Whats Going on in Smoke's Backyard?
- Thread starter Smoke
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Smoke
Ignore-Amus
I have worked on them at the collection. I do not have any, don't really like them. Love Kiyohime though.
Smoke
Ignore-Amus
All of the above. I like the look of a well ramified branch with many forks. Shigs just never seem to develop that look. There are some that have developed over long periods of time like those of Bill Valavanis. He has a few nice ones but the trees always seem clunky to me due to the tight branch structure.
Smoke
Ignore-Amus
Kinda hot today, too hot to even BBQ. Sat around and when it cooled off I thought there had to be something in the backyard I could butcher.
I found this small maple that was kinda a joke. It was during the "post your smallest bonsai" thing going on back in the early spring.I felt that maybe I could develop a small trident in much the same manner as some of the others I have done, only on a super small scale.
This was the tree after cutting down and then after it sprouted some green.
The red arrow points to the shoot that will become the new leader. At this point it was arbitrary based on its proximity to the apex but it did end up being the strogest and was allowed to grow.
most everything else was rubbed off except two branches down low that I would retain for low branches later on the finished tree. Just needed girth so kept them. It would also allow for building some flare in the base.
I found this small maple that was kinda a joke. It was during the "post your smallest bonsai" thing going on back in the early spring.I felt that maybe I could develop a small trident in much the same manner as some of the others I have done, only on a super small scale.
This was the tree after cutting down and then after it sprouted some green.
The red arrow points to the shoot that will become the new leader. At this point it was arbitrary based on its proximity to the apex but it did end up being the strogest and was allowed to grow.
most everything else was rubbed off except two branches down low that I would retain for low branches later on the finished tree. Just needed girth so kept them. It would also allow for building some flare in the base.
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Smoke
Ignore-Amus
About two weeks after that picture I wired the shoot up to form an apex. It was growing rather perpendicular two the trunk and wiring it would get it much closer to the trunk for a better transition.
Tonight I unwired it and cut it back to allow the next stage to grow. The next shoot selected is yet to sprout, but should do so in two weeks. It will be kept rather in check as it will not allowed to become too thick. I want this tree about 2.5 inches tall. The trunk is about 3/4 inch across. I pruned it back to just above the node I wish to sprout. That is where the chopstick point is. That white line is a bud line or internode. Buds will pop from there. The solid green portion between white lines will pop nothing. Cutting straight across between nodes will sometimes get shoots out of the edge of the cut, but it is not reliable. Now that this tree has been topped, it should bud all over the trunk.
The timing right now for me is good as I have about two to three weeks of active growing before sleepy time and then the big push around labor day. That is when I will start to refine it as everything will have been set by then.
Tonight I unwired it and cut it back to allow the next stage to grow. The next shoot selected is yet to sprout, but should do so in two weeks. It will be kept rather in check as it will not allowed to become too thick. I want this tree about 2.5 inches tall. The trunk is about 3/4 inch across. I pruned it back to just above the node I wish to sprout. That is where the chopstick point is. That white line is a bud line or internode. Buds will pop from there. The solid green portion between white lines will pop nothing. Cutting straight across between nodes will sometimes get shoots out of the edge of the cut, but it is not reliable. Now that this tree has been topped, it should bud all over the trunk.
The timing right now for me is good as I have about two to three weeks of active growing before sleepy time and then the big push around labor day. That is when I will start to refine it as everything will have been set by then.
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Smoke
Ignore-Amus
In about 60 days the leader had grown to half the sze of the trunk, about 1/4 inch across. There is already a small bud there. Hopefull it will just take off right now cause it is in a perfect spot based on the direction of the chops. Once the new leader is growing well I will cut back the stub I left to keep the basel area of the chop from drying. It is sealed with Japanese green goo.
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sherwoodschwartz
Yamadori
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i feel like i should send you some money...or beer. i have an entire folder devoted to your progression-y pics. this is the sorta thing that really helps me figure out what i need to do to develop my weeds into trees. thanks.
Smoke
Ignore-Amus
You can advance the learning curve by years by starting with trees instead of weeds
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sherwoodschwartz
Yamadori
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You can advance the leaning curve by years by starting with trees instead of weeds
DAMMIT!
now you tell me. i've been working on this one for 7 years-
Alex DeRuiter
Chumono
Now that's what I call trunk movement!
JamesMay
Sapling
Wow Sherwood.. that tree has some wonderful taper. Great pot choice as well
milehigh_7
Mister 500,000
You can advance the learning curve by years by starting with trees instead of weeds
Something I am just starting to learn... He is right though, Al you are a fantastic teacher.
milehigh_7
Mister 500,000
DAMMIT!
now you tell me. i've been working on this one for 7 years-
[/QUOTE
Hey ... is that potting soil????
Smoke
Ignore-Amus
DAMMIT!
now you tell me. i've been working on this one for 7 years-
[/QUOTE
Hey ... is that potting soil????
Looks like he cleaned out his BBQ!
I'm gonna say he pulled the weed and scraped up the topping right from near the sidewalk and crammed it in the pot?
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sherwoodschwartz
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Smoke
Ignore-Amus
You mean Gilligan!
Alex DeRuiter
Chumono
Okay, so since we're totally on the subject already, I thought I'd ask another fertilizer question.
From what I've been told and what I've read -- and it makes total sense -- fertilizing as the labels say, usually once every two weeks, isn't actually helping trees grow to their full potential. A lot of that fertilizer doesn't get absorbed and the tree misses out on a lot. Instead we should be fertilizer at least once a week if not once a day, but at the strength of that two weeks divided either in half or by seven. This, of course, is if you're using liquid or water soluble.
So what I'm wondering is, with these tablets from Gro-Power (which I have used and plan to convert to entire next season), is that essentially what we're doing? Are we pretty much fertilizing every second of every day, but in smaller doses instead of a full two week's worth all at once?
If that is indeed the case, why do people knock fert tabs so much? They seem infinitely more useful than using liquid or water soluble fertz. . . . Sup wit dat?
From what I've been told and what I've read -- and it makes total sense -- fertilizing as the labels say, usually once every two weeks, isn't actually helping trees grow to their full potential. A lot of that fertilizer doesn't get absorbed and the tree misses out on a lot. Instead we should be fertilizer at least once a week if not once a day, but at the strength of that two weeks divided either in half or by seven. This, of course, is if you're using liquid or water soluble.
So what I'm wondering is, with these tablets from Gro-Power (which I have used and plan to convert to entire next season), is that essentially what we're doing? Are we pretty much fertilizing every second of every day, but in smaller doses instead of a full two week's worth all at once?
If that is indeed the case, why do people knock fert tabs so much? They seem infinitely more useful than using liquid or water soluble fertz. . . . Sup wit dat?
Ang3lfir3
Omono
not entirely sure about Gro-Power in particular but it would usually be you are fertilizing with each watering (I use tea bags with fert) .... its fantastic and its part of what we don't do enough in the states ....
I would suggest that those that only do weekly fert... use it at full strength... there is no risk of burn when applying it a week apart ... especially in bonsai soil
We recently purchased a siphon injector (a simple device to inject fert via siphon from a concentrated solution ) I haven't used it this year but plan on using it next year to deliver fertilizer with every drop of water at every watering in conjunction with tea-bags and weekly manual fert ....
I would suggest that those that only do weekly fert... use it at full strength... there is no risk of burn when applying it a week apart ... especially in bonsai soil
We recently purchased a siphon injector (a simple device to inject fert via siphon from a concentrated solution ) I haven't used it this year but plan on using it next year to deliver fertilizer with every drop of water at every watering in conjunction with tea-bags and weekly manual fert ....
Alex DeRuiter
Chumono
Many thanks, sir! That's what I was thinking. Yeah, I've considered bags, but these Gro-Power tabs are terribly convenient and relatively inexpensive.
Thanks for the advice on fertilizing at full strength. I figured as much but was scared to try. I'll do full strength while I'm getting rid of the rest of this gallon.
Using the siphon injector along with the fertilizer bags won't be too much? I've been deathly afraid of over-fertilizing, but I'm starting to think that I'm just being a scardy cat. . . .
Thanks for the advice on fertilizing at full strength. I figured as much but was scared to try. I'll do full strength while I'm getting rid of the rest of this gallon.
Using the siphon injector along with the fertilizer bags won't be too much? I've been deathly afraid of over-fertilizing, but I'm starting to think that I'm just being a scardy cat. . . .
