benw3790
Shohin
Sweet, thanks. Yeah I'm really interested in working on them!
Winter woes, time to think about next years trees
- Thread starter Nybonsai12
- Start date
Sweet, thanks. Yeah I'm really interested in working on them!
berobinson82
Omono
Winter? What winter?
Leo in N E Illinois
The Professor
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Happy New Years to all.
@berobinson82 - I'm experiencing a serious episode of climate zone envy. It will pass before July, but it looks like a long winter here. Have received about 8 - 10 inches of snow in the last 24 hours, expect another 4 inches of "Lake Effect" snow before tomorrow afternoon. At least the snow will insulate the trees outside in the ground. We are expecting sub zero weather after the snow quits. Fortunately most summers here, with "Lake Effect" are cool enough that I don't have to turn on the air conditioning, well maybe 2 out of 5 summers I do turn it on. My summers are mild. I get a cool lake breeze from Lake Michigan most of the time, most summers.
Desirable Japanese Maple cultivars to work with: In August of 2013, I picked up a 'Hime Shojo' landscape plant, relatively high graft, so not good for much beyond air layer source, but it is an incredible cultivar and I can't wait to layer off a few pieces. I just searched my files and I neglected to take pictures. It is a coral bark type, bright red twigs. The leaves are red with greenish veins all summer, really holds color well, in fall they change to a wild blend of bright red and orange. It is a medium size dwarf, smallish leaves and reasonably short internodes. I am excited about working with it. Look for it, it is not often available. Got it from Davidsan's Maples near Springfield IL. They do have a website. Definitely not a 'Bloodgood' type. Great red. Hard to tell but I think some late August cuttings have sent out a root or two.
Kotohime - check Bill Valvanis's site, his winter list of bare root for spring delivery list is up. Last year, for a very modest price he had Kotohime cuttings, that were better than many of Ebay's 'finished bonsai' offerings. These had at least a couple or more years of growing out and cutting back, they were quite nice. I put mine right into a show-able shohin pot. It will need a few years to be truly show worthy, but it was not bad at all right from the box. Good value for the price.
I have an unheated 'well house' that stays at about freezing, where I store my more tender trees. The rest which are more hardy, are under their benches, mulched in with leaves out in the yard. Nicely covered with snow this year too. So far I have not had the time to go through and do an inventory, make plans or do any winter wiring. I really don't need to add any more trees to work on, but most likely will anyway.
Have lots of seed in pots - getting their winter stratification, we will see what actually sprouts.
Now that I am retired, I have less time than ever to work on the trees, this is not what I expected to happen.
@berobinson82 - I'm experiencing a serious episode of climate zone envy. It will pass before July, but it looks like a long winter here. Have received about 8 - 10 inches of snow in the last 24 hours, expect another 4 inches of "Lake Effect" snow before tomorrow afternoon. At least the snow will insulate the trees outside in the ground. We are expecting sub zero weather after the snow quits. Fortunately most summers here, with "Lake Effect" are cool enough that I don't have to turn on the air conditioning, well maybe 2 out of 5 summers I do turn it on. My summers are mild. I get a cool lake breeze from Lake Michigan most of the time, most summers.
Desirable Japanese Maple cultivars to work with: In August of 2013, I picked up a 'Hime Shojo' landscape plant, relatively high graft, so not good for much beyond air layer source, but it is an incredible cultivar and I can't wait to layer off a few pieces. I just searched my files and I neglected to take pictures. It is a coral bark type, bright red twigs. The leaves are red with greenish veins all summer, really holds color well, in fall they change to a wild blend of bright red and orange. It is a medium size dwarf, smallish leaves and reasonably short internodes. I am excited about working with it. Look for it, it is not often available. Got it from Davidsan's Maples near Springfield IL. They do have a website. Definitely not a 'Bloodgood' type. Great red. Hard to tell but I think some late August cuttings have sent out a root or two.
Kotohime - check Bill Valvanis's site, his winter list of bare root for spring delivery list is up. Last year, for a very modest price he had Kotohime cuttings, that were better than many of Ebay's 'finished bonsai' offerings. These had at least a couple or more years of growing out and cutting back, they were quite nice. I put mine right into a show-able shohin pot. It will need a few years to be truly show worthy, but it was not bad at all right from the box. Good value for the price.
I have an unheated 'well house' that stays at about freezing, where I store my more tender trees. The rest which are more hardy, are under their benches, mulched in with leaves out in the yard. Nicely covered with snow this year too. So far I have not had the time to go through and do an inventory, make plans or do any winter wiring. I really don't need to add any more trees to work on, but most likely will anyway.
Have lots of seed in pots - getting their winter stratification, we will see what actually sprouts.
