New to bonsai. New to forum. New to yamadori.

[Yofoo]

Hey guys!

I dove deep into bonsai after my girlfriend got me the bonsai encyclopedia by Ken Norman for Christmas. I've collected a lot of local trees and bought some at the nursery(22 yamadori 6 nursery stock)

A lot of the yamadori were small trees growing under a row of pine trees at the edge of a retention basin. I guess I can thank the lawn mower and the squirrels for gardening.

I've linked a picture of a trunk I'm very excited about. I found this at about 8ft tall and about a foot off the ground. Most of the tree was dead and cracked with little effort to a length of 24". What is left is now a 12" soil to cut. The trunk at the soil level is a touch under 2.5 inches. This picture is at collection on April 2nd. Today, I have about 4 sets of leaves coming off the one branch. With 2 buds on old wood higher up. I'm not sure they have extended much in the last 2 weeks.

This is an acer negundo, I'm pretty sure.

I'm writing this because I have been pretty alone in this whole thing. I haven't gotten onto the local clubs and like that. This seems to have a good bit of potential, especially for my first tree.

First off, do I have a right to be excited for this trunk?

What problems will I run into over the next couple seasons?

Will the tree likely bud at the top?

Is there anything I should know about an acer negundo and bonsai?

View attachment 144747

 

[sorce]

Welcome to Crazy!

Sorce

 

[milehigh_7]

Welcome to your new life and the Nuthouse!

 

[GrimLore]

Hey guys!

Hello and Welcome neighbor! I cannot seem to open the attachment though so it is impossible for me to comment. Perhaps try again?

Grimmy

 

[rockm]

Can't see the attachment either.

Even so, the best trees to work with are trees that are alive. You have to learn patience, especially with collected trees.

Also FWIW, yamadori is about the worst way to get into bonsai. It complicates learning the basics, as the collected trees generally have to be left along for years to recover or develop more before they're "worked" as bonsai material.

If you have some time next weekend, the Potomac Bonsai Association and National Bonsai Foundation are having their annual show and sale in Washington D.C. at the National Arboretum. An excellent chance to see extremely fine bonsai, as well as see over a dozen bonsai vendors in the sales tent (affordable really good bonsai stock and established trees, as well as bonsai pots, tools, etc.
https://www.bonsai-nbf.org/
http://www.potomacbonsai.com/festival/index.html

 

[Yofoo]

Hello and Welcome neighbor! I cannot seem to open the attachment though so it is impossible for me to comment. Perhaps try again?

Grimmy

How's this?

 

[Yofoo]

Can't see the attachment either.

Even so, the best trees to work with are trees that are alive. You have to learn patience, especially with collected trees.

Also FWIW, yamadori is about the worst way to get into bonsai. It complicates learning the basics, as the collected trees generally have to be left along for years to recover or develop more before they're "worked" as bonsai material.

If you have some time next weekend, the Potomac Bonsai Association and National Bonsai Foundation are having their annual show and sale in Washington D.C. at the National Arboretum. An excellent chance to see extremely fine bonsai, as well as see over a dozen bonsai vendors in the sales tent (affordable really good bonsai stock and established trees, as well as bonsai pots, tools, etc.
https://www.bonsai-nbf.org/
http://www.potomacbonsai.com/festival/index.html

I completely understand. There seems something extra special about growing from the start and collecting wild trees. I have 3 elms and a Japanese maple I bought at around 8", each have been cut back 2 times. I also bought a midget Morris boxwood for myself and a crepe myrlte for my girlfriend. I also have a tray of 16 seedlings I got from my yard this year. Japanese maples, some oak, some American linden among others. I've purchased a Fukien tea and was given 2 serissas. The serissa sleep throwing out flowering buds but the leaves still keep dropping. I've only had the serissa and Fukien tea a week and both are flowering nicely(the tea is growing well while the serissa is being her stubborn old self).

 

[GrimLore]

How's this?

Cool, worked that time. You will want to keep it in dappled sun, water as needed, never dried out. It will take a good year or two to recover developing new growth and roots along the way. For now it is the waiting game to see how it survives.

Grimmy

 

[rockm]

You have the beginner's biggest problem. Too many trees of too many kinds. It's a natural thing that most of us old timers did too. I had dozens of trees when I first started out. Now 20 years later, I've got maybe a dozen. I learned that smaller isn't really good and indoor trees are awful for beginners. I have mostly large (over 50 lbs) deciduous "outdoor" collected trees.

Bigger outdoor deciduous trees are the most vigorous and forgiving. Native trees can be finicky in containers, Elms are ALL mostly bulletproof. Bald cypress is the most hardy native species to work with.

 

[GrimLore]

The serissa

I would recommend the Serissa go near an eastern exposure window area until the nights are steady over 45F. Between being moved and the cold evenings they are most likely pouting and dropping leaf. Chances are very good the will rebound nicely during the warmer months.

Grimmy

 

[Yofoo]

I would recommend the Serissa go near an eastern exposure window area until the nights are steady over 45F. Between being moved and the cold evenings they are most likely pouting and dropping leaf. Chances are very good the will rebound nicely during the warmer months.

Grimmy

Great to hear. I knew the serissas reputationbefore I brought them home. I will not be too excited about them until next spring.

