Hinoki Fun Bonsai

[xray360]

Wanted to share my Hinoki. I only had this Hinoki for 1 year (purchased from home depot) and it's starting to get a nice silhouette. October gave me advice in the beginning. The top portion is still bushy and I have to figure out how to define the foliage pads, but the bottom section is looking nice. I let it grow all year last year after it's first styling.

Purchased


Last June


April 2013 ( zero die back during the winter which is good)


June 2013
Flash shot

I think they make good bonsai for beginners if you get one with decent branches.

 

[tmmason10]

It's looking really good! Robs trees are inspiring, he's a good guy to listen to.

 

[october]

This Hinoki is absolutely beautiful. Actually, it is not that they make good bonsai for beginners. In this case, it is more that you are doing an excellent job caring for this tree, coupled with the fact you got a good one.

Rob

 

[coh]

Great job finding something like that at Home Depot! And you've developed it nicely since. Love the dramatic lighting in photo 4. Comparison with the 5th photo really shows what the flash does to trees in terms of depth/structure.

Chris

 

[xray360]

Great job finding something like that at Home Depot! And you've developed it nicely since. Love the dramatic lighting in photo 4. Comparison with the 5th photo really shows what the flash does to trees in terms of depth/structure.

It's kind of like playing scratch off lotto tickets when getting trees from Home depot. You don't really know what have till you get some of the unwanted growth out.

This Hinoki is absolutely beautiful. Actually, it is not that they make good bonsai for beginners. In this case, it is more that you are doing an excellent job caring for this tree, coupled with the fact you got a good one.

Rob

Thanks Rob! I just kind of been maintaining it pruning it conservatively. Anything that starts getting leggy I pinch back, and I'm trying to keep the foliage pads from getting those swirls hinokis make.

 

[october]

Looks like you repotted it. Did you do a lot of root pruning?

Rob

 

[xray360]

Looks like you repotted it. Did you do a lot of root pruning?

Rob

Hi. I didn't have to remove that many roots. I just combed them so it would fit the shape of this pot. I probably removed less than 1/3rd if that. The root ball is still pretty big. The hinoki hadn't filled the nursery pot yet and I figure the roots would be more manageable in the future in this pot. Plus the nursery mix was very wet.

 

[october]

Looks like you have everything well under control. In general, hinoki do tend to like a lot of water. That is something to watch for.

Rob

 

[Nybonsai12]

Looks like you repotted it. Did you do a lot of root pruning?

Rob

Not to derail, but when is the optimum time for root work on hinokis? Spring like many others? I feel like I remember hearing about repotting and root work in summer on these.

And OP: this is a great looking tree. Congrats on the find. Looking forward to future updates.

 

[october]

Not to derail, but when is the optimum time for root work on hinokis? Spring like many others? I feel like I remember hearing about repotting and root work in summer on these.

And OP: this is a great looking tree. Congrats on the find. Looking forward to future updates.

After many repots of mine, in the past 11 years, I believe I have always repotted anytime from mid spring to early summer.

I don't think this is mentioned in many sources. However, one thing you do not want to do is styling in Fall. Especially styling involving heavy pruning and foliage removal. Reasons being, after you style, the tree now has a reduced amount of foliage. When winter hits, the tree is going to experience dieback, sometimes severe. If the tree has already been reduced and then winter comes along and reduces the foliage further, you might be left with a bare stick at the end of winter. Mid spring to early summer tends to be the best time for styling. This way, you know what you are left with from winter. Also, the tree has the whole season to put on healthy new growth and prepare for next winter. This has been my experience.

Rob

 

[xray360]

Looks like you have everything well under control. In general, hinoki do tend to like a lot of water. That is something to watch for.

Rob

Yes. I remember you saying that and I do sometimes water it twice a day. It seems to suck the water out of the soil. Rob, also how many times a year do you prune your hinoki to maintain shape?

 

[october]

Usually once. Maybe around mid summer, I'll get in there and thin out unwanted or out of place foliage, cut back what's not needed and do some pinching. Later in the season, if necessary, a little more pinching.

Like all trees, hinoki will out grow its silhouette. Meaning the branches will become too long for the thickness of the trunk. Pinching will keep this in check. However, it still will happen. At that point, your main pruning task for that season would be to reduce the side branches of the tree at the ends. This is done by cutting back to a tuft of foliage further in. Then, you might have to wire that new branch/tuft in position to become the new end.

I don know if I mentioned it before, but when pinching, always leave some new, fresh green behind the area you pinch. If you pinch back to the old green, it may not grow back. Over the years, I have done quite a bit of pruning with scissors. As the years go on and the tree gets more structured, then pinching plays more of a part. Also, in my opinion, when the tree is ready for quite a bit of pinching. I don't think pinching the whole tree all at once is a good idea. Maybe pinch some parts, more vigorous parts, then go back later on in the season and do the rest. Reason being that pinching can weaken a tree, so doing the whole tree at once might not be good.

Rob

 

[Victrinia Ensor]

Where I live, the weather is pretty mild most of the time... so around here completely thinning a hinoki is fine, and done in early summer. We don't use scissors on any of the green foliage, as that causes the cut ends to brown, just wood. Since the foliage is shaped like a fan, you can just pinch the base of the fan between your fingers then pull horizontally those parts that are not being held by you. Don't pinch so hard as to smash the foliage of course. It takes a delicate hand, but it can go fast. Dieback of inner foliage is a problem caused by shading, so keeping it thinned is an important practice.

And of course, Rob is completely correct about redevelopment of branches when they get leggy. Hinoki can sprout back, but it's very rare... sort of like finding a 4 leaf clover. And generally it won't until the outter foliage is a long way off.

Daniel always tells me every collection needs a great hinoki.... but only one, because of how much work it takes to maintain the image. lol

I don't have a great hinoki... so I work on his. lol Though for that he breaks his own 'rule' by having two.

V

 

[october]

Daniel always tells me every collection needs a great hinoki.... but only one, because of how much work it takes to maintain the image. lol

I don't have a great hinoki... so I work on his. lol Though for that he breaks his own 'rule' by having two.

V

Dan would not have to break his rule if you sent me one of them...lol

Also, thank him for me. The sitka spruce I posted recently was collected by him from Canada 10 years ago.

Rob

 

[october]

p.s. In regards to the thinning, absolutely. I have thinned/stripped down my hinoki a couple/few times in the last 10 years. It came back very strong. The tree has to be very healthy when this is done though.

Rob

 

[Victrinia Ensor]

Dan would not have to break his rule if you sent me one of them...lol

Also, thank him for me. The sitka spruce I posted recently was collected by him from Canada 10 years ago.

Rob

I would, but you've never been a fan of large awesome trees... just tiny awesome trees...

V

 

[october]

I would, but you've never been a fan of large awesome trees... just tiny awesome trees...

V

lol... Well, this is partially true... Not a fan of the prices or limited area to keep them here. However, exceptions can be made.

Rob

 

[xray360]

Update Summer 2014

Here is how the tree is shaping up. I only did some pinching and maintenance on the branch wiring this year. Check first post for when I first got the hinoki. That's Leo my sisters Yorkie staying with us for the summer. He doesn't like photos.

 

[october]

The tree looks really nice. Love the dog.

Rob

 

[xray360]

The tree looks really nice. Love the dog.

Rob

Thanks rob!