Help with styling soft touch holly

[Sarath]

Hi everyone,

I am new to bonsai world. Trying to learn.
Found this soft touch holly at a local nursery. It looked like it could be a good bonsai. Can you guys suggest a good style for this plant? Also any other advices related to this plant variety.

Thanks
Sarath.

 

[HorseloverFat]

Hemp straw and Somniferum on the fires, traveller, signifying your “arrival celebration” here in the Tiny Forest! The Woody Dwarves (in the Northern Hemisphere) are donning their “spring haircuts”.... and ready to party!

Nice Holly! Ilex are fast-growing, and make QUITE suitable “bonsai specimens”

Where are you keeping yours?

Like in which climate zone, or relative area of the world? Updating your profile with this information will help keep information sought, AND given, pertinent to YOUR situations.. YOUR trees..

Here lies a communal wellspring of shared knowledge/wisdom and experience.. drink deeply when you can... offer up when you are able.. like a cosmic “take a penny, leave a penny” concept.

Also.. the specific specimen you’ve chosen is fantastic! It will be a great tree to work with.

I’d like to see a little less up top.. .. but need more information before we can assist with your procedural timing.

Pleasure to make your acquaintance!

 

[Sarath]

Hemp straw and Somniferum on the fires, traveller, signifying your “arrival celebration” here in the Tiny Forest! The Woody Dwarves (in the Northern Hemisphere) are donning their “spring haircuts”.... and ready to party!

Nice Holly! Ilex are fast-growing, and make QUITE suitable “bonsai specimens”

Where are you keeping yours?

Like in which climate zone, or relative area of the world? Updating your profile with this information will help keep information sought, AND given, pertinent to YOUR situations.. YOUR trees..

Here lies a communal wellspring of shared knowledge/wisdom and experience.. drink deeply when you can... offer up when you are able.. like a cosmic “take a penny, leave a penny” concept.

Also.. the specific specimen you’ve chosen is fantastic! It will be a great tree to work with.

I’d like to see a little less up top.. .. but need more information before we can assist with your procedural timing.

Pleasure to make your acquaintance!

Thank you for your quick reply. I am in USDA zone 7a. North Carolina. I only recently discovered the beauty of the Bonsai world and keen to learn and try my luck at creating some good looking bonsai trees. I will pitch in and help in any way I can on the forum.

 

[HorseloverFat]

Okee dokee!
Don’t CONSCIOUSLY worry about “giving back”.. when you start doing it.. you won’t even mind or realize.

Ilex Bonsai Species Guides

Large Website located in the UK, Bonsai4me offers Bonsai Art, Species guides for Bonsai trees, Bonsai galleries and Bonsai Techniques.

www.bonsai4me.com

Here is a generalized Ilex species “run-down” ...I know it SPEAKS of different Ilexes.. but the information is MOSTLY transferrable.

Nevermind... “Soft Touch” appears to be a Crenata Cultivar.. a Monrovia one too.. so a “fancy plant”

So that species guide is right on the money...

I, personally, would lightly (or not so) shape it now. (After, digging down JUST a but to check out where that root base ACTUALLY starts, to get a feel of what your tree will ACTUALLY look like... nursery stock has... surprises )

I, also personally ( ), would wait until next spring for repot UNLESS you notice difficulties in the soil drainage.

 

[HorseloverFat]

You’d probably be “horrified” by the cuts that I, again with the DAMN “personally”, would make, while still considering it mild.

..but I could show you, with a poor-quality “virt”

It definitely does NOT have to be your move.. just the move I would make.

 

[HorseloverFat]

When I “eyeball” specimens.. I try to find lines that aesthetically please me.. as well as offer possibilities in directions I would like to take them... I saw THESE two lines/directions right away..

(Like I said.. MY moves are all fairly drastic.. this DOES NOT mean yours have to be )

These are the aforementioned “crappy virts”

These are the lines I like in your tree.


Maybe some pictures from different angles would help us “ponder” this design more effectively.

 

[Sarath]

When I “eyeball” specimens.. I try to find lines that aesthetically please me.. as well as offer possibilities in directions I would like to take them... I saw THESE two lines/directions right away..

(Like I said.. MY moves are all fairly drastic.. this DOES NOT mean yours have to be )

These are the aforementioned “crappy virts”

These are the lines I like in your tree.

View attachment 362511View attachment 362512
Maybe some pictures from different angles would help us “ponder” this design more effectively.

Thank you for your suggestions. I will try and prune it based on your suggestions and will get back with what I am able to achieve.

 

[sorce]

Don't use a heavy hand!

Welcome to Crazy!

Sorce

 

[HorseloverFat]

Don't use a heavy hand!

Welcome to Crazy!

Sorce

He’s saying, “HorseloverFat is a savage who swings wild”

oooor he’s making a play on words about the cultivar name (i’m just realizing)

 

[sorce]

He’s saying, “HorseloverFat is a savage who swings wild”

oooor he’s making a play on words about the cultivar name (i’m just realizing)

Bro.....just a bunch of private learning yesterday or what?



Obligatory Kiln in the Jeep Pic!

I'm gonna salt this one to hell, then use it as a firebox for my Anna.

I am super.... stoked to get this one to you!
She said I can pay for your gas if you wanna come all the way down!

Sorce

 

[Sarath]

Ok.. this is a bit embarrassing. I did prune the plant. Was thinking of styling it my way when new branches grow out. But I think I went overboard with the cutting and killed the plant. It has been almost a month and I do not see any new leaves.

I feel sad that I killed a perfect plant. Is there any way to revive it now or is it totally gone?

 

[Cable]

Scratch the trunk and see if you see green. If not, it is dead.

 

[HorseloverFat]

I was just speaking with @Japonicus about crab apple BACKbudding... he had suffered an unfortunate amputation due to cutting a crab for backbudding at, what-you-think-would-be-the”right time”....

We were sharing observations.. hoping to “crack the code”.

I KNOW they will backbud when pruned high-summer.... if they are VERY healthy..

What time did you prune yours, Japonicus?

 

[HorseloverFat]

Whoops! Wrong thread... disregard, please.

 

[Japonicus]

She said I can pay for your gas if you wanna come all the way down!

who Norwegian Wood?
So cool man! That would be over the top if we saw it strapped down to the bike
like some mugo we've seen. Congrats

 

[AJL]

Ok.. this is a bit embarrassing. I did prune the plant. Was thinking of styling it my way when new branches grow out. But I think I went overboard with the cutting and killed the plant. It has been almost a month and I do not see any new leaves.

I feel sad that I killed a perfect plant. Is there any way to revive it now or is it totally gone?View attachment 369647

Thats a drastic rough first pruning job!! Suggest you cover whats left of it with a large polythene bag , put it in a sheltered shady spot and wait and just hope some dormant buds pop.... Its got 2 chances!

 

[Sarath]

I just scratched the trunk and it is green. I am happy that it is not dead. I will follow the suggestion of covering it with a polythene bag. Thanks for the suggestions @AJL and @Cable .

 

[Sarath]

I tried to revive it following the suggestions. It does not seem like it has survived my novice mistake. Thank you all for your suggestions. I am a bit sad but I have learned from this mistake and will be careful next time.