest and the arrangement of the trunks, but find the eyepoking front foliage a bit distracting. Do you have any plans on this or is it part of your design? I have to say I like trees that grow like weeds. Mostly because if a tree is growing that fast it...
  19. crhabq

    Acer Palmatum Kiyohime

    tanlu, Kiyohime is a basally dominant maple. Be very gentle with the apex or it may die back and leave you with a donut shaped bonsai. I'd agree with discusmike that its not worth the risk of trying to repot now. The first thing I'd worry about is to get it healthy and and full of vigor...
  20. crhabq

    Browning needles on JWP

    AKNicolle, I'm certainly no expert on pines, but from the pic posted I'd say that the original soil at the base of the trunk may be retaining too much water and leading to some root rot. But to be sure I'd closely examine the needle and the base of the needles to rule out insect damage. This...
  21. crhabq

    Incredible Japanese Maple

    Catfish, Chappy, ghues All naked like that the tree does look a wee bit contrived. I would bet that in leaf it is stunning. Personally, I would take that tree and any more like it. (oh, and hope and pray that i don't kill it - killing trees is certainly my strongest bonsai talent). Ray
  22. crhabq

    side grafting acer rubrum

    Drew, I don't know if the graft would work - my belief is that it would not. But Acer p. grafted onto Acer p. is very often not good for bonsai as the graft union is unsightly. Unless grafted low specifically for bonsai, the graft union looks just like that - a big old ugly graft union. On a...
  23. crhabq

    Collected Pyracantha

    Brian, I don't have a nice pyro yet. But I do live about 1/2 a mile from Walt's car wash. I've seen them filming there on a few occasions on my way home from work at night. I'm also a big fan of the show. Good luck with your pyro, its got a lot of potential Ray
  24. crhabq

    Choose a new leader?

    Ryan and Jkl, When does the process of pinching back leaves begin during a growing on tree? I'm assuming the the tree was in the process of growing on to obtain the trunk size wanted. Growing on, I thought, was free unrestrained growth. So when would you begin pinching back leaves...
  25. crhabq

    Dwarf Pomegranate Winter Care

    Mike, Here in Albuquerque, NM we had a very cold winter this year. Down to O on a few nights. Two landscape poms appeared to die back completely. They have recently started to send out some low shoots though. I'd think that if you have anywhere near that cold of weather, you want an...
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