My First Shimpaku

[ColinFraser]

you are probably going to have root problems. They roughly style their trees every year, but they NEVER repot. That tree may not have been repotted for 20 years. Do NOT go overboard and try to fix the roots in one shot

I was keeping this advice in mind as I repotted. It was a pretty solid root mass, and it seemed pretty dry in the center. I won this beat up handmade training pot at my local club meeting, and its front-to-back width is about the same as the diameter as the nursery can, so I was able to get it in there pretty easily just by reducing the height of the roots. I probably sliced about half off the bottom and then very gingerly raked and rinsed the remaining roots a little bit. I also stabbed the remaining mass repeatedly with a chopstick to try and let some more air and water in . . .

 

[GrimLore]

I probably sliced about half off the bottom and then very gingerly raked and rinsed the remaining roots a little bit. I also stabbed the remaining mass repeatedly with a chopstick to try and let some more air and water in . . .

Looks arite! A bit aggressive on the roots though. I might suggest you put it in a spot where there is no wind for a good long while, that plant will revolt if it gets handled with anything other then kid gloves right now

Grimmy

 

[ColinFraser]

Looks arite! A bit aggressive on the roots though. I might suggest you put it in a spot where there is no wind for a good long while, that plant will revolt if it gets handled with anything other then kid gloves right now

Yes, it's earned a spot in a shady quiet convalescent corner for a while!

 

[ColinFraser]

I guess this one's due for an update. Still alive and looking a little tidier . . . about one year since I bought it.

 

[MattE]

I guess this one's due for an update. Still alive and looking a little tidier . . . about one year since I bought it.

View attachment 121369

i really like the shape on this one, very nice looking bonsai!!!

 

[wireme]

that is very nice i hope to get my hands on these one day, so far i cant see anyone who ships them to canada

You could try from this place..http://shikoku.ca/bonsai_shimpaku.html
I'm sure there are many other options and price ranges than listed on the site.

 

[ColinFraser]

Thinking about upgrading the pot this year:



I've narrowed it down to these two. Opinions?

 

[Adair M]

Thinking about upgrading the pot this year:

View attachment 136017

I've narrowed it down to these two. Opinions?

View attachment 136018

View attachment 136019

I like the first one better.

This time when you repot, put it more towards the center. It should "just" off center. Otherwise, the roots get one sided.

And you might want to tilt the tree more towards the front. Have you thought about shortening it?

 

[ColinFraser]

put it more towards the center. It should "just" off center.

Definitely- that's another reason I'm repotting it again this year.

And you might want to tilt the tree more towards the front. Have you thought about shortening it?

The biggest issue with this tree is that the curve in the trunk, while it looks good from the front, actually dives away toward the back before coming forward again in the upper half. From the side it looks kind of awkward, and I plan to experiement some more with angles and tilting at this repot to see if I can minimize the awkwardness. I have also considered an extreme bend in the middle, crushing it down on itself - not for the faint of heart

Both the branches and the apex could certainly stand to be shortened/compacted a bit.

I like the first one better.

Cool; thanks for your input

 

[sorce]

Nice...

I'm for the second pot...

For me...
The top 2 bands of the first are a little haulting, better suited to a wide stout olive or such. Something that will remove your eye from The pot with strength.

I like the lighter color, and more smoothyness in shape of the second.
Something easier for this more fem trunk to "grow out of".

Sorce

 

[Woody Carverton]

That turned out very nice. It looks more like a tree now

 

[Bonsai Nut]

I like the first one better.

I like the first one better as well - I like the informal rim and the color.

 

[chicago1980]

I like the first one better.

This time when you repot, put it more towards the center. It should "just" off center. Otherwise, the roots get one sided.

And you might want to tilt the tree more towards the front. Have you thought about shortening it?

I'd shorten it a lot, but it has a cool look still.

 

[ColinFraser]

Just realized I never updated this thread with the repot! Here's where it stands now . . .



. . . getting a little shaggy. I need to thin it out again soon.

 

[GrimLore]

. . . getting a little shaggy.

Nice and shaggy = healthy Very interesting to me that it is so compact without any obvious interior browning/weak growth. Growing it on foil ?

Grimmy

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Good choice. The more I scrolled down the page, the more I liked it...

 

[Paulpash]

I'd look to reduce the apex & a little length of the branches too - it'll focus more attention on the nice movement down low and less volume visually increases trunk size. It's a little 'pointy' at the moment for an image of a mature tree. I like the tree - lots of options to jin and compact.

 

[ColinFraser]

You are all totally right about the height of course. I'll get around to it eventually!