Formal uprights

[Gene Deci]

i think the best way to document a tree is through a video, this is becoming more and more popular on this site and a video really captures the 3-d aspect of the specimen.

where did you get the pot for this tree btw its fantastic?

That is a great idea. My phone will not do that but maybe I should get a video camera anyway. Any suggestions?

That tree came from a rocky outcropping on the shore of Lake Superior. I wanted to try and reproduce the look so I made the pot from thin pieces from a local stone retailer. When I asked if they had any really thin stuff he said, "Look in the scrap pile There may be something there." Ten cents a pound, the total came to 40 cents. The epoxy cost more that the stone did.

Thank you for noticing it.

 

[Q-Bonsai]

Has any one developed a formal upright pine from scratch? I can't seem to wrap my mind around getting the amount or quantity of branches in the right place other than grafting them...

 

[MidMichBonsai]

Has any one developed a formal upright pine from scratch? I can't seem to wrap my mind around getting the amount or quantity of branches in the right place other than grafting them...

I think you're right on. My guess would be that 95% of old specimen Formal Upright pines were developed by grafting almost all the branches in place. It's probably the only way to develop a powerful trunk and then truly get the perfect 1st branch, 2nd branch, 3rd branch "ideal" that you see in the old Japanese specimens.

 

[Janson]

Here are a few formal upright style bonsai from my collection:

RAF Dwarf Scots pine
Trident maple
Seiju elm

Bill

Really like the FU trident. I'd like to do something similar with an acer in the near future.

 

[Adair M]

Here's two JBP:

A shohin and one a little larger. O

 

[Adair M]

Lol!

I just realized the needles on the shohin are about 3 times as long as the ones on the larger tree! Exactly backwards! I'm working on both to reverse that!

The shohin is actually too dense, too many buds, so the tree spreads its energy so far that each bud only manages to put out two or three sets of needles. Too weak to decandle, so the needles get long.

The larger tree also is highly ramified and does send out candles. But, it's in San Francisco, where it's cool. Not the best growing conditions for JBP. So, I'll decandle early this year so the summer candles will have a longer growing season. Repot this winter. And it's getting wired when I decandle.

 

[armetisius]

That is a great idea. My phone will not do that but maybe I should get a video camera anyway. Any suggestions?

That tree came from a rocky outcropping on the shore of Lake Superior. I wanted to try and reproduce the look so I made the pot from thin pieces from a local stone retailer. When I asked if they had any really thin stuff he said, "Look in the scrap pile There may be something there." Ten cents a pound, the total came to 40 cents. The epoxy cost more that the stone did.

Thank you for noticing it.

It was very well executed and has a "settled" natural feel to it.
Thanks for showing it.

 

[Tycoss]

Lol!

I just realized the needles on the shohin are about 3 times as long as the ones on the larger tree! Exactly backwards! I'm working on both to reverse that!

The shohin is actually too dense, too many buds, so the tree spreads its energy so far that each bud only manages to put out two or three sets of needles. Too weak to decandle, so the needles get long.

The larger tree also is highly ramified and does send out candles. But, it's in San Francisco, where it's cool. Not the best growing conditions for JBP. So, I'll decandle early this year so the summer candles will have a longer growing season. Repot this winter. And it's getting wired when I decandle.

Love that larger tree. Formal and stately without looking artificial.

 

[Adair M]

Love that larger tree. Formal and stately without looking artificial.

I worked on it a good bit last fall, wired it out. Then decandled it in June. Here's a picture after decandling:



Problem is, it leans forward

 

[JoeR]

Here are a few formal upright style bonsai from my collection:

RAF Dwarf Scots pine
Trident maple
Seiju elm

Bill

Hey Bill,

You said the last one is a seiju- I've heard a lot about them randomly killing off branches. Have you experienced any issues with yours doing that? If so, is it preventable?

 

[Adair M]

Here is another Formal Upright JBP. This one doesn't lean forward.

Here's a before pic:



After decandling and removing old wire:



Wiring in progress:



I hope to finish wiring it next time I'm at Boon's in about 3 weeks.

 

[Adair M]

I worked on it a good bit last fall, wired it out. Then decandled it in June. Here's a picture after decandling:

View attachment 120247

Problem is, it leans forward

Here's a fall update:

Before pulling needles and thinning buds:



Work in progress:



After: I did a little detail wiring, too.



I'm planning to show it at the BIB show at the end of January. I have another pot for it, and will repot it for the show.

 

[Wilson]

I have had this eastern red cedar since it was a seedling, I am in for the long game with this one. I know it has some wiggle in the trunk, but it is the closest I am growing to a formal upright. There are many branches still, slowly removing as it grows. Feel free to give opinions on what you would do with it.

 

[Adair M]

Here is another Formal Upright JBP. This one doesn't lean forward.

Here's a before pic:

View attachment 121084

After decandling and removing old wire:

View attachment 121083

Wiring in progress:

View attachment 121085

I hope to finish wiring it next time I'm at Boon's in about 3 weeks.

More work on the big Formal Upright:

Before:



After pulling needles and thinning;



After wiring:

 

[Adair M]

Here's a close up of some of the wiring on the large JBP:

 

[just.wing.it]

Here's a close up of some of the wiring on the large JBP:

View attachment 123668

Dang! that's purdy.

 

[M. Frary]

Here's a close up of some of the wiring on the large JBP:

View attachment 123668

How many pounds did it gain after wire?

 

[Adair M]

How many pounds did it gain after wire?

A bunch! There was a pretty big pile of scraps, too!

It was almost two days of work to pull needles, thin buds, cut back, trim old stubs from decandling, wiring and setting branches.

 

[jeanluc83]

More work on the big Formal Upright

How many of the branches are grafted?

 

[Adair M]

How many of the branches are grafted?

None.