Japanese Beech: "choose your own adventure"
- Thread starter Brian Van Fleet
- Start date
jkd2572
Masterpiece
Very nice. Did you lime sulfur the trunk and branches of this guy?
Brian Van Fleet
Pretty Fly for a Bonsai Guy
Yes, though it was more to conceal the scars than to lighten the trunk...it's pretty white on its own.
MACH5
Imperial Masterpiece
Just got my first Japanese beech in the form of a forest a few weeks ago. Buds are swelling but not a trace of green yet for me. I'll be checking with you Brian for growing tips and such 
Brian Van Fleet
Pretty Fly for a Bonsai Guy
Cool...glad to help, but as you can see from this thread, it's about like growing a pet rock!Just got my first Japanese beech in the form of a forest a few weeks ago. Buds are swelling but not a trace of green yet for me. I'll be checking with you Brian for growing tips and such
Don Blackmond
Omono
oddly, beech don't grow that quickly and you can really slow them down without trying very hard...
Brian Van Fleet
Pretty Fly for a Bonsai Guy
JudyB
Queen of the Nuts
If you haven't read this thread in it's entirety, please do yourself a favor. I just re-read it and learned all over again, how patient one must be...
Thanks for the update!
Thanks for the update!
Brian Van Fleet
Pretty Fly for a Bonsai Guy
MACH5
Imperial Masterpiece
Such a lovely tree Brian! Can't wait to see it also without its leaves! Do you think I can do work in the middle of the winter such as wiring and pruning on my forest? I normally wait to do this type of work until early spring for my Japanese maples.
BTW I am developing a serious addiction to these crenatas. I am getting 10 small trees next week. Wait until the wife finds out!
BTW I am developing a serious addiction to these crenatas. I am getting 10 small trees next week. Wait until the wife finds out!
JudyB
Queen of the Nuts
Great shot Bri, terrific color!
M-I wire mine in the winter, but you must be very careful not to knock off any buds. That's the only problem with Beech, you can't do as much as you can with other trees, with a one flusher. But they are worth it, as you are finding out!
M-I wire mine in the winter, but you must be very careful not to knock off any buds. That's the only problem with Beech, you can't do as much as you can with other trees, with a one flusher. But they are worth it, as you are finding out!
MACH5
Imperial Masterpiece
Thank you Judy. To be more specific, do you mean winter as in December/January? And when you say can't do as much as in other species, do you mean amount of wiring, pruning, etc for fear of dieback?
JudyB
Queen of the Nuts
January/Feb, those seem to be when I have time to do my wiring. Not so much fear of dieback, but bud damage. I've seen what can happen when you more or less loose most of the years leaves. It can set you back a couple seasons. So slow and steady is best, and be very careful of fert in spring before leaf harden. Wind protection is paramount in the spring as well. (course most of this is based on EU beech, could be that others are less picky.) I have a J.Red Beech as well, and it seems to be a little stronger growth habit, but it's also younger...
And when I state not being able to do as much, I also am meaning things like defoliating, and some types of pruning to incite budding in the season.
Sorry for hijack B!
And when I state not being able to do as much, I also am meaning things like defoliating, and some types of pruning to incite budding in the season.
Sorry for hijack B!
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Brian Van Fleet
Pretty Fly for a Bonsai Guy
I've always wired mine in the winter too...late December-February. The buds haven't been too susceptible to breaking off...and they are very enjoyable to wire.
fredman
Masterpiece
I have thoroughly enjoyed this thread. Thank you for all the updates. Congrats on a beautiful tree. I am full exuberance for my Faguses again. A prime example of bonsai being about the journey......
Don Blackmond
Omono
Brian Van Fleet
Pretty Fly for a Bonsai Guy
Yeah, I think I over-corrected after Peter Warren was here a few years ago. Probably won't repot next spring, but will be looking for a better container and repot more to the right in '16.Looks great, but I so badly want to reposition it in that pot.....
Bunjeh
Chumono
Split the Base
I would split the trunk at the base to give the impression of a much older tree.
I would split the trunk at the base to give the impression of a much older tree.
Don Blackmond
Omono
I wouldn't. One nice feature of this tree is the clean lower trunk and base. Many times beech have scars and imperfections down low. This one is pretty clean. I'd keep it that way. Just my opinion.
MACH5
Imperial Masterpiece
........+1 ^
