Shimpaku Forest

Rusty Davis

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I picked this little fella up at my last club meeting. This is my first forest and I'm not sure where to go once spring rolls around. I see a literati forest anyone else or am I crazy? I've only been playing with bonsai for less than a year but stubborn and patient. I have zero history on this one. it's 34" and 40"wide. Thoughts and ideas are all welcome.
 

Daluke

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What'd you pay for it?

I'd be inclined to break it up and get 11 individual juniper trees
 

Rusty Davis

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$100 I'd like to try the forest thing. If I can't pull that off then I'd pull it apart.
 

VAFisher

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I like it. Seems like a good deal to me for $100. I definitely wouldn't break them up. I would try to grow some nice branches and define individual pads and clouds of foliage. The placement of the trees seems pretty good to me, although the 2 on the far left bug me a bit. I might try to place them so that they are standing up a little straighter.
 

Random User

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IMHO, I don't think it's believable for one reason... the pot.

If you put it on a slab, then someone might imagine that it's surrounded by water, or just an island of peat/soil on the Canadian Shield (or some such thing).

The only other thing that I would try, would be to try and space the trees out around the outside, so they aren't "laying down" quite so much... and, the fringe of an island of trees usually has ring of understory plants and the inside is void of most anything (I'm not sure that I explained that well enough)... even if you put a fringe of moss around the outer perimeter, but left the inside as it is, it may make a bit of a difference... but thats just me...

Personally, I think that was a steal for $100.00, I'd just look for the right flat stone around the edge of a lake... I find them all the time on the shoreline here.
 

Random User

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Same thoughts hey VA?... what do you think about that tall centre tree... is it too tall compared to the rest and the size of the planting?... I'm thinking that it might be ok if the trees were spaced out a bit.
 

Rusty Davis

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I thought the price was good as well. Less then $10 a tree and a free pot! @VAFisher I thought about that too but would it match the look of the other side and take away from the over all image?
 

Rusty Davis

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I do like the slab idea but not sure I want to take that step yet. Is watering more critical on a slab? This would not be the long term pot. I was thinking something a little shallower and rounded ends.
 

Random User

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"Is watering more critical on a slab?"

I guess it would depend on how you prepared the rim...

A guy might even try an old counter top thats covered in melamine so it won't rot... cut the outer edge in an irregular shape, then use PL Premium to stick rocks around the edge (like a battered lake shore), then when you're done placing the rocks/stones, sift gravel and sand over the larger rocks and let it sit... whatever sticks between the rocks might look convincing enough... OR, it might just look like shit, and you'd have wasted your time AND money.
 

M. Frary

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Keep it in the pot. At least for now. You can always put it on a slab later. Or not.
I personally don't like slabs or weird pots. I like traditional pots. Slabs seem like they could turn into a headache fast if not done right. Mud and moss and what not.
I would get to know this group first. Look at it. Look at pictures of other group plantings. See what catches your eye and can work for your trees.
I think you got a pretty good deal too!
 

sorce

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Why do you have to be in Il!?

If I had $200 I would offer it and make the trip!

I think you can style it to work.

Friggin cool!

Sorce
 

Bolero

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Wow you got a really good deal for $100.00...here are a few comments, Forests's don't usually grow as your setting looks.
Take all the outside left and right trees and re-plant or Wire them in a Vertical fashion to look like a Forest Setting...
To Create a Crown or partial Triangle, use the height of each Shimpaku to effect this...
This Shimpaku Grouping is very nice with great potential.
That's my story and I'm sticking to it...
 
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Yes, i guess it's a nice find for that price. Spacing between trees is not optimal. Seen on the spacing i think they were developed for a while in separate pots. I would thin the older not growing foliage so you start knowing your tree. After that you might have an idea what you should do. Wiring or not wiring, lowering some trunks or not.
Crepuscular_rays_in_the_woods_of_Kasterlee,_Belgium.jpg
 

Cadillactaste

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SCORE! Great pick up...I personally like the grouping...to separate them you end up with several mediocre trees. But as many books state if you group them together they can become something grand.

Enjoy it...and keep it happy. Then if at some point I would maybe look for an appropriate size pot. It seems not large enough for the canopy of this Forrest. But that's only my opinion...I'm not seeing it first hand either.
 

Rusty Davis

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Thank you all for the different perspectives. I don't think I will let this go anytime soon, kinda excited to work on it. I'll use that pot for working it but long term go more traditional. There is a stump cut at ground level so I'm thinking repot in the spring, pull stump and work on better placement and angles. Come on spring!
 

Rusty Davis

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Well unfortunately I lost about half of them through the first winter. I believe it was lack of experience on my part and not enough watering while they were in my garage.
 

Vance Wood

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The problem here is that many of us think a group/forest planting is just a matter of putting trees here and there and viola a forest. Don't work that way. A lot of this particular planting is made of trees approximately the same size, diameter wise---boring. Take time to study what makes a good forest and you will love the results. This is one of those areas in bonsai where you pretty much have to follow the rules if you want to succeed.
 
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