Hartinez
Masterpiece
New Mexico Olive (foresteria Neomexicana) is a native new Mexican shrub/small tree that grows in the cottonwood line banks of the rio grande called the Bosque. They grow in natural clumps have have wonderful whitish yellow bark with small bright green leaves. Males produce a small berry.
I’ve had a 3 tree group of these I was never happy with, and had wanted to make a much larger planting as the typically slender trunks lend themselves to a group planting. I began acquiring specimens around pencil thickness plus or minus, as I already owned what would be the mother tree.
I prepped a plastic training container with mesh and a ton of tie down wires. This article https://www.google.com/amp/s/valavanisbonsaiblog.com/2014/03/28/creating-a-beech-forest-bonsai/amp/ by @William N. Valavanis was my source for the process. I prepped each tree one by one, mostly bare rooting and removing any thick taproots. I placed the trees in a shallow water filled container in the shade whilst building the forest and used damp clothes to lay over each root system. I tried several variations taking my time to remove excess roots and tying the trees down, and to each other. I used a mostly sifted pumice with some DE, and compost mix. Once complete, I covered the surface with a few moss sheets but mostly with a sphag top dressing. I trimmed the trees down depending on location and thickness. With more trimming to be done over time. It’s now sitting in a shady spot and will be watered daily for recouperation.
My critique. I’m pleased, but it was difficult. It took about 2.5 hrs of total prep and placement. It def needs lots of long term refinement, and I may lose a tree or 2 down the road, but we’ll see. With time I think it will make a great forest! @MACH5 recently posted a Japanese beech forest that had me inspired. Def not on his caliber of forest but I think not bad for a relative newb. I learned a lot in the process, good and bad. Here’s a series of photos that I hope highlights my steps.
I’ve had a 3 tree group of these I was never happy with, and had wanted to make a much larger planting as the typically slender trunks lend themselves to a group planting. I began acquiring specimens around pencil thickness plus or minus, as I already owned what would be the mother tree.
I prepped a plastic training container with mesh and a ton of tie down wires. This article https://www.google.com/amp/s/valavanisbonsaiblog.com/2014/03/28/creating-a-beech-forest-bonsai/amp/ by @William N. Valavanis was my source for the process. I prepped each tree one by one, mostly bare rooting and removing any thick taproots. I placed the trees in a shallow water filled container in the shade whilst building the forest and used damp clothes to lay over each root system. I tried several variations taking my time to remove excess roots and tying the trees down, and to each other. I used a mostly sifted pumice with some DE, and compost mix. Once complete, I covered the surface with a few moss sheets but mostly with a sphag top dressing. I trimmed the trees down depending on location and thickness. With more trimming to be done over time. It’s now sitting in a shady spot and will be watered daily for recouperation.
My critique. I’m pleased, but it was difficult. It took about 2.5 hrs of total prep and placement. It def needs lots of long term refinement, and I may lose a tree or 2 down the road, but we’ll see. With time I think it will make a great forest! @MACH5 recently posted a Japanese beech forest that had me inspired. Def not on his caliber of forest but I think not bad for a relative newb. I learned a lot in the process, good and bad. Here’s a series of photos that I hope highlights my steps.
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