Am I doing this right?

[Ceijay]

Hi. I'm new.

I recently got this cute little boxwood for like 3 bucks at lowes and wanted to see if I've gotten any of this right so far. I've already chopped a few branches, divided it from what was an entirely separate plant (
so yay two for one), trimmed the roots very lightly and then stuck it in a "bonsai" pot.

Honestly my biggest question would be suggestions on how to style this thing but I'm sure that I've already gotten a couple things wrong. Anyway rather than overload you I'll just leave you to look at the poor thing and feel free to post anything that comes to your mind. Sorry that I don't have the best images of it but my frog was home today and I don't like to interrupt it while it's relaxing for the day.


Japanese Boxwood (that's what the tag said) about 10 inches tall.


Close up of branches, trunk, and nebari.


Close up trunk and nebari.


Thanks.

 

[JudyB]

Hi Ceijay, welcome to the forum. You should go to your profile and list where you are so good advice for your climate can be given. I would suggest at this point to not do any more. Looks like you have a decent start, but be careful with the watering since you took off foliage, and it won't need as much water right now, especially as your soil looks to be mainly organic material. Stick a wooden skewer in the soil and leave it in. Lift it out each day, and when it's almost dry, that's when you'll water thoroughly. Lots of use use only inorganic substrates for soils. You'll have to study up on that, it's a long subject. When it's time in your area, I would suggest to prune all the long straight growth back to a few leaves on each branch. That way you can get more backbudding close to the trunk which is what you want.

 

[Cypress187]

Wow, that pot is demonic man, maybe put a thorny tree in it (and make a ritual circle of the stones). Welcome to the forum.

 

[sorce]

That's for the pigeons.

And that's a toad!

I like the tree, better if you spread those branches out a bit.

Welcome to Crazy!

Like getting warts from a frog, that is really a toad, but if you kiss it......

It dons a pink thong and shoots squirrels.

Sorce

 

[Cypress187]

I found the toad, i didnt even see it the first time, very original idea

 

[Ceijay]

Hi Ceijay, welcome to the forum. You should go to your profile and list where you are so good advice for your climate can be given. I would suggest at this point ...

Thanks for the welcome and yes all of my soil is terrible for bonsai at the moment. My plan is to start slowly transfering my collection over to the proper mix next year if things look up for it. My profile should list my zones as 8/9. I live in Mississippi and right now it's very very hot so I am in no hurry to put them into fast drying soil just yet. Eventually though I'll probably use the same soil mix they use at Brussel's since I'm only two hours from them and they seem to know something about the subject too.

As for pruning I really don't know anything about boxwood. I bought it for the nebari and the price, and as i mentioned there were two trunks in the pot so I really couldn't just walk away. From what I've read about them they are suppose to grow like juniper and back-bud poorly. I've been studying deciduous trees so I'm not familiar with junipers. Long term plan is to just leave it till spring next year.

Wow, that pot is demonic man, maybe put a thorny tree in it (and make a ritual circle of the stones). Welcome to the forum.

My fiance made the pot. I'm not sure it's suitable for a finished tree and even the rose I'm making is much too small but I'm sure I'll find something to put in it.

That's for the pigeons. ...

Um, yes I like squirrels too!

 

[klosi]

My fiance made the pot

Congratulate her, it's a very nice pot.
Welcome to bonsai, you did good for first time thing. Read as much as you can. There's a wiring tutorial on craftsy by C. Lewis, check that out. good luck

 

[sorce]

My fiance made the pot.

it's a very nice pot.

It is. It has an old feel to it you don't usually see.
Spineless, could fit a niche.
Spines too I guess, but smaller.

Wouldn't be a bad idea to put a little wire on it.

Sorce

 

[Ceijay]

Congratulate her, it's a very nice pot.
Welcome to bonsai, you did good for first time thing. Read as much as you can. There's a wiring tutorial on craftsy by C. Lewis, check that out. good luck

It is. It has an old feel to it you don't usually see.
Spineless, could fit a niche.
Spines too I guess, but smaller.

Wouldn't be a bad idea to put a little wire on it.

Sorce

Thank you. He was glad to hear you all liked it. The idea was that over time the thorns would break off and create an interesting new look as the pot aged. We hope to apply this to more of our pottery this year. I've ordered him to make me nothing but pots this year in his pottery class so hopefully I can show those off as well. Here's one that I've just finished and sent off to be glazed.




As for the wiring tutorial I wasn't able to access the video you mentioned but I poked around the magical internets a bit and found enough confidence to rewire my Chinese tallow ( T. sebifera ). It will probably die back pretty far this winter so for now it's nice to practice on.



Before


After


See you on the next episode of..."Am I doing this right???"

 

[sorce]

At least it's not straight!


Sorce