I couldn't help myself....

[just.wing.it]

I got off work a little early today......
Somehow, I found myself at the local depot.....scanning the new shipment of landscape plants.... sssshhhhh, don't tell my wife, she'll never know, and when it blooms eventually, she'll love it!....
Anyway, scooped up a Girard's Purple...
After looking at pics of the blooms on my Girard's Crimson and this Girard's Purple, I'm beginning to think that Mr. Girard may be color blind....(they're all pink , although I am yet to see the blooms on mine personally).
So here's the damage....

I ended up removing that top left trunk, as well....
Took a whole bunch of roots too...... we'll see..... finger's crossed.

 

[Cadillactaste]

Wow...that's a lot of work done! Wish you success...not sure I would have tossed it into a bonsai pot that small. What size is the pot? Maybe it's larger than what I'm mentally visualizing.

 

[just.wing.it]

Wow...that's a lot of work done! Wish you success...not sure I would have tossed it into a bonsai pot that small. What size is the pot? Maybe it's larger than what I'm mentally visualizing.

It's 9" x 6.5" and 2.5" deep....
And you're totally right, it should be in a larger plastic trainer....but I didn't have anything else ready at the time...
And the nursery pot had a big crack in the bottom.... I guess I could have taped it up and used it, but this pot was sitting there, clean, with screens already wired in it....
Just used it....
And the roots do have a good amount of space to grow in there.....
I need to get more big plastic trainer pots....

 

[mrt1]

Nice. I'm a big fan of Depot stock. Be sure to post pics summer, fall, next year....

 

[Joelshack2362]

I'm personally fairly new to bonsai!! So definatly not an expert but I got this about a year ago next month! I think you did a good job with the trunk of yours. I didn't go to hard downsizing from the nursery pot to what it is in now but I got good growth out of a year!! Good luck on yours!!

 

[just.wing.it]

I'm personally fairly new to bonsai!! So definatly not an expert but I got this about a year ago next month! I think you did a good job with the trunk of yours. I didn't go to hard downsizing from the nursery pot to what it is in now but I got good growth out of a year!! Good luck on yours!!

I did 6 like this last year....they all grew back, but by fall only 2 had survived....
From what I see and read, that's a pretty bad ratio so far... but I tried again.
And that's awesome, BTW!

 

[Joelshack2362]

Hey as long as they got great deals at the stores why not keep trying!!

 

[just.wing.it]

Nice. I'm a big fan of Depot stock. Be sure to post pics summer, fall, next year....

Absolutely!

 

[Cadillactaste]

It's 9" x 6.5" and 2.5" deep....
And you're totally right, it should be in a larger plastic trainer....but I didn't have anything else ready at the time...
And the nursery pot had a big crack in the bottom.... I guess I could have taped it up and used it, but this pot was sitting there, clean, with screens already wired in it....
Just used it....
And the roots do have a good amount of space to grow in there.....
I need to get more big plastic trainer pots....

I think I would have just bought a more appropriate pot while buying the tree. But I do wish you luck. It seems drastic...but maybe the bonsai gods will look down on you.

 

[just.wing.it]

I think I would have just bought a more appropriate pot while buying the tree. But I do wish you luck. It seems drastic...but maybe the bonsai gods will look down on you.

The other 2 that I have got this same treatment, and thrived... I have seen many do fine with this type of torture....
And I have also lost a few....so I will definitely keep you updated....
And, hey, thanks again for that book recommendation. It's great, I love it!

 

[Cadillactaste]

The other 2 that I have got this same treatment, and thrived... I have seen many do fine with this type of torture....
And I have also lost a few....so I will definitely keep you updated....
And, hey, thanks again for that book recommendation. It's great, I love it!

Well...I feel better knowing you have had success with manhandling and having bonsai gods offering you favor.

Hey, your welcome on the book recommendation. One of my first I grab out of an entire library collection of books.

 

[defra]

Nice !
i have done about the same with two azaleas, looking at your card makes me think they are the same cultivars but mines called george arends ah well i hope i see some buds popping soon cus i hit the roots prety hard