An absolute beginner

[pnwnovice]

Early summer of 2019 my wife and I were able to purchase our first house (on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington state) and move out of our apartment. Ever since then I've been bringing home seeds, seedlings, and cuttings left and right now that I have my own space to actually grow something. As I am a complete beginner and am more than likely to kill many trees I am trying to keep it as cheap as possible by collecting native species growing on my client's properties. These are a few of the larger specimens I was able to bring back that I want to practice on.

First is a Red Alder (Alnus rubra) that I saved from being mowed over again for the umpteenth time in a ditch. It was a spaghetti mess of thick branches that didn't look very good so I cut most of them back. The trunk already has begun back budding so I'm hoping to get some nice new branches to play with.

 

[pnwnovice]

Next is another Red Alder that was growing on a client's drain field so it need to be taken out. Figured I'd try giving it a second lease on life. My plan is it to chop that spindly second trunk off soon. But since I already chopped a third trunk off already I wanted to give it a chance to recover a bit first (not sure if that was necessary but figured I'd rather safe than sorry).

 

[Tieball]

Nice tree material. Your expectation, of yourself now, is keeping it healthy. I think you’ve found a nice start In all of those trees. I see you’re also versed on leaving the tree collar in place when cutting off a branch....it took some time for me to learn that. I especially like that first photo....lots of potential right away.

The Olympic Peninsula of Washington state...nice area. Mick Dodge territory. If you’ve not heard of Mick Didge I’d probably need to explain that connection. Interesting guy....no relation to bonsai.

 

[pnwnovice]

And finally for now, the last of what I'm not too embarrased to show yet, a Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) that I saved from a ditch on the opposite side of the road as the first tree in this thread. I was originally just playing around/practicing with the wiring, hoping to eventually develop a cascade. But now I really think the tree would look much better without the lower branch and developing the top more. For now I'll keep the lower branch though and hope I can get it to back bud up towards the first bend and hopefully get a small foliage pad going there.

Also, I'm well aware the soil I'm using is far less than ideal, but this is what they'll have to grow in for now until I can source some good soil components that won't break the bank and get me sleeping on the couch lol.

 

[pnwnovice]

Nice tree material. Your expectation, of yourself now, is keeping it healthy. I think you’ve found a nice start In all of those trees. I see you’re also versed on leaving the tree collar in place when cutting off a branch....it took some time for me to learn that. I especially like that first photo....lots of potential right away.

The Olympic Peninsula of Washington state...nice area. Mick Dodge territory. If you’ve not heard of Mick Didge I’d probably need to explain that connection. Interesting guy....no relation to bonsai.

Thank you, I'm hoping I can keep them alive byt only time will tell. Especially since most of them were not collected during ideal times, but it was either collect them then or let them die.

And I'm well aware of Mick Dodge, when I lived in Forks it was odd seeing him on TV talking about living in the woods but then seeing him driving around town in his Subaru.

 

[Tieball]

I wouldn’t cut off that lower left hanging down branch...not just yet. I’d let the tree, all the trees as you say, gain health. Ha!...just thinking....keeping the trees alive is the most important part right now. There will be plenty of time to mess with the form....and you’ll have your own direction that works for you.

Nice material to begin a journey...all of the trees. Best decision right now is to leave them along and get growth on the way.

I enjoyed watching Mick Dodge...a fabulous character. I could only follow him on the shows...and he created an interesting engagement in that area of the Northwest. What a character!

 

[TN_Jim]

Looks like you’re onto something

Would pay attention to how sustainabily wet that soil looks like it could be...

Perhaps irrelevant, yet thread title instantly brought this to mind

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Welcome! Nice trees!

I see this as a twin trunk. Red are spots id prune.

 

[BonsaiSniper]

Nice stones... they could be appreciated