Recent content by crhabq

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

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

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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

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...

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

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

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

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...