Collected Doug Fir

[Hartinez]

Dug this tree in fall of ‘22 with @Colorado . I left this tree to recover all of last season. At collection there were very little roots, but at repot this spring the roots were very abundant. I have found fir and spruce to be prolific root growers when happy. I potted the tree in this pot and lace rock vessel. The angle may need changing when I style this fall, but we’ll see. What I know now is this tree is very happy. It’s a smaller tree, but the movement is nice and bark craggy

After collection





Current front


Potential new front when styled. I’ll cross that bridge when I get there.

 

[Colorado]

Dug this tree in fall of ‘22 with @Colorado . I left this tree to recover all of last season. At collection there were very little roots, but at repot this spring the roots were very abundant. I have found fir and spruce to be prolific root growers when happy. I potted the tree in this pot and lace rock vessel. The angle may need changing when I style this fall, but we’ll see. What I know now is this tree is very happy. It’s a smaller tree, but the movement is nice and bark craggy

After collection



View attachment 546735

Current front
View attachment 546737

Potential new front when styled. I’ll cross that bridge when I get there.
View attachment 546738

Looks cool on that rock Danny! Looks very similar the rocky areas we collected it from!

 

[Hartinez]

Looks cool on that rock Danny! Looks very similar the rocky areas we collected it from!

I agree! Though I do think the pot isn’t working. A little too generic and bulky. Thinking something much more shallow. Possibly another nanban.

 

[Colorado]

I agree! Though I do think the pot isn’t working. A little too generic and bulky. Thinking something much more shallow. Possibly another nanban.

Agreed!

 

[Dabbler]

That rock looks pretty cool - this will look awesome once wired

 

[Hartinez]

Here’s where I’m at.

 

[Dogestoevsky]

Gorgeous mate. You have a great sense of design!

 

[Hartinez]

The back.

 

[Hartinez]

 

[Hartinez]

Hey @Colorado you may be right about eliminating that low branch.

I feel like this highlights the trees trunk movement and shape way more.

 

[Colorado]

Hey @Colorado you may be right about eliminating that low branch.

I feel like this highlights the trees trunk movement and shape way more.
View attachment 566876

Ohhh yeah! I think it gives the trunk a better/beefier proportion too.

 

[BonsaiManic]

You know I'm no expert, and the jin looks good. But I actually like the way that low branch gives the impression of an old man or woman stooping to take the hand of a young child to guide them in the ways of yesterday.

 

[Wood]

Do you think that branch will backbud at all? There's a lot more sun on it now that it's pruned back properly. I kinda like the branch, but its verticality and legginess is definitely distracting

 

[Hartinez]

Do you think that branch will backbud at all? There's a lot more sun on it now that it's pruned back properly. I kinda like the branch, but its verticality and legginess is definitely distracting

Great thoughts all around. @Ruddigger was thinking the same. I’ll leave it till next year for now and see if it back-buds. It just may.

 

[Mike Westervelt]

Removing the branch in question definitely improves the image in it's current pot, very nice bunjin feeling, but I also agree the rock/pot combo is a bit off, I think keeping the branch and rock
and moving to a wider flatter container, maybe even a sloped slab to evoke an alpine hillside would do more justice to your initial styling choices.
Regardless it's nice work!

 

[Hartinez]

Removing the branch in question definitely improves the image in it's current pot, very nice bunjin feeling, but I also agree the rock/pot combo is a bit off, I think keeping the branch and rock
and moving to a wider flatter container, maybe even a sloped slab to evoke an alpine hillside would do more justice to your initial styling choices.
Regardless it's nice work!

All excellent points! I def want to get it out of the pot, but keep it on the rock and a sloped comp, on a shallow tray or another slab may be just the ticket. But I do still think that first branch may need to go! Thanks Mike!

 

[Hartinez]

 

[Hartinez]

Maybe the whole planting could slip into a NanBan. Feels like it makes the tree a Bit taller and proportionate.

Still haven’t chopped that branch but def strongly considering it.

 

[minkes]

For now leave it. It looks perfect. Maybe in future it will be better to be jinned, but for now I definitely love it with that bottom branch

 

[Hartinez]

For now leave it. It looks perfect. Maybe in future it will be better to be jinned, but for now I definitely love it with that bottom branch

Thanks! It’s def still there. Hoping I can get some back budding on that branch in the spring. I did a “survey” on Instagram and the vote to remove it or keep it was almost exactly 50/50.