Korean boxwood. My tree, not done by me.

Eckhoffw

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Since this is the first bonsai I’ve purchased, I figured I’d document its time with me.
I hope to keep it healthy and maintain it the best I can.
Its weird looking at it like, “so what, I just trim you and keep you healthy?”
Huh.
Pics after purchase. D585238D-8910-471B-BBEC-CB1CC1F0618E.jpegF9A3B7AB-A246-489D-9297-0726A32C2744.jpeg
Some pics tonight. Mood lighting. A7465631-0681-44A4-BACE-5548B211125C.jpeg9F6A3059-3216-45C0-84D5-DF8AC6203584.jpeg
 

Forsoothe!

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You need to keep it a shape, or a series of shapes that we call layers or clouds. You do that by maintaining air space between branches. The basic rule is to not allow leaves/twigs to grow straight up or straight down from a branch. You want them to arc sideways. You maintain the thickness of a cloud by continuously clipping when you have more than 4 leaves on a twig back to 4. That will induce the plant to put out new buds in the axils of the 4 leaves you left. Over time you build up ramification within the cloud so that you have many twigs in your clouds with 4 leaves at their tips forming the top of the cloud and with fewer leaves deeper in the cloud. Ideally, you can look up from below the cloud and see ramified branches with just a few leaves lower, closer to the branch which is the source of everything in that cloud.
Here is where you start to trim all stems back to 2 or 4 leaves with the intent to begin forming the top side of clouds, ~to your taste.
box 1.JPG
Remember, you want to make space by not allowing foliage from one cloud from growing up into the airspace of the cloud above it, and do not allow anything to grow down from the bottom of a cloud and interfere with the airspace of the cloud below, with airspaces like this...
box 3.JPG
You want a clear view of the trunk movement and foliage growing from the rear of the tree that adds depth to the over-all view. Main branches do not have foliage growing from them within and inch or two from their origin. The plant fills up the space, you trim to keep the airspace open, just like you said, “so what, I just trim you and keep you healthy?” Yes.
 

Eckhoffw

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You need to keep it a shape, or a series of shapes that we call layers or clouds. You do that by maintaining air space between branches. The basic rule is to not allow leaves/twigs to grow straight up or straight down from a branch. You want them to arc sideways. You maintain the thickness of a cloud by continuously clipping when you have more than 4 leaves on a twig back to 4. That will induce the plant to put out new buds in the axils of the 4 leaves you left. Over time you build up ramification within the cloud so that you have many twigs in your clouds with 4 leaves at their tips forming the top of the cloud and with fewer leaves deeper in the cloud. Ideally, you can look up from below the cloud and see ramified branches with just a few leaves lower, closer to the branch which is the source of everything in that cloud.
Here is where you start to trim all stems back to 2 or 4 leaves with the intent to begin forming the top side of clouds, ~to your taste.
View attachment 338291
Remember, you want to make space by not allowing foliage from one cloud from growing up into the airspace of the cloud above it, and do not allow anything to grow down from the bottom of a cloud and interfere with the airspace of the cloud below, with airspaces like this...
View attachment 338293
You want a clear view of the trunk movement and foliage growing from the rear of the tree that adds depth to the over-all view. Main branches do not have foliage growing from them within and inch or two from their origin. The plant fills up the space, you trim to keep the airspace open, just like you said, “so what, I just trim you and keep you healthy?” Yes.
Thanks so much for your detailed info. Very helpful.
Im getting a little better at pruning, but have zero experience with refinement.
Would you say it’s important to do anything now, or ride it out till late winter?
🙏
 

Forsoothe!

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Thanks so much for your detailed info. Very helpful.
Im getting a little better at pruning, but have zero experience with refinement.
Would you say it’s important to do anything now, or ride it out till late winter?
🙏
The leaves/stems you prune off now will not service the tree in winter. The buds that are turned on by trimming back now will be ready to bud out in spring instead of later in the season if you trim them in late winter of early spring. Do it now and every autumn and have a happier spring flush!
 

Eckhoffw

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Little update. I’ve only pruned the tree a couple times this year - letting it grow out a bit.
Was getting a little shaggy so I thought I’d get it shaped up a bit.
before. 0D8FEA02-AB43-48EF-A1A0-7837D02D3D44.jpeg90A66CA4-51D5-4A46-A25A-1B31A8FDE2D1.jpeg
after.
5E5012E3-15CD-45C8-989D-0FA0EE7315A4.jpeg90ED167D-B46B-418F-A2FD-5F3C2548A9DD.jpeg
 

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Eckhoffw

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OK so here goes. - To me this sounds like something I’m going to get polar opposite reactions to-
Recently attended a Minnesota bonsai society class and shared this tree.
I got surprising info about how I could winterize this tree. Instructor said Since this is a Evergreen, it could use light and warmth all winter and thrive. 1B589347-BBD1-4197-A8E7-7588605C1F6A.jpegI was told I could put this indoors under my lights with the tropicals in lower level of house. It stays around 64°F down there.
I would alsoable to do some wiring work through the winter.
The other option would be in my attached garage in the foam coldframe I used last year.
FF26AE02-42AD-4E2C-97F9-CE343A125364.jpeg
I told them I had been keeping the cold frame at around 35° with a thermostat and milkhouse heater. They said it would be better if it was kept warmer than that for all plants in there.????
Thoughts??!!!
Always second guessing my practice as I am still new to this. Thanks!
 

Eckhoffw

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Any help? Sorry. This is confusing as hell.
Perhaps treating it to an inside vacation would be ok for one winter.
It does need a repot next spring.
 

Eckhoffw

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Got the nerve to repot this last weekend.
Out of the plastic into a cheap clay pot.
From Amazon
Unglazed Yixing zisha clay pot. From MUZHI. 2 for like 28$.

Anyone else tried these? Seems like a fair deal.
Anyways, here’s what the repot looks like. D480203F-EB41-4B85-9AD2-B672E4B0BFA4.jpeg942936E5-0018-4960-93B2-4394ED62B20A.jpeg32DE0624-3E96-48CA-AE65-96A7B9926716.jpeg
front. A9B42D0F-8136-471A-AA20-311B2A412235.jpeg
back. D39D5436-A6E6-4CE0-BDEC-D61C4EA3F90E.jpeg
This tree stayed in my heated cold frame this winter. It seemed to be slowly pushing new leaves all winter.
Oh, here’s the other pot. 83B339D2-9D9B-4181-B123-7FA42E8F341D.jpeg
 
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