2018: the three year bonsai time capsule

Brian Van Fleet

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You know, like the ones you buried in the back yard and never found again. Post up your 2-3 trees which are works-in-progress now, but you're expecting great things from in 3 years. Then we'll dig up the thread in a few years and take a look.

Whatcha got?
Whatcha gonna have this time in 2018?
 

Brian Van Fleet

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Here's #1: air-layered arakawa maple, sweet little twin-trunk with some good movement.

I'm gonna thread graft some primary branches down lower and compact the design. In 2018, I expect to have new branches formed, with a little movement and working on developing new apices.
image.jpg image.jpgimage.jpg
 

Brian Van Fleet

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Here's #2, shimpaku air layer with 3 trunks, separated in 9/14. I anticipate making this a wide, low tight shohin with some nice Jin and Shari, which I started adding in June this year.
2016: repot and incorporate more Jin and some Shari to give trunks some movement. Prune mid-summer to compact, wire in fall.
2017: more Jin, refinement wire, source nice pot.
2018: detail wire pads.
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Brian Van Fleet

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#3, cork bark elm. 2nd generation root cutting, already showing great base and trunk movement.
2016: repot, reduce root system to fit in Koyo pot. Wire all branches.
2017: continue developing secondaries, close wound.
2028: show...somewhere...
image.jpg
 

Dav4

Drop Branch Murphy
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Ok, I'll play!
#1 Bald cypress, collected 13 months ago. No work done, but had it's first wiring and the chop carved 2 weeks ago.
2016- Reduce the roots while exposing more of the basal flare, get into a smaller cement mixing pan. Cut back the leaders and rewire, defoliate and work on ramification
2017- Reduce the root even more...bonsai pot? More defoliating and ramifying, maybe more carving.
2018- Rinse and repeat...
 

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BobbyLane

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Here are my contributions to the three year plan!
Olive, picked up from a garden centre and chopped just over a month ago, will have a broom like canopy in less than three years and already has the makings of a powerful root structure and trunk base...
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European Hornbeam, picked up from a garden centre two weeks ago, chopped and put straight in the ground, will be developed in the ground into a powerful shohin, already has a great radial spread, just needs a broom shape canopy. wont take long....
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Dav4

Drop Branch Murphy
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Parsons juniper grafted with Kishu foliage over last 3 years.
2016- going to get wired out and the branching established
2017- Repot into a better one then the current, refine the canopy
2017- More refining, followed by a crap load of pinching...
 

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Dav4

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An Acer palmatum 'Murasaki kiohime' I planted in the yard in GA 6 years ago as a 1 gal graft. Dug up in March of this year, air layer started in May.
2016- Separate the layer, reduce or remove some of the larger branches, +/- first wiring
2017- More wiring and root work, +/- root graft.
2018- More of the same
 

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cmeg1

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"Like the ones you buried in the back yard"

Ok,I'm in.Now I HAVE to get these stumps in shapeo_O
These two yatsubusa elm have potential,I think.They were buried in the yard a couple years ago.They both had good shallow roots from growing in colanders.
2016-dig,chop down and plant in large colanders then let grow,maybe wire.
2017-hopefully select branches,wire.
2018-I'll be happy with them in a colander,but with a nice silhouette.
 

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Nybonsai12

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I've got a few cool things planted that have been left to grow out, not sure 2018 will see them as masterpieces but we will see.
My very first ume. I put in the ground a few years ago. Been growing out since and I chopped this spring(first pic). Pruned back the new growth recently because it was unruly and its pushed new branches that will remain unchecked the rest of the season. I'm not sure how to address the reverse taper from the bulging at the moment or even what the best course of action would be to make the best tree but we will see. Very much learning as I go with the this one so mistakes will or have already occurred.

Plan for now:
2016: dig up, get roots in check and get into a pot. Let adjust and prune back if necessary
2017: depending on 2016, prune back if needed and wire new growth to create shape, give movement
2018: prune and continue to wore for shape? Or so I think....
 

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Paradox

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My scots pine
Not really forgotten but it was pretty sick this spring so I am letting it get strong again. I hope in 3 years to have all or most of the extra branches cut off and hopefully it will have grown more of its bark back after it fell off in my newbie ignorance. Some might consider this tree a waste of time, but they are very hard to find around here and I love this tree.

Whole tree:
2015Feb_1_small.jpg

Future plan:
2015Feb_futureplan1_small.jpg
 

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Smoke

Ignore-Amus
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I'm so jealous that you guys can even go out and look at tree right now. Today is 100 tomorrow 100 then 102,102. I have do desire to go out and get sweaty trying to take a picture for five minutes. Long growing season is great but 80 degrees daily for 9 months would be better. This summer has broken a record for hottest summer ever recorded here.
 

carp

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The semi-cascade Buttonwood needs more ramification and to get chased back. I haven't worked it much this year because it hasn't been all too healthy, but it's starting to grow more vigorously now. I need to really tighten up the growth and wire the tree again. I'd like to see it into a more narrow, deeper pot with feet and maybe corners. Was restyled last year, 2014.

The slanting Buttonwood is a tree I collected in 2013 and styled it for the first time just a few months ago. I'd like to see it planted on a large stone rather than in a pot. Every branch on the tree I've grown and they're getting to be close to where I want them to be. Minor carving work needs to be done and nebari is being developed under the soil.

The Ficus salicaria is nearing refinement stages. The branching on the left is too light compared to the right side, especially near the apex, the left side branch angles need to be slightly adjusted as well. I'd like to improve the nebari, and am working on root grafting salicaria; there's a lot of opinions on grafting salicaria, some say it doesn't work, and some say it does, the sources on both sides being very credible and knowledgeable. The roots overhanging the pot have grown out of the soil since April when it was repotted. I'm having a show pot commissioned for this tree.

This Ficus microcarpa retusa 'Kinmen' is also near refinement. Theres' a few branches I'm looking to thicken in the back that are not seen in the photo. Also considering having a pot commissioned for this tree, I'd prefer it to sit more to the left, which means the pot needs to be wider to accommodate an aerial root back there. Going to focus on ramification in the mean time.
 

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carp

Chumono
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I'm so jealous that you guys can even go out and look at tree right now. Today is 100 tomorrow 100 then 102,102. I have do desire to go out and get sweaty trying to take a picture for five minutes. Long growing season is great but 80 degrees daily for 9 months would be better. This summer has broken a record for hottest summer ever recorded here.

QFT

I know the feels maan. Same feels.
 

fourteener

Omono
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1. A recently gathered Thuja...survival hopes at this point
2. Another Thuja... this is ready for a better pot and for significant work next year
3. A juniper with crazy curves and too much extentsion. Bud back or try my hand at grafting
4. Thuja...gotta get some foliage closer to the very gnarly base.
5. Mugo pine I found at a nursery this spiring. Got it repotted this year.
6. Scot pine gather this spring. did very well for a pine gather. Will try to push back growth for the next two years
2015-08-21 14.46.21.jpg2015-08-22 11.46.21.jpg2015-08-22 11.50.45.jpg2015-08-22 12.07.52.jpg2015-08-22 12.08.42.jpg2015-08-22 12.18.24.jpg
 
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