Brian Underwood
Chumono
I spent a nice full day going through my three new shohin redwoods from Mendocino Coast Bonsai. I always tell myself I don't need any more redwoods, and then I go to a show and see all of them lined up on the MC Bonsai vendor table, and I can't resist! I tried to take before, middle, wired, and "finished" pictures as I went, but not all of them got in there.
This first one was perhaps my favorite of the three. It has a double trunk thing goin on, as well as some interesting curves, bumps, and a possible uro (hollow) in the front. The first step in styling these trees is to determine the lowest branch, then remove all of the branches below that. After removing all the lower branches, go through the rest of the tree and remove branches close together, find an acceptable apex, and try to leave a couple options just in case you break something off in the process. After main branch selection, pinch the foliage back to encourage backbudding on the branches (and trunk), and wire it up.
Before wiring, I decided this one needed some sort of hollow in the obtrusive cut off branch in the front. Since carving has been my thing recently this decision wasn't hard to make, though it may not always be the right course of action. I hollowed the branch about 2" into the tree and burned it out with a small torch and wood-burning tool. Unfortunately I may have killed part of the apex in the process (not enough protection from heat), and nicked a branch on the left which may or may not survive. But, no worries, there will be plenty of new branches to choose from later this summer.
ENJOY!
This first one was perhaps my favorite of the three. It has a double trunk thing goin on, as well as some interesting curves, bumps, and a possible uro (hollow) in the front. The first step in styling these trees is to determine the lowest branch, then remove all of the branches below that. After removing all the lower branches, go through the rest of the tree and remove branches close together, find an acceptable apex, and try to leave a couple options just in case you break something off in the process. After main branch selection, pinch the foliage back to encourage backbudding on the branches (and trunk), and wire it up.
Before wiring, I decided this one needed some sort of hollow in the obtrusive cut off branch in the front. Since carving has been my thing recently this decision wasn't hard to make, though it may not always be the right course of action. I hollowed the branch about 2" into the tree and burned it out with a small torch and wood-burning tool. Unfortunately I may have killed part of the apex in the process (not enough protection from heat), and nicked a branch on the left which may or may not survive. But, no worries, there will be plenty of new branches to choose from later this summer.
ENJOY!