 

[Yofoo]

You have the beginner's biggest problem. Too many trees of too many kinds. It's a natural thing that most of us old timers did too. I had dozens of trees when I first started out. Now 20 years later, I've got maybe a dozen. I learned that smaller isn't really good and indoor trees are awful for beginners. I have mostly large (over 50 lbs) deciduous "outdoor" collected trees.

Bigger outdoor deciduous trees are the most vigorous and forgiving. Native trees can be finicky in containers, Elms are ALL mostly bulletproof. Bald cypress is the most hardy native species to work with.

Bald cypress blow my mind. They are beautiful!!!

I love the big trees! But I know what you mean. The elms are cool and all but I would love something big. Keep in mind I'm getting into this with my girlfriend. She wants everything to bloom and be 6 inches tall and I want everything 4 feet tall and all fall color.

I'm trying a air layered a purple leaf sand cherry and some medium size Japanese maple unknown cultivar. the maple may end up a semi cascade and the sand cherry probably a formal broom. They've been going for about 2- 3 weeks.

I get that I'm completely missing your point with number of species. I'm hoping I find what I like and expand from there.

 

[rockm]

Bald cypress blow my mind. They are beautiful!!!

I love the big trees! But I know what you mean. The elms are cool and all but I would love something big. Keep in mind I'm getting into this with my girlfriend. She wants everything to bloom and be 6 inches tall and I want everything 4 feet tall and all fall color.

I'm trying a air layered a purple leaf sand cherry and some medium size Japanese maple unknown cultivar. the maple may end up a semi cascade and the sand cherry probably a formal broom. They've been going for about 2- 3 weeks.

I get that I'm completely missing your point with number of species. I'm hoping I find what I like and expand from there.

Take a look here for decent Bald cypress for bonsai -- https://bonsai-south.com/bonsai-pre-bonsai-for-sale/

Zach Smith has been digging and selling native species for bonsai for years. He's VERY good at it. Don't have to buy anything, but look at what he's collecting and how he's collecting it (species, trunks, etc.)

 

[GrimLore]

I love the big trees!

Many fruit trees grow fast and do well in our area. The Bald Cypress has very nice foliage and great fall foliage. The fruit trees will Grow like crazy in 10 to 15 gallon pots and provide nice spring flowers. I am growing a "few" from bare root stock and the Wife likes them a LOT. I did let one Crabapple get out of hand though for 3 years and it will probably never be shorter then 7 foot. All of the others though I am determined to keep at five foot now that home reno is mostly done. BC are available bare root as well and grow rapidly here...

Grimmy

 

[Yofoo]

Many fruit trees grow fast and do well in our area. The Bald Cypress has very nice foliage and great fall foliage. The fruit trees will Grow like crazy in 10 to 15 gallon pots and provide nice spring flowers. I am growing a "few" from bare root stock and the Wife likes them a LOT. I did let one Crabapple get out of hand though for 3 years and it will probably never be shorter then 7 foot. All of the others though I am determined to keep at five foot now that home reno is mostly done. BC are available bare root as well and grow rapidly here...

Grimmy

Grim!! I'm just noticing that location. Good to see a local! You don't have problems with cedar-apple rust? I actually found a bunch of eastern red cedars on the outskirts of my parents property(5 miles away I visit weekly)with the rust. I was staying away from Malus because of this.

 

[GrimLore]

I actually found a bunch of eastern red cedars on the outskirts of my parents property(5 miles away I visit weekly)with the rust.

Leave them there, lol... I do simple preventative measures, one yearly spring spray of copper, and I use granular systemic throughout the growing season. An occasional dose of Sulfur solution to the substrate as well. Honest, a lot less work and chemicals then other plants need here. The Spring blossoms alone are worth it, and it is pretty cool to get fruit as well.

Consider also Chinese Elm, both Standard and Weeping - tight small foliage and do good potted.

You mentioned Crepe Myrtle and my advice on those here is to do your major cops late February or very early March. They bounce back nicely a fill in fast. The Wife cut a 4 foot clump down to 8 inches around March first and it if FULL of leaf already.

I might add most of what I am talking about is available inexpensive from good growers, PM me if you want to discuss it and I will give you my phone number - No worries as I talk to MANY here.

Grimmy

 

[Carol 83]

No worries as I talk to MANY here.

Yep, and we appreciate it!

 

[GrimLore]

Yep, and we appreciate it!

Thank you, and as you know I have the time. Also, most here know I have enough personal experience growing and if I am not familiar with a plant in question I do know many growers that can give us both a professional and factual answer

Grimmy

 

[sorce]

Nice Bro!

Sorce

 

[gallina1594]

I completely understand. There seems something extra special about growing from the start and collecting wild trees. I have 3 elms and a Japanese maple I bought at around 8", each have been cut back 2 times. I also bought a midget Morris boxwood for myself and a crepe myrlte for my girlfriend. I also have a tray of 16 seedlings I got from my yard this year. Japanese maples, some oak, some American linden among others. I've purchased a Fukien tea and was given 2 serissas. The serissa sleep throwing out flowering buds but the leaves still keep dropping. I've only had the serissa and Fukien tea a week and both are flowering nicely(the tea is growing well while the serissa is being her stubborn old self).

I agree that collecting and growing is more special. You get to watch them grow up! And style them the exact way you want. And you get to learn your tree, what it likes and what it doesn't. Sure it takes longer to get a mature looking tree, but good things come to those who wait