Now that I am retired, I have less time than ever to work on the trees, this is not what I expected to happen.
ghues
Omono
Playing with Sticks and Stones
Hi Folks, Repotting season is months away here in the Pacific Northwest so planning for springtime repotting is a favourite pastime this time of year. So I ended up playing with some sticks and stones......
Our coastlines are rugged and the shorelines are filled with lots of driftwood from storms......having experienced and seen some wonderful wild tree specimens that are clinging to life on these exposed areas I've come up with a new pot for my two needle shorepine (Pinus contorta, contorta).
I'll post the completed project in April, thoughts and ideas welcome.
Cheers Graham
Hi Folks, Repotting season is months away here in the Pacific Northwest so planning for springtime repotting is a favourite pastime this time of year. So I ended up playing with some sticks and stones......
Our coastlines are rugged and the shorelines are filled with lots of driftwood from storms......having experienced and seen some wonderful wild tree specimens that are clinging to life on these exposed areas I've come up with a new pot for my two needle shorepine (Pinus contorta, contorta).
I'll post the completed project in April, thoughts and ideas welcome.
Cheers Graham
Attachments
Nybonsai12
Masterpiece
Put the last of my trees away for winter yesterday, all in the ground with the exception of two or three that will go in the garage. Already disliking that I have no trees to mess with. And no i don't want tropicals!!!
But when I look back at my initial post from a year ago i'm pretty pleased with this past year. I obtained some of the trees I wanted, but not all so that will keep me on the hunt next year.
I already mapped out what my plans are with each tree in the spring, bought all soil components, know which trees will go into which pots. Will need to get some wire. What else can i do to keep bonsai busy until spring? I hate withdrawal!
But when I look back at my initial post from a year ago i'm pretty pleased with this past year. I obtained some of the trees I wanted, but not all so that will keep me on the hunt next year.
I already mapped out what my plans are with each tree in the spring, bought all soil components, know which trees will go into which pots. Will need to get some wire. What else can i do to keep bonsai busy until spring? I hate withdrawal!
JoeR
Masterpiece
Not sure if its an option in your situation, but I plant a few seeds now (inside) which gives them a huge headstart in the spring and keeps me busy during the winter. Have to be careful about humidity though if your like me and have a fire place thats on a lot. I dont start all secies in winter though.
Nybonsai12
Masterpiece
I have some trident seeds stratifying in my fridge as we speak. I think i got some free blue spruce seeds when i bought them and i think it said they don't have to be stratified. you just gave me something to do! thanks!
JoeR
Masterpiece
Glad I helped.
I also am waiting on some seeds in the fridge right now. I have some pine, cherry, and I forgot what else.
I also am waiting on some seeds in the fridge right now. I have some pine, cherry, and I forgot what else.
Giga
Masterpiece
Winter is a hard time for bonsai, as there's not a lot to do. What I like to do is go hunting, there a local nursery that has everything and everything. Everything goes on sale up to 75% off in winter and I scored a really thick blue spruce, J.maple, redbud, and a ume! I also like to go hunting for yamadori to get in spring since there's no leaves and all the bugs and brush are gone. The goal is for a local pear, pines, and juniper. I also starting to buy more pots this winter since some of my material is ready for a nice pot.
Bunjeh
Chumono
Winter Wanderings
Winter here, if you can call it that, is dark and wet. We don't even get the occasional snow storm to break the monotony. I use this time to wander the local woods looking for interesting candidates. With the absence of undergrowth it is easier to see developing trunks and ramification. Recently I have found some small wild crabapple (malus fusca) and some douglas hawthorn (crataegus douglasii). That plus the 400 or so maple seeds I planted should give me something to look forward to.
Winter here, if you can call it that, is dark and wet. We don't even get the occasional snow storm to break the monotony. I use this time to wander the local woods looking for interesting candidates. With the absence of undergrowth it is easier to see developing trunks and ramification. Recently I have found some small wild crabapple (malus fusca) and some douglas hawthorn (crataegus douglasii). That plus the 400 or so maple seeds I planted should give me something to look forward to.
pbethune
Mame
Winter Woes
Ahhh! This is the time I walk through the forest behind my house and mark my next years trees. I am fortunate because their is many of pre-bonsai and burls lying around out there. I truly love collecting. Here are some pics.
Some trees and vines, I am still attempting to identify. Found a grape vine 16 inches thick and is approx. 60 feet long. New Jersey has some trees that shouldn't be here also like a sequoia species.
Ahhh! This is the time I walk through the forest behind my house and mark my next years trees. I am fortunate because their is many of pre-bonsai and burls lying around out there. I truly love collecting. Here are some pics.
Some trees and vines, I am still attempting to identify. Found a grape vine 16 inches thick and is approx. 60 feet long. New Jersey has some trees that shouldn't be here also like a sequoia species.
Attachments
Giga
Masterpiece
I do the same thing. the first 2 don't look worth collecting but the last one if that's a grape vine that could be interesting. Hard to tell from the pic.
