Bonsai Pictures Critique/Feedback Welcome

CovertNeo

Sapling
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Southwest VA
USDA Zone
6b
This ficus was an Amazon purchase and one of my first bonsai trees. It came chopped with a new apex grafted to the top. These must be mass produced. Not one of my favorite trees, but fun to work on nonetheless. It sits in my window sill during the winter. Tonight I did some carving to continue to hide the remnants of the stump the top was grafted to. I found a really neat rock earlier this week and next spring I plan to try to plant this over the rock.
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Would love your feedback on this literati Juniper. I potted is this spring and it’s one of my favorites. The branch growing just under half way up the trunk I plan to grow out longer and larger so that eventually I will turn it to a Jin. It is interesting because it circles around from behind the trunk to the left and then forward towards the viewer. It probably won't be thick enough for a Jin for another 5-10 years, but that's the plan.
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This is an oak tree I pulled from my back yard about three years ago. The new lead is growing nicely. In the next couple of years I plan to cut away the remnants of my last chop so that it can heal into the new lead. In the long term I envision a larger pot and hopefully a fuller canopy of smaller leaves. The roots on this one need a lot of work, as what came out of the ground did not give me a lot to work with right away. I'm hoping the course soil and future repots will help build a root ball and in turn reward me with a canopy.
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My trident maple is loving the new pot it received this spring. This one was getting some brown tips, and after reading a lot and hearing it's because of too little water or because of too much water (a lot of conflicting messages online), I've leaned towards thinking I've been under-watering. I moved from watering from a can to using my new watering setup also shown below, and that has helped a lot.
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I wired and trimmed this Parsoni Juniper in August. I took quite a bit off the right hand side and began to stack that side up along the trunk (hoping the future will show that). I'm hoping I didn't take too much off as we head into the colder season. I am seeing some back budding, but I hope I didn't do anything too drastic too late in the year. In any case, I spent a lot of time wiring this one and it is the first time I've wired this much. I still need a lot of work on my wiring abilities, but I really got into a groove and enjoyed it. My plan is to let this one grow for a few years and see what it gives me. I'll probably just keep the apex in check as that top sure likes to grow up. Thoughts?
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I'll post a follow-up with some shots of my deck/garden.
 

CovertNeo

Sapling
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Location
Southwest VA
USDA Zone
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Lastly, here are a few shots of my deck where I currently keep my trees. I sit out here a lot and enjoy this space, but I think I will have to bit the bullet and move my trees to the yard at some point. It would require a lot of work to setup a garden in my yard and I am expecting I'll need a fenced in area. The problem with the deck is the amount of water the wood decking gets from all the watering.
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August44

Omono
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Love the junipers! Did you collect those? The literati Juniper is exceptional in my book. Thanks for the showing. Peter
 

JudyB

Queen of the Nuts
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That deck area looks like a wonderful space to enjoy the outdoors. I think I'd be tempted to put some sort of tray under the areas the trees are so as to be able to leave them where they are sited now if the light is right and they grow well there. If you really want styling critique, you should photograph your tree against a plain background so it is easier to see.
 

CovertNeo

Sapling
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Southwest VA
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Love the junipers! Did you collect those? The literati Juniper is exceptional in my book. Thanks for the showing. Peter
Hi @Peter44 - I bought the junipers from a bonsai nursery in Florida, http://www.dragontreebonsai.com, within the last five years, they came in plastic pots ready to style and turn into bonsai. Thanks for your comment on the literati.
 

Mike Corazzi

Masterpiece
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Cuprinol wood stain was banned in California. 😥
It was bar none the best there was.

Copper based DEFIED rot.
 

VAFisher

Masterpiece
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Maidens, VA
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I started out with trees on my deck too and ended up moving them. It built up a nice, slick coat of green algae from the watering. It was very easy to fall on that stuff.
 

BunjaeKorea

Omono
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The place looks awesome.
The juniper is very good starter material.
Turning the top (red) into shari will increase the effect
 

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CovertNeo

Sapling
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Southwest VA
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The place looks awesome.
The juniper is very good starter material.
Turning the top (red) into shari will increase the effect
Thank you for this idea. Going to definitely think over this for some time.
 

BunjaeKorea

Omono
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Sure take your time. Just an idea but I am pretty sure it will add to the allure of this already good material
Thank you for this idea. Going to definitely think over this for some time.
 

Potawatomi13

Imperial Masterpiece
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Also fan of this juniper High hope for the oak. Do you know variety:confused:?
 

CovertNeo

Sapling
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Also fan of this juniper High hope for the oak. Do you know variety:confused:?
@Potawatomi13 thanks for your comment. I have a lot of hope for this oak bonsai as well. I have a sneaking suspicion that this will be among the favorites of my collection in twenty years or so. It is a White Oak (Quercus alba). A great post on "The Mighty White Oak" is worth a quick read: https://piedmontvirginian.com/whiteoak/
The article mentions a book that is now on my wish list, "Remarkable Trees of Virginia" by Nancy Ross Hugo.
 

sorce

Nonsense Rascal
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I like the junipers.

The first one, I wouldn't Terribly worry about that low jin growing. It may distract from the nice singular line.

The second. Has a nice single literati line too.

Sorce
 

LeonardB

Shohin
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This ficus was an Amazon purchase and one of my first bonsai trees. It came chopped with a new apex grafted to the top. These must be mass produced. Not one of my favorite trees, but fun to work on nonetheless. It sits in my window sill during the winter. Tonight I did some carving to continue to hide the remnants of the stump the top was grafted to. I found a really neat rock earlier this week and next spring I plan to try to plant this over the rock.
View attachment 261638 View attachment 261639

Would love your feedback on this literati Juniper. I potted is this spring and it’s one of my favorites. The branch growing just under half way up the trunk I plan to grow out longer and larger so that eventually I will turn it to a Jin. It is interesting because it circles around from behind the trunk to the left and then forward towards the viewer. It probably won't be thick enough for a Jin for another 5-10 years, but that's the plan.
View attachment 261640 View attachment 261641

This is an oak tree I pulled from my back yard about three years ago. The new lead is growing nicely. In the next couple of years I plan to cut away the remnants of my last chop so that it can heal into the new lead. In the long term I envision a larger pot and hopefully a fuller canopy of smaller leaves. The roots on this one need a lot of work, as what came out of the ground did not give me a lot to work with right away. I'm hoping the course soil and future repots will help build a root ball and in turn reward me with a canopy.
View attachment 261642 View attachment 261643

My trident maple is loving the new pot it received this spring. This one was getting some brown tips, and after reading a lot and hearing it's because of too little water or because of too much water (a lot of conflicting messages online), I've leaned towards thinking I've been under-watering. I moved from watering from a can to using my new watering setup also shown below, and that has helped a lot.
View attachment 261645 View attachment 261646

I wired and trimmed this Parsoni Juniper in August. I took quite a bit off the right hand side and began to stack that side up along the trunk (hoping the future will show that). I'm hoping I didn't take too much off as we head into the colder season. I am seeing some back budding, but I hope I didn't do anything too drastic too late in the year. In any case, I spent a lot of time wiring this one and it is the first time I've wired this much. I still need a lot of work on my wiring abilities, but I really got into a groove and enjoyed it. My plan is to let this one grow for a few years and see what it gives me. I'll probably just keep the apex in check as that top sure likes to grow up. Thoughts?
View attachment 261648 View attachment 261649

I'll post a follow-up with some shots of my deck/garden.
This is a beautiful specimen as is. If it were mine I might consider pulling the apex down a bit towards the observer to minimize the height a bit and reduce the negative space on the left ( see photo)? Definitely develop the apex ( there is plenty of material there), and let the right side fill in over the next couple of seasons. IMHO
 

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