Dwarf Alberta Spruce first styling
- Thread starter Myka
- Start date
Mike Hennigan
Chumono
I’d say there’s hope for you yet, not sure about the tree though! ?. My first attempts were rather brutal, we all have to start somewhere.
Flounder61
Sapling
Hey may, that looks pretty good. I am new as hell too, but it looks good! Post an update soon!!
Tidal Bonsai
Omono
Don’t psych yourself out! Keep working at it!!!
Potawatomi13
Imperial Masterpiece
Hmmmmmm
?
?Wires_Guy_wires
Imperial Masterpiece
Are there any (terminal) buds left?
sorce
Nonsense Rascal
Sometimes we cut OFF sacrifices.
Sometimes we cut TO sacrifices.
Merry Xmas!
Sorce
Sometimes we cut TO sacrifices.
Merry Xmas!
Sorce
Tidal Bonsai
Omono
This is an invaluable resource for working on rough stock. Take your time, take notes and digest what he is saying.
Myka
Sapling
Thanks for the encouragement everyone! It looks so easy in the videos. Haha! This tree was $15. I bought 6 of them to learn and practise on before I touch my pines. By the looks of it, that's a darn good thing! Hahahaha!!!
Thank you for the video @Brewing and Bonsai , I will study!
One. It's at the apex (which is not the future apex...I think).
Thank you for the video @Brewing and Bonsai , I will study!
One. It's at the apex (which is not the future apex...I think).
Wires_Guy_wires
Imperial Masterpiece
That'll be the death of it, I think.
I've been fooling around with alberta's for two years now. None of them died, even though they should have. I believe part of the reason why they made it, is because they had buds everywhere. The shoots seem to have restored the roots, to some extent.
I don't know if that works the other way around as well. The roots on yours were left untouched, so it might be possible! You might want to leave some more buds next time. Working back is easier if there's stuff to cut down. It's pretty hard to stick it back on. ;-)
Make sure you really check the root base on these. You're from a different side of the globe, but over here they're container grown. That means the roots coil up and do things that prevent them from ever fitting into a regular bonsai pot, since it's basically a taproot that turned into an extended trunk. I had a few that I spent hours, maybe days on.. And those turned out to be the coiled-root ones. They were good fire starters.
I've been fooling around with alberta's for two years now. None of them died, even though they should have. I believe part of the reason why they made it, is because they had buds everywhere. The shoots seem to have restored the roots, to some extent.
I don't know if that works the other way around as well. The roots on yours were left untouched, so it might be possible! You might want to leave some more buds next time. Working back is easier if there's stuff to cut down. It's pretty hard to stick it back on. ;-)
Make sure you really check the root base on these. You're from a different side of the globe, but over here they're container grown. That means the roots coil up and do things that prevent them from ever fitting into a regular bonsai pot, since it's basically a taproot that turned into an extended trunk. I had a few that I spent hours, maybe days on.. And those turned out to be the coiled-root ones. They were good fire starters.
Kendo
Mame
I the LOLing the so hard right now...HAi HAi Confusions is coming from if the words or tree is most funny some.
We make the bonsai, that the good. Thank you. Thank you. This we learn, by trying. Maybe you come to make visit with Bonsai club and make the new Sensei for you and learn from there. You have the heart of the Tanuki in works.
Hai Thank you future vision. Thank you for make Bonsai. Thank you.
We saying now, Happy New Year. Thank you.
Myka
Sapling
Ok, so buds are the ones that haven't yet sprouted their needles? There are lots of "sprouts" that are as long as the needles, like sprouted buds. Keep in mind this tree is not dormant - it was bought out of a warm store in the Christmas section.
This one has roots coming out of the pot. Pretty root bound I'm sure. You can't cut the tap root? Coiled root...hmmm...I'm not sure what a non-coiled root is. I think they are always spinning around the pot when they are big trees shoved in tiny pots? I'm not sure what to look for.
Wires_Guy_wires
Imperial Masterpiece
A coiled up root.. It's like some fucked up carrot (actual size) dangling below the soil line, with feeder roots on the end. So there's no way of cutting it.
Warm stores don't always break dormancy. My spruce have been in such stores, and they weren't actively growing. If they are not dormant, then don't wire them; they will surprise you by killing off some branches. Non dormant spruce, or at least the ones I have, show brighter green shades that turn the same dull green when they're matured and go dormant. That might help you find out if they truly are dormant, or somewhere in between.
If you did cut back to shoots, then it should be fine. If those shoots have either growing tips or dormant buds at least. Buds are buds, when they grow they become shoots.
Warm stores don't always break dormancy. My spruce have been in such stores, and they weren't actively growing. If they are not dormant, then don't wire them; they will surprise you by killing off some branches. Non dormant spruce, or at least the ones I have, show brighter green shades that turn the same dull green when they're matured and go dormant. That might help you find out if they truly are dormant, or somewhere in between.
If you did cut back to shoots, then it should be fine. If those shoots have either growing tips or dormant buds at least. Buds are buds, when they grow they become shoots.
Leo in N E Illinois
The Professor
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Hi Myka
Nice, I really like your enthusiasm. Don't disturb the roots this year, or for 2019. After this severe a pruning the tree will need the roots undisturbed so they can heal the tree and regain vigor. The tree needs to grow before attempting to repot. In 2020 when you repot you may indeed remove a ''carrot like'' coiled up tap root. IF you don't do a bunch of pruning of the foliage in 2020.
Your wiring job is not bad for a first effort. Practice will make perfect. Colin Lewis has a wiring tutorial on ETSY. You have to register, but it is free.
But for a ''first effort" it is really pretty good. So even if I, or others are critical, you have done better than many I have seen, so keep up your enthusiasm. You can only learn by doing.
You might try repotting one or two of your trees before styling. Repot into a low and wide growing container, box, Anderson flat, large bulb pan. One that holds the same or more potting media than the nursery pot it is currently in. Less than 5 inches deep, 4 inches is perfect. Do the major root work needed to get it ready for a future bonsai pot. You can remove up to about 50% of the root system, maybe more. Use a good bonsai soil, one that is mostly pumice. Let the tree get established and growing without any significant pruning. (less than 10% of foliage). Let it alone for 2019 after repotting, then in 2020 do the styling, if it buds out well and grows in the beginning of 2020.
Nice, I really like your enthusiasm. Don't disturb the roots this year, or for 2019. After this severe a pruning the tree will need the roots undisturbed so they can heal the tree and regain vigor. The tree needs to grow before attempting to repot. In 2020 when you repot you may indeed remove a ''carrot like'' coiled up tap root. IF you don't do a bunch of pruning of the foliage in 2020.
Your wiring job is not bad for a first effort. Practice will make perfect. Colin Lewis has a wiring tutorial on ETSY. You have to register, but it is free.
But for a ''first effort" it is really pretty good. So even if I, or others are critical, you have done better than many I have seen, so keep up your enthusiasm. You can only learn by doing.
You might try repotting one or two of your trees before styling. Repot into a low and wide growing container, box, Anderson flat, large bulb pan. One that holds the same or more potting media than the nursery pot it is currently in. Less than 5 inches deep, 4 inches is perfect. Do the major root work needed to get it ready for a future bonsai pot. You can remove up to about 50% of the root system, maybe more. Use a good bonsai soil, one that is mostly pumice. Let the tree get established and growing without any significant pruning. (less than 10% of foliage). Let it alone for 2019 after repotting, then in 2020 do the styling, if it buds out well and grows in the beginning of 2020.
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