StoneCloud
Omono
Angles, always getting to me lol. I always have a huge mental battle on where to take a tree until it's getting repotted. Once all the angles can be explored I almost always change my mind haha!
Ilex "Red Beauty"
- Thread starter just.wing.it
- Start date
Angles, always getting to me lol. I always have a huge mental battle on where to take a tree until it's getting repotted. Once all the angles can be explored I almost always change my mind haha!
just.wing.it
Deadwood Head
Haha, yep, if there's one thing I'm good at in bonsai, it's changing my mind on styling decisions
just.wing.it
Deadwood Head
sorce
Nonsense Rascal
Way late to the party!
If it whorls, for me, utilizing anything beyond the first is usually to dirty.
It also usually comes....
...right amid a straight section where its going to be hard as hell to hide the evidence of semi whorl removal.
But they always provide ONE best way to find a new leader and a good first branch.
Only ONE good way after considering the front to hide the wound, or pretty and in proprtion if DWing, the direction and vigour of the keeper branches.
(Prepurchase thoughts these are) Theres not always one...
But there is Never 2. 2, and it hasnt been thought out enough.
Actually, I would have bought it off the base, knowing that first whorl offered pretty good options.
Auto to the first whorl to avoid this innevitable scenario.
Where I was stuck thinking before reading the right branch was gone.....
Cut the left first branch and the right first branch becomes useless under that heavy one above it.
Cut the right and you have 2 first lefts.
The high one has better movement but if you cut up to it, its movement is seperated by too much straight.
But....you know how to get that movement now....
So get it down to only that first left branch eventually, and make that movement down there.
That movement that matches the base and roots with that lean.
If these roots can get pulled up....moved any....golden.
Sorce
If it whorls, for me, utilizing anything beyond the first is usually to dirty.
It also usually comes....
...right amid a straight section where its going to be hard as hell to hide the evidence of semi whorl removal.But they always provide ONE best way to find a new leader and a good first branch.
Only ONE good way after considering the front to hide the wound, or pretty and in proprtion if DWing, the direction and vigour of the keeper branches.
(Prepurchase thoughts these are) Theres not always one...
But there is Never 2. 2, and it hasnt been thought out enough.
Actually, I would have bought it off the base, knowing that first whorl offered pretty good options.
Auto to the first whorl to avoid this innevitable scenario.
Where I was stuck thinking before reading the right branch was gone.....
Cut the left first branch and the right first branch becomes useless under that heavy one above it.
Cut the right and you have 2 first lefts.
The high one has better movement but if you cut up to it, its movement is seperated by too much straight.
But....you know how to get that movement now....
So get it down to only that first left branch eventually, and make that movement down there.
That movement that matches the base and roots with that lean.
If these roots can get pulled up....moved any....golden.
Sorce
just.wing.it
Deadwood Head
Thanks for the analysis bud!Way late to the party!
View attachment 172862
If it whorls, for me, utilizing anything beyond the first is usually to dirty.
It also usually comes....
But they always provide ONE best way to find a new leader and a good first branch.
Only ONE good way after considering the front to hide the wound, or pretty and in proprtion if DWing, the direction and vigour of the keeper branches.
(Prepurchase thoughts these are) Theres not always one...
But there is Never 2. 2, and it hasnt been thought out enough.
Actually, I would have bought it off the base, knowing that first whorl offered pretty good options.
Auto to the first whorl to avoid this innevitable scenario.
View attachment 172866
Where I was stuck thinking before reading the right branch was gone.....
Cut the left first branch and the right first branch becomes useless under that heavy one above it.
Cut the right and you have 2 first lefts.
The high one has better movement but if you cut up to it, its movement is seperated by too much straight.
But....you know how to get that movement now....
So get it down to only that first left branch eventually, and make that movement down there.
That movement that matches the base and roots with that lean.
If these roots can get pulled up....moved any....golden.
Sorce
I will ponder on it.
I wanted to leave about 50% of the foliage for now....and I'll also be able to see how well it heals up this year.
If it does roll over nicely, then a full trunk chop as you show could definitely be in order
...."Make the smallest tree possible..."
Thanks again buddy!
You da man @sorce!
just.wing.it
Deadwood Head
Update!
I noticed earlier, during my other repotting job today, that this ilex was starting to grow...
So I cut it back the rest of the way, and repotted it for the first time!
I couldn't find my diamond drill bit to punch a hole in the tile, but the wires hold it well enough...
We'll see how tough it is...I didn't hold back.
Before:
After Trim:
Dug down from the top...:
Single root hook and scissors, and it's liberated!
I noticed earlier, during my other repotting job today, that this ilex was starting to grow...
So I cut it back the rest of the way, and repotted it for the first time!
I couldn't find my diamond drill bit to punch a hole in the tile, but the wires hold it well enough...
We'll see how tough it is...I didn't hold back.
Before:
After Trim:
Dug down from the top...:
Single root hook and scissors, and it's liberated!
just.wing.it
Deadwood Head
It's in a colander of sorts, we'll see how it goes!
just.wing.it
Deadwood Head
Udpate time!
Woohoo! Yeah!
Woohoo! Yeah!
just.wing.it
Deadwood Head
Few weeks later.
Cosmos
Shohin
Keep 'em coming this growing season, very curious to see what kind of growrth they can put on. What was the labelled rusticity for this cultivar?
just.wing.it
Deadwood Head
Thanks...
Not sure...?
Here's the info:
http://www.monrovia.com/plant-catalog/plants/564/red-beauty-holly/
MHBonsai
Chumono
Bump....how's this Holly growing? 
just.wing.it
Deadwood Head
It is deadBump....how's this Holly growing?
.I think too much root reduction.
It grew back at first, then crapped out, autopsy showed no new roots grew.
Backing off on native Holly for now, though they are one of my favorite trees in the woods around here.
I lost so many trees after this past winter, my first winter at my new house, basically my whole collection is in a recovery mode this year, what survived is coming around now.....but maybe I'll find another Holly to mess with in the future....for now I'm trying to just keep things alive here.
My trees are in a new location this summer, getting more sun than ever before.....and I have a 2 hour commute, and the workday usually goes long....not a good situation for a bonsai keeper.
Been using a timer and 2 poorly positioned sprinklers to water the trees in the afternoon, when everything is going crispy, and I'm still 5 hours from home.
I'm getting dialed in though, gotta start working in my winter set up soon.
HorseloverFat
Squarepants with Conkers
Well i couldn’t pass this steal up from the Depot. I’m gonna give it a go too. I’m very new to bonsai so I’m just gonna take it real slow.
Looking good!!! I also recommend taking Ilex work, slow... They are often unpredictable in their responses.
...
Unfortunately, Mike hasn't been around much since the end of 2020 and 2021...(I looked and he HAS been around, lightly in 2022, also, but not consistently). When the political climate REALLY began to boil over..
He was an avid debater and got in a few altercations... (Not with me... I "honey badgered"
)
HorseloverFat
Squarepants with Conkers
Absolutely! I killed two Verticillatas with aggressive footwork... I ALSO learned to make my cuts flush and ALWAYS seal ilex (SOMETIMES they like to do "die back runs" down sides of trunks/branches.)
pandacular
Masterpiece
Good cautionary tale here. I winced when I saw the first stage of root reduction, then my jaw dropped at the second. Always scary to take off a ton of roots AND a ton of foliage.
I’m open to feedback. My feelings definitely won’t be hurt. My wife said she liked it much more before. 
