Lets spruce things up

sorce

Nonsense Rascal
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Mine are about ready to harden off the first flush. About a week-week.5 I pinched every tuft on one side and left the other side so I could watch results on one of my burners, I pinched it hard too. Some of my others I pinched only the apex and the healthier upper branches on some of my other ones. Comeoooooon second smaller flush

Mine are responding quite well to their varied prunings about a week or so ago.

Finding a couple aphids...
And proceeding to Smash their little Fucking juicy asses with an outward swipe of the needles.

Then I leave them there for a day...
As a message...

Then I flick em off.

Sorce
 

sorce

Nonsense Rascal
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While patiently waiting for Gigs.....

Don't know if you seen the Mugo train post...
But I found a baby mantis....
And the Bush heavily hosting the aphids..
I introduced them!

Sorce
 

Jason

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Ill def keep ya updated
These things are tough as sh_t around here. I've had one since 2000...moved it across the country...and it won't die here (11 yrs). They need lots of wire...but finally take shape.
 

Giga

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Nothing special update, just did a little bit of fine tuning. I'll de wire it in fall then let it grow freely and rewire in fall/winter. By this time it will have better pads, since its a bit chaotic right now.

0806171717a.jpg 0806171719.jpg 0806171719a.jpg 0806171717.jpg
 

coh

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Looks pretty good. I've got one of these that I've just started working on, I've had it for years and have debated just putting it in the ground because of their reputation. I can still do that later if it turns out to be an unsuccessful bonsai.

The only thing that bothers me about your tree is that the jins point sharply up (as does that first branch on the lower left) and the higher branches are all level or slope down. That's visually jarring and inconsistent to me.
 

Giga

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Looks pretty good. I've got one of these that I've just started working on, I've had it for years and have debated just putting it in the ground because of their reputation. I can still do that later if it turns out to be an unsuccessful bonsai.

The only thing that bothers me about your tree is that the jins point sharply up (as does that first branch on the lower left) and the higher branches are all level or slope down. That's visually jarring and inconsistent to me.

First left branch is an escape branch as I've decided that it dosnt fit the design. The jins don't bother me all that much. I can always remove them later if I do chose.
 

A. Gorilla

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I could easily buy the lower left branchif you put a crook in it and bent the outer half down. Seen that plenty of times in mature trees.
 

Giga

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I could easily buy the lower left branchif you put a crook in it and bent the outer half down. Seen that plenty of times in mature trees.


Thats very true I may use part of it as a sap drawer and keep some close buds going - This winter i'm going to dewire it and remove a couple branches as to many branch make a conifer look young. Im quickly loving this tree for what it is.
 

vario

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Heres my baby bird's nest. A lot bigger than it was a few months ago but still just a fledgling.
IMG_2429.JPG
 

BeebsBonsai

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@Giga I absolutely love this. I love spruce and I kind of want to do this next spring now. LOL. Darn you for making me take on more trees. JK, but I expect to run out of room, even in my new place, within a few years. I got the itch bad.
 

Giga

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@Giga I absolutely love this. I love spruce and I kind of want to do this next spring now. LOL. Darn you for making me take on more trees. JK, but I expect to run out of room, even in my new place, within a few years. I got the itch bad.

you can find a healthy one a wire it out this winter - then repot in spring
 

BeebsBonsai

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@Giga I don't have the room at the moment. Trying to figure out how to overwinter with what I have now. But I will definitely be getting one of thesenext spring. I know where I can find good, cheap ones too. I've seen em so many times and said, hmm, can I bonsai this christmas-tree looking spruce? Now that I've seen you do it, I am inspired. Do you recommend aluminum? Is copper a problem with these guys?
 

TyroTinker

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Mine are responding quite well to their varied prunings about a week or so ago.

Finding a couple aphids...
And proceeding to Smash their little Fucking juicy asses with an outward swipe of the needles.

Then I leave them there for a day...
As a message...

Then I flick em off.

Sorce
I honestly have no idea about aphids but I know with some insects the dead bodies attract more live ones.
Bees and ants let off a pheromone when they die and it will attract more buddies to come collect the dead body. (Or feed off it... I'm not sure on the why here)

Food for thought
 

Wilson

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First left branch is an escape branch as I've decided that it dosnt fit the design. The jins don't bother me all that much. I can always remove them later if I do chose.
Looks good, and those Jins will be great once time/weather do their work. I like the slanting angle too!
 

Giga

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@Giga I don't have the room at the moment. Trying to figure out how to overwinter with what I have now. But I will definitely be getting one of thesenext spring. I know where I can find good, cheap ones too. I've seen em so many times and said, hmm, can I bonsai this christmas-tree looking spruce? Now that I've seen you do it, I am inspired. Do you recommend aluminum? Is copper a problem with these guys?

I just have gobs and gobs of aluminium, that's why I used it

Looks good, and those Jins will be great once time/weather do their work. I like the slanting angle too!

Thanks gonna sulphur them soon
 
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