Before & After

Jason

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Very nice! You will need to chase the foliage back by shortening the branches, both primary and secondary. Clean the secondary branches and wire them, and start on the pads. Do the same with the apex. After that you can start pinching/cutting the extra growth.
Doing that will bring more light where you need it and strengthen week branches.

Thanks for the tips Neli. It certainly needs a lot more refinement. I'm hoping once I get it repotted I can remove more foliage and be a little more aggressive with pad refinement (without it reverting).
 

tmmason10

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Just thought I would throw this link out there, which shows how I wish my before and afters turned out. Naoki Maeoka is an apprentice at Fujikawa Kouka-en, where Bjorn Bjorhholm films the bonsai art of Japan series. Might not be a new link to some but I check for updates frequently.

http://bonsai-vibe.tumblr.com
 

october

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Just thought I would throw this link out there, which shows how I wish my before and afters turned out. Naoki Maeoka is an apprentice at Fujikawa Kouka-en, where Bjorn Bjorhholm films the bonsai art of Japan series. Might not be a new link to some but I check for updates frequently.

http://bonsai-vibe.tumblr.com

Tom..This is one of, if not the greatest and most astounding before and afters article I have seen. I mean, both the material and the work are incredible. Every juniper there is just amazing.

I loved seeing this. However, I know that you must have looked at it and thought about the lack of material around our area. Also, the huge prices that comes with things. It is a little disheartening. I have been looking into other options such as ordering and having trees shipped to me. This is something I have not done because I like seeing the tree in person before purchase. However, branching out might yield a couple new and nice trees.

Rob
 

tmmason10

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Tom..This is one of, if not the greatest and most astounding before and afters article I have seen. I mean, both the material and the work are incredible. Every juniper there is just amazing.

I loved seeing this. However, I know that you must have looked at it and thought about the lack of material around our area. Also, the huge prices that comes with things. It is a little disheartening. I have been looking into other options such as ordering and having trees shipped to me. This is something I have not done because I like seeing the tree in person before purchase. However, branching out might yield a couple new and nice trees.

Rob

It really is amazing. Great technique and obviously great material. I think I would splurge more on trees if my technique was at that level.
 

Wee

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I know the after pic is supposed to be a finished bonsai but I thought I would post this anyway....The before pic is as posted on craigslist under the free category....The 2nd pic was taken after I got it in a training box and drastically cut back. Lessons learned....Check CL often and old work shirts make great root ball wraps to help keep them from drying out. I ended up getting 4 the day I did my collecting.

YH-1.jpg


YH-dig-2-cutback+022.jpg
 

cascade

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This was my 2006 Ben Oki Award entry, an old San Jose juniper. The work took about 3 months. Unfortunately and due to lack of knowledge I repotted the tree soon after. Thus the awkward planting angle in the new container. The tree died very slowly over the next 9 months.

Arnold, before and after:

Arnold before.jpg

Arnold2.jpg

Best,
Dorothy
 

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october

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This was my 2006 Ben Oki Award entry, an old San Jose juniper. The work took about 3 months. Unfortunately and due to lack of knowledge I repotted the tree soon after. Thus the awkward planting angle in the new container. The tree died very slowly over the next 9 months.

Arnold, before and after:

View attachment 42491

View attachment 42492

Best,
Dorothy

That's a shame. The work and tree were outstanding.

Rob
 

fore

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That's a shame. The work and tree were outstanding.

Rob

So true, that was fantastic tree. Sorry for the loss Dorothy. And strange time to post that particular tree. Though it doesn't prob. look like it right now, it's very similar to what I have envisioned/what I hope to pull off, for that Ponderosa P. I just posted. Thanks for the inspiration!

Chris
 

cascade

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So true, that was fantastic tree. Sorry for the loss Dorothy. And strange time to post that particular tree. Though it doesn't prob. look like it right now, it's very similar to what I have envisioned/what I hope to pull off, for that Ponderosa P. I just posted. Thanks for the inspiration!

Chris

Very nice work on the Ponderosa pine, Chris!

Best,
Dorothy
 

ABCarve

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This was my 2006 Ben Oki Award entry, an old San Jose juniper. The work took about 3 months. Unfortunately and due to lack of knowledge I repotted the tree soon after. Thus the awkward planting angle in the new container. The tree died very slowly over the next 9 months.

Arnold, before and after:

View attachment 42491

View attachment 42492

Best,
Dorothy
Dorothy,

That's a (was) beauty!!! What do you use on the bark for the color/sheen?
 

Vance Wood

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Ugh, seeing the work from great artists like you all really makes me want to switch to non-tropicals.

Absolutely stunning work.

I have found unless you happen to live in native regions tropicals seldom obtain the kind of grace and stature possible with them. Growing them in temperate climates have proven disappointing to me.
 

cascade

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I have found unless you happen to live in native regions tropicals seldom obtain the kind of grace and stature possible with them. Growing them in temperate climates have proven disappointing to me.

Thank you, Vance. When just grown and nurtured, tropicals look young. When aged in tropical climate, they aquire dignity.
There is so much more to growing techniques for tropicals one can never come close to use in temperate climates. Unfortunately so.

Best,
Dorothy
 

cascade

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Dorothy, you have a wonderful eye, would you mind giving me a suggestion as to what jins you would create? Not to hijack this great thread, could you comment on http://bonsainut.com/forums/showthread.php?7989-Ponderosa-From-Burlap-Bonanza/page9
Thanks Dorothy!

Chris, actually I have two eyes. ;)

Regarding the jins, the pictures do not show enough interior and dimensions. How thick are the branches? Are you alreday growing a jin or two somewhere?

Lets keep posting the comments in your thread, if you don't mind.

Best,
Dorothy
 

lordy

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Here is a clump I unearthed from a departed bonsai brother's collection. He went to the Philipines for 4 years as a missionary at the age of 70. Before he left he planted all his younger material in his back yard. When he returned he had melanoma. It took him quickly. Thanks to Jim Rieden.
I let the clump acclimate for 2 years then repotted it. Now I need to style it.
 

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lordy

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this ficus benjamina forest started life at my place as a 5" nursery container of 6" tall saplings from Home Depot. That was in probably 1995. The first pic is probably 1998. 2nd pic from a display at the National Arboretum in 2009??. Last shot was this summer. Really needs a haircut at this point.
 

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lordy

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Last one tonite. This is a landsacape laceleaf maple that I dug from a buddy's house about 7 years ago. I have to trim this guy like twice a year. I am storing up energy to go collect it's fraternal twin. These are an easy 6 feet tall. The rootball is kinda heavy. I havent been able to find the right pot yet...
 